Club depths will be tested when Souths face University of Newcastle in a Newcastle championship netball top-of-the-table clash at National Park courts on Saturday.
Lions are the competition's unbeaten leaders on 23 points after all teams have faced each other once. University of Newcastle are second with 21 points - the only blemish on their season so far is a 13-goal loss to Souths in their season-opener.
But both sides will go into the round-nine match without key players due to a clash with round 10 of NSW Premier League in Sydney.
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Lions coach Tracey van Dal is without goal attack Katelyn Stansfield, midcourters Aneeka Marcozzi, Zoe Peden and Abbey Leyshon and circle defender Nakita Jackson. Shooter Millie Tonkin remains out due to commitments with the NSW 17s side.
"Lions have six premier league players on our team sheet, although we do only have three that regularly take the court and they no doubt will be a big loss," van Dal said.
"There is an opportunity for our opens to step up. However, having said that, our opens team are depleted of personnel this weekend as well for one reason or another. So we really are calling on extended depth within the club. It will be a lot of opportunity for a lot of girls to step up."
University of Newcastle coach Traci Baber will similarly be affected. She is without goal shooter Sabina Gombosa and goal attack Erin Asquith but still has Bronte Magin and Mackenzie Stuart. Goal defence Angela Williams is unavailable.
"Bronte and Mackenzie are two very good shooters," Baber said. "We don't lose any speed or ability, we just lose the height.
"We've really got no shooters to bring up from the lower divisions because they're short as well, so we'll go with what we've got and see how we go.
"The last time we played it was the first game and I would say it's the worst game we've played all year. Souths are a really strong team. If you don't play at your best, you don't beat them."
Inner Glow (15) and Kotara South (11) are fifth and sixth respectively and both looking to stay in touch with the top four when they do battle. Inner Glow staged a fourth-quarter fightback to seal a three-goal win in round two and coach Dwight Graham anticipated a similarly tight tussle on Saturday.
"I expect it will be close again and looking after your own ball will be critical," Graham said.
"At the moment we're only two points behind fourth but if we drop one of these next few games then it just gets harder and harder."
Fourth-placed Nova Thunder (17) play Junction Stella (11). Games are at 2.30pm.
The round-nine match between BNC Whanau and West Leagues Balance has been postponed.
