The Adelaide Thunderbirds believe they can further improve team cohesion heading into their must-win game against the AIS Canberra Darters and a likely 11th finals series.
Goal attack Natalie Medhurst says the team is still rediscovering its routine and strategies after the involvement of Adelaide players in the recent International Netball Test series disrupted its rhythm.
The 23-year-old, along with Natalie and Laura von Bertouch, played in five international Test matches during the break in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.
"It had been four or so weeks since we had all played together, obviously training with the Aussie teams and the way they do things is a bit different to how we (Adelaide) work our game plan," she said.
After an up-and-down week 14 - which featured a win against Perth and a loss against the Melbourne Phoenix - the Thunderbirds' offensive game appeared on the rise against the Melbourne Kestrels on Friday.
The quantity and quality of ball into the goal circle from the von Bertouch sisters was impressive, while Medhurst and Kristen Hughes appeared a stronger, attacking unit. The forward pairing shared the scoring duties during the team's 60-49 victory.
"She (Hughes) played awesome and obviously she shot well," Medhurst said.
"The last couple of weeks, I guess our combination hasn't been all that great, so it was good."
"I guess the movement inside that forward line, just back to the way things have been earlier on and in the past."
Medhurst admitted her involvement with the national team had been physically draining.
But she declared she wouldn't have it any other way as Australian coach Norma Plummer provided her with a memorable home court cameo in the green and yellow uniform.
The 178-cm goaler was brought into the game in a tense fourth quarter, evoking a massive applause from the Distinctive Homes Dome crowd.
"It would be nice to get that (crowd support) all the time," she said.
"I tried to look all calm and composed and not let myself get too excited and then Nat smiled at me and I thought 'I'm going to enjoy this'."
"It was just amazing to get out there and obviously Norma didn't have to give me a run."
While the Test series remains a vivid memory, Medhurst said she was now focussed on the Thunderbirds' upcoming game against the Darters.
Form and experience is on Adelaide's side but the Thunderbirds are doing their best to guard against complacency.
"We are confident …but we can't get too far ahead of ourselves, we've still got one minor round game to go before finals and you don't want to get too cocky," Medhurst said.
"We have to make sure we go over to Canberra and put out four decent quarters."
"It's their last game as well and they'll be giving it their all but last time we played them we gave them a bit of a thumping."