Welcome to the 2021 Central Highlands Netball League season and The Courier's preview of the year ahead.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Here, we take a close look at every side ahead of one of the most anticipated local netball seasons in memory.
BALLAN
Coach: Lucy Gstrein
Captain: Katelyn McGregor
2019 season:
6th, 12-4 record (lost elimination final)
Best & Fairest: Stephanie Burns
Coming in:
Kelly Macpherson
Emily Lyle
Bec Robson
Out the door:
Narelle Perkins (Sebastopol)
Chelsea Burns (injury)
Stephanie Burns (family)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think that our strengths are just going to be with each other. We've got so many girls that are strong in different ways. We've got Kelly Macpherson and she's just so agile and so quick on the court. Then we've got our defenders, we've got Jenny who's just coming up from B-grade, her first time ever playing Saturday netball as well and she's so strong, so we're going to have a good defence and a good attacking end as well. Plus that strength through the mid-court, we're covering all bases and I'm really proud."
Biggest improvements: "It's hard to compare the two teams (2019 & 2021) because both teams are so different. I know that communication is definitely going to improve during our 2021 season on and off the court as well. Being able to go up to your teammate on a Saturday afternoon while we're watching the footy or seeing them down the street, just being able to go up and talk to them. I'm not saying that we didn't have that in 2019, we did, but trying to implement that into my 2021 team is my aim."
Players to be excited about: "I know I shouldn't play favourites but all of them. I'm excited to see all of them play because like I said it's a brand new team, I only came to Ballan in 2019 and I didn't get to watch a lot of the B-grade and the C-grade netball as much as I should have. I'm excited to see the B-grade and C-grade girls step up. Also excited to see big newcomers like Kelly and Emily just see how they fit into Ballan and I know they fit in so well already and see how they play. I'm just going to be amazed every single week, I know it."
BEAUFORT
Coach: Aimee Kirby
Captain: Linda Powell
2019 season:
14th, 3-13 record
Best & Fairest: Alana Roberts
Coming in:
Maggie Quinlan (Avoca)
Linda Powell (Heathcote)
Chantel Whiting (Heathcote)
Celeste Shaw (returning)
Out the door: -
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "Both our defensive and attacking end are going to be very strong this year along with our mid-court. We're going to be strong all the way through the court."
Biggest improvements: "Our centre court, we're going to be quick out of the centre straight into the attack. Our defence (too), Maggie Quinlan, she's a ripper defender so we're going to do really well I think."
Players to be excited about: "Being a new coach out there all my 10 girls will be well worth a watch, they're all great players. We've got a great mid-court, great defenders and great attackers. Look out for Linda Powell down in the attacking end, Celeste Shaw, Chantel Whiting, we're going to have some really good players to watch out for."
BUNGAREE
Coach: Olivia Browning
Captain: Undecided
2019 season:
7th, 9-7 record (lost semi-final)
Best & Fairest: Alanna Wood
Coming in:
Meg Anderson (returning junior)
Taylah Murphy (returning)
Jemima Clarke (debut)
Izzie Ryan (debut)
Sophie Wade (returning)
Out the door:
Alanna Wood (Melbourne)
Grace O'Dwyer (study)
Kathryn O'Dwyer (year off)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think we've got a strong defence. We've got Sophie and Laura Wade, both defenders and then a few others so that's exciting to see, we've got plenty of options."
Biggest improvements: "We've got a few girls coming up from our B-grade side and we've got Taylah Murphy who will be back in our goal circle so that's exciting. We usually struggle in the shooting end with not much height so that's something I'd like to improve on. Through the mid-court and into the goaling end that's probably the main area."
Players to be excited about: "I'm excited to see Taylah back in goal shooter. She's had a few years off so I'm excited for that, played with her all through my juniors so it'll be good to be back playing with her. Sophie Wade as well our defender, she's come back from a knee injury and had last season off as well so excited to play with her as well."
