Find out everything you need to know about each club before the start of the Central Highlands Netball League season.
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Ballan Blues
Ballan may have lost its A grade shooter in Jayme Nielsen, but recruits Steph Burns (shooter) and twin sister Chelsea Burns (midcourter) have been touted as two to watch out for and will soften the blow.
Incoming player-coach Narelle Perkins said the club had been lucky to retain most of its list from last year and has put the onus on each player to step up and compete to the best of their ability.
“Our key strengths for the upcoming season would be we have a lot of depth and versatility among our players, so we are able to move players around,” she said.
“I’m expecting and hoping for a big year from everyone.”
Having bowed out in an elimination final last year to Buninyong, Perkins said another finals campaign was in her sights, while the grand final would be the ultimate goal.
Ballan finished seventh in season 2017 to make it the third time in four years.
Preseason training kicked off as soon as the season ended and has included a mixture of fitness classes and boot camps.
“Fitness is a really key aspect to being a great netballer, you need your fitness to be able to go again for those second options,” Perkins said.
“We had our tryouts earlier than a lot of other clubs just so we could get our team set and be able to work on those combinations. Come round one we will be prepared for whatever Gordon has for us.”
FACT FILE
COACH
Narelle Perkins (new)
2017 SEASON
7th position
Nine wins, six losses, one draw
KEY ARRIVALS
Steph Burns (shooter)
Chelsea Burns (midcourter)
THE FIXTURE
R1: Gordon (h)
R2: Buninyong (a)
R3: Springbank (a)
R4: Dunnstown (h)
R5: Beaufort (a)
R6: Hepburn (h)
R7: Waubra (h)
R8: Rokewood (h)
R9: Skipton (a)
R10: Creswick (h)
R11: Carngham (a)
R12: Clunes (h)
R13: Smythesdale (h)
R14: Learmonth (h)
R15: Newlyn (a)
R16: Daylesford (h)
R17: Bungaree (h)
Beaufort Crows
It is perhaps one of the biggest losses for a club in the offseason as Beaufort’s star goal shooter Jordyn Bibby takes a break from netball.
Among her list of achievements in 2017, Bibby was selected as goal shooter for team of the season and scored 60 goals in an interleague match.
While her absence will be felt, Bibby is the only non-returning player for last season’s top four outfit.
Incoming coach Andrea Griffin said the addition of new recruits from Smythesdale, shooter Eliza Smith and midcourt shooter Alana Roberts, and some tampering with the game plan would help to fill the void.
Meanwhile, shooter Tegan Avery is a junior coming through the senior ranks and will provide another strong option around goals.
Joint best and fairest winner defender Jessica Hollett is not expected to return to the court until mid June as she recovers from a knee injury, but the coach is hoping to confirm the recruitment of an experienced defender.
If successful, the team’s defence will be a major asset at full strength.
“We will be competitive but we are restructuring and trying to bring juniors through,” Griffin said.
“You always aim for finals and we want to improve on our position from last year (as semi finalists), but at the end of the day if you’re not out there having fun it’s not worth it. I’m a big believer in if you stick to the basics and work your opposition hard the results will come.”
FACT FILE
COACH
Andrea (Molly) Griffin (new)
2017 SEASON
4th position
11 wins, five losses
KEY ARRIVALS
Eliza Smith (shooter)
Alana Roberts (midcourt shooter)
THE FIXTURE
R1: Daylesford (h)
R2: Bungaree (a)
R3: Gordon (h)
R4: Buninyong (a)
R5: Ballan (h)
R6: Dunnstown (a)
R7: Springbank (a)
R8: Hepburn (h)
R9: Waubra (a)
R10: Rokewood (h)
R11: Skipton (a)
R12: Creswick (h)
R13: Carngham (a)
R14: Clunes (h)
R15: Smythesdale (a)
R16: Learmonth (h)
R17: Newlyn (a)
Bungaree Demons
Coach Prue Douglass expects Bungaree to jump out of the blocks in the opening rounds of competition after it took too long for the Demons to warm into last season.
While just missing out on a top four spot by two points, Bungaree lost three of its first four games in 2017.
“We stepped up to some of the strongest teams when we needed to but we didn’t against some of the weaker opposition and had some losses early that we shouldn’t have had,” Douglass said.
The side fell short of a grand final appearance by three goals when it went down to Learmonth in the preliminary final, but Douglass prided her players on their ability to work together as a team rather than a group of individuals.
She said while the squad had lost a goaler and defender to another league, it had achieved a straight swap through its recruiting.
Former Demon Ebony Knights makes her return to the club as a key addition to the line-up.
While the team has not had a big preseason, Douglass said it was about quality over quantity. Three of her players were also further developing their skills through their commitments with the ACU Sovereigns in the Victorian Netball League.
“I’m hoping the team as a whole steps up,” Douglass said.
“We’ve taken it a step further every year since I’ve been coaching and that step further this year is making a grand final.”
FACT FILE
COACH
Prue Douglass (returning)
2017 SEASON
5th position
10 wins, five losses, one draw
KEY ARRIVALS
Ebony Knights
THE FIXTURE
R1: Dunnstown (a)
R2: Beaufort (h)
R3: Hepburn (a)
R4: Waubra (a)
R5: Rokewood (a)
R6: Skipton (h)
R7: Creswick (a)
R8: Carngham (h)
R9: Clunes (a)
R10: Smythesdale (h)
R11: Learmonth (a)
R12: Newlyn (h)
R13: Daylesford (a)
R14: Springbank (a)
R15: Gordon (h)
R16: Buninyong (a)
R17: Ballan (a)
Buninyong Bombers
After going down to eventual champions Springbank in the semi final last season, Buninyong will introduce at least three new recruits and elevate a junior as part of a reshuffle.
Defenders Laura Bourke (Camperdown), Michelle Younger (St Joseph’s) and Meg Gilbert (Golden Square) come into the squad for a new look in the defensive end, while Emma Menhennet and Chelsea Burns are key departures.
Meanwhile Mia Conlan gets an opportunity as she steps up from the under/17 squad.
“We seem to be pretty strong across the whole court and we have quite a quick midcourt and definitely strong in defence,” co-coach Meg Gilbert said.
“It’s a little bit of a mix of youth and experience.”
Gilbert said the first few rounds of the season would be about taking advantage of the squad’s flexibility and rotating players in different positions to test out the best combinations.
The squad has trained strongly over the preseason with the focus now turning to game day plays and strategies ahead of round one.
“We would like to see 100 per cent effort, lots of teamwork and good defensive pressure across the court,” Gilbert said.
“We want to make the finals, that would be the starting point for us.”
Buninyong faces a tough start to the season, which includes a semi final rematch against the reigning champions in the opening round.
FACT FILE
COACH
Heather and Meg Gilbert (new)
2017 SEASON
6th position
10 wins, five losses, one draw
KEY ARRIVALS
Laura Bourke (defender)
Michelle Younger (defender)
Meg Gilbert (defender)
THE FIXTURE
R1: Springbank (a)
R2: Ballan (h)
R3: Dunnstown (a)
R4: Beaufort (h)
R5: Hepburn (a)
R6: Waubra (h)
R7: Rokewood (a)
R8: Skipton(h)
R9: Creswick (a)
R10: Carngham (h)
R11: Clunes (a)
R12: Smythesdale (h)
R13: Learmonth (a)
R14: Newlyn (a)
R15: Daylesford (a)
R16: Bungaree (h)
R17: Gordon (h)