BUNINYONG
Coach: Meg Gilbert
Captain: Zoe Ottavi
2019 season:
4th, 13-3 record (lost preliminary final)
Best & Fairest: Shenae Cunningham
Coming in:
Erin Riley (Redan)
Ella Squire (returned)
Eden Squire (returned)
Isabel Dwyer (Newlyn)
Hayley Eldridge (Warrnambool Blues)
Out the door:
Shenae Haintz (family)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think that this year we've got a bit more height and we've really lacked height in the past. I think that should help us out this year."
Biggest improvements: "Consistency under pressure in those critical moments. We got so close to making the grand final in 2019, I think we were up with a couple of minutes to go and then we ended up losing the preliminary final by two goals. Just consistency in those critical moments."
Players to be excited about: "Zoe Ottavi, I think she's really improved in goal shooter for the last couple of years so I'm expecting big things from her. Stephanie Strachan as well in the centre, she's always a reliable centre player and Erin Riley as well in the defensive end."
CARNGHAM LINTON
Coach: Lisa Strudwick
Captain: Undecided
2019 season:
13th, 4-12 record
Best & Fairest: Jamie Palmer
Coming in: -
Out the door: -
From the coach's mouth: Club president Greg Spratling steps in to chat about the upcoming netball season.
CLUNES
Coach: Kath Milne
Captain: Alysha Tanozzo
2019 season:
15th, 2-14 record
Best & Fairest: Madi Davis
Coming in:
Sally Woodlands (Geelong)
Out the door:
Madi Davis
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "Ball carrying and some fast footwork."
Biggest improvements: "An area that we've really tried to understand the importance of is we need to get more return for shots that are put up and going into the circle."
Players to be excited about: "If I was a spectator I'd be pretty excited to watch them all but this Saturday Christine Hill, 300th game, get around her."
CRESWICK
Coach: Holly Sealey
Captain: Jacqui MacDonald
2019 season:
16th, 1-15 record
Best & Fairest: Courtney Lanagan
Coming in:
Nikki Bell (Newstead)
Shakira Clarke (Newstead)
Lillie Wrigley (returning from injury)
Jackie McDonald (Geelong Districts)
Out the door:
Kate Antonio (family)
Shannon Parsons (Skipton)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think one of our major strengths will be that it is quite a fit team. Even if skill wise we can't get it cemented in the first couple of rounds, fitness will really work in our favour."
Biggest improvements: "Defensive wise we've got a really strong goal keeper and goal defence. Even with being a shooter down from previous seasons, as long as we can make it up in the defence I'm sure we'll be fine."
Players to be excited about: "I'm really excited to see how all the girls go together, mainly with our defence gelling, I'm really excited to see that. Our main shooter here would be Lillie Wrigley so I'm excited to see how she goes throughout the season coming back from injury."
DUNNSTOWN
Coach: Sally McKay
Captains: Tegan Henderson & Rhianna Collins
2019 season:
9th, 8-8 record
Best & Fairest: Johanna Dash
Coming in:
Liv Prendergast (Newlyn)
Out the door:
Johanna Dash (family)
Melissa Ryan
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think our standout strength is that we have a very young side. Most of these girls have been playing together over the past few years coming up through the junior grades and through the B grade. They know each other very well and that's something that we're really looking forward to continuing through the next few years and developing further."
Biggest improvements: "A lot of our mid-courters are probably getting a little bit more court time. Johanna Dash was such a great player for us for such a long time so these girls are probably getting their chance now to step up and have a go at that mid-court."
Players to be excited about: "I would be keeping my eyes on Molly Jeffrey in the goals, she's a very good player. Also Tegan Henderson who is stepping up into the centre position, she's definitely one to watch."
GORDON
Coach: Ciane Van Dyken
Captain: Hannah McCrabb
2019 season:
8th, 9-7 record (lost elimination final)
Best & Fairest: Maggie Toohey
Coming in:
Gracie Brennan
Allana Vandyken (Rokewood-Corindhap)
Ellena Raven (Lake Wendouree
Out the door: -
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think that the biggest thing that Gordon will bring across the court is that unexpected, high intensity game play that they are implementing this year. From one end of the court to the other I think that the transition that they've been able to implement has been huge."
Biggest improvements: "Probably the pace of the court that's then brought through the mid-court this year. We've got a number of different players that are bringing a lot of speed across the court so it'll be really good to keep an eye out on that."
Players to be excited about: "In terms of the previous B&F winner I'm sure with Maggie Toohey it'll be nice to see her step onto the court, heard big things about her. Also with the Brennan sister Gracie coming back to play it'll be nice to see the three girls stepping on the court all at the same time. Just seeing the same players from the 2019 season just step it up and play as an entire team really."
HEPBURN
Coach: Gary Cooke
Captains: Tara Ford & Fiona Fowler
2019 season:
2nd, 14-2 record (Premiers)
Best & Fairest: Maddie Carter
Coming in:
Lauren Place (returned)
Alex Smith (returned)
Out the door:
Zali Brown (Melbourne)
Brydi Hutchinson (North Ballarat)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I'm really quite particular about court connection, making sure people knows everyone on court has a job to do, everyone's doing their job, each teammate knows when they get the ball they turn and someone else has made that next move and they can let the ball go. It's about our connectors just letting the ball go down court, when we get those connections right, the rest of it hopefully falls into place, defensive pressure all comes together, our attacking strategies all come together. To get it right you've got to get your skill base right and you've got to get your connections on court. It's just understanding every yeah when a team changes there's new line-ups, new people in there, you've got to get to learn those players and learn what they're good at and what they're not good at and work from there. Connections and down court's got to be our number one priority I'd say."
Biggest improvements: "Probably our speed down court. I think I've put a lot of emphasis on that because I feel everybody, probabaly in the whole league, we're all probably feeling a little unfit compared to what we would have been if there hadn't been the year off. It's just about getting the speed down court, which is about our fitness and when you're fit your decision making is much better, so they're the sort of things we're really emphasising in pre-season, just get fit, make the right decisions and the rest of it will come. I think where we'll be looking good will be our connections, but it's easier to say before round one's started because once you get a couple of games under your belt you can start seeing other faults that you want to start correcting, so we'll wait and see."
Players to be excited about: "Always excited about Fiona Fowler, our joint captain. She's an outstanding player, just an amazing player to watch. Maddie Carter who was our best and fairest last year, she's a bit of a dynamite. Then just the new mid-court, we will have a bit of a young mid-court combination out there, so just watching these young kids, they're sort of 21, 22 and then Maddie Carter so there's some young ones out there, so just watching them develop through the year will be good. They haven't had a lot of time together because obviously we didn't get last year together, we've only been having a little bit of pre-season. It hasn't been that easy to get everyone together for pre-season. That'll be exciting to watch the young mid-court work, but definitely Fiona Fowler and Maddie Carter are two very exciting players to watch and they're real leaders on court too, they really bring the players with them."
LEARMONTH
Coach: Jordan O'Keefe
Captains: Katelyn Sutton & Eleisha Phelps
2019 season:
1st, 16-0 record (lost preliminary final)
Best & Fairest: Alicia Phelps
Coming in: -
Out the door:
Michelle Kerrin (work commitments)
Emma Farrant (work commitments)
Laura Tonkin (Queensland)
Alicia Verhey (not playing)
Jedda Heard (Horsham)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think in previous years our centre court has had so much change in it, we've always had probably more numbers playing through the centre court than in our defensive and goal end. Purely because this year we are down on numbers a little bit those centre court players are fewer, so the advantage is they can probably settle and be a bit more stable and help really link up both ends of the court a bit more efficiently than maybe what we have in the past. The advantage of that is that is a mix of those more senior players with one or two less experienced junior players in there, so I think that's probably the main thing that's going to show a bit of a different playing style for us this year is that we're a bit more efficient. Less changes as well through our centre court, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that's going to work out."
Biggest improvements: "At the moment you can see glimpses of it, glimpses of that again that word efficiency, being a bit more efficient with the ball around the goal circle. I think sometimes it has been a case that we look for other options a bit too quickly rather than perhaps in that goal circle turning and looking at the post. Traditionally we do try and find the shorter shot at goal and always being really patient in making sure we're working the ball as close to the post as we can. I think this year with a bit of a different look around the goal circle that we need to be taking some different shots, different ranges and maybe looking forward a little bit more rather than wanting to re-set and work the ball inches closer to the post where we could just turn around and shoot. I've seen some glimpses of improvement there and being a bit more prepared to turn and look at the ring rather than waste time and re-set when sometimes we don't need to."
Players to be excited about: "Because I have seen the seniors for so long it's just the kids I'm really excited to see how they are going to go in a genuine A grade netball competition. They have been playing seniors with me and that's the likes of young Kaitlyn Balazic, Scarlett Eason, we've got Emily Findlay who are young players that are a part of this A and B grade squad, having that opportunity to get some A grade netball under their belt. Really looking forward to seeing how they progress once we officially start this weekend because there is the potential to be very, very good players if they develop into their senior playing career as such."
NEWLYN
Coach: Maggie Prendergast
Captain: Ryleigh Haire
2019 season:
11th, 7-9 record
Best & Fairest: -
Coming in: -
Out the door:
Liv Prendergast (Dunnstown)
From the coach's mouth: Club netball coordinator Michaela Sinclair steps in for a chat.
Team strengths:
"For me personally and I think Maggie would also say this, the youth of our team and our ability to keep going in any conditions, to power through. We're a little bit speedy, we're young and fresh and fit."
Biggest improvements: "Hopefully our longevity through the game and being able to be competitive across four quarters."
Players to be excited about: "Definitely a few of our young girls coming up from the juniors, it's their first season in seniors and have been pushed up into A-grade and having a go. The likes of Bella Prendergast, Jess Mihaljevic and Grace Charry just to name a few. Also some new comers, Cassie Kawa who is playing her first senior season out at Newlyn as well."
ROKEWOOD
Coach: Kerry Lightfoot
Captain: Undecided
2019 season:
5th, 12-4 record (lost semi-final)
Best & Fairest: Sam Edwards
Coming in:
Ellie Carr
Kate O'Meara (Warrnambool)
Sadye Wines (South Gippsland)
Out the door:
Sam Edwards (family)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "We've got some strong leadership in the group, some very experienced players. They will certainly help some of our younger, less experienced players, so that's a strength, the leadership within the group. They're very motivated and keen to improve and very disciplined so as a new coach I'm often introducing new things and they're really keen to learn. I've been very, very impressed with the coachability of the group, so that's got to be a strength, that's how you improve, great work ethic, very passionate, so lots of positives to work with."
Biggest improvements: "I'm not going to say the defensive end because it's whole team defence. Certainly everything's being done as a group, so we don't expect our defenders to just win the ball, we realise and recognise everybody that goes out on court is a defender so I think our whole team defence. Similarly our goalers have got to put the ball through the ring but our whole team attack and delivery of the ball, it's more about the whole team approach and really working as a unit together and people fulfilling their roles within that unit. Knowing that if for whatever reason someone who might normally fill a position isn't available then we've got other people that can understand that role and can step in and do a fantastic job there as well. Working on that whole team unit and the performance as a team."
Players to be excited about: "Kate O'Meara is new into the group, she's very dynamic and she is experienced and will show some leadership, so she will be one to watch. Libby DenOuden is a playmaker, she's a real leader on court and has a real netball brain, most people know who she is and she's a very experienced player, she's one to watch as well. Got some young players in the group too, Ruby Caldow is starting playing her senior netball, played as a junior at Rokewood. She is very excited to take on that challenge, so she'll be one to watch to see how she develops. Then there's others in the group, Sadye Wines is new to the group, she is wing attack, centre, so she will be one to watch as well. Adele Nairn is a stalwart, she is a leader in the group. Topsy Milera is a really dogged defender and she works extremely hard so she's also one to watch. Jess Rainsford is stepping up into the shooting position, she shot very accurately on the weekend so if she continues to improve she will be very valuable to in that goal shooter role."
SKIPTON
Coach: Lauren Williams
Captain: Shannon Palmer
2019 season:
12th, 5-11 record
Best & Fairest: Sophie Draffin
Coming in:
Rhiannon Ezard (Romsey)
Michelle Williams (Peninsula)
Out the door:
Sophie Draffin (Geelong)
Fiona Collins (retired)
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think that we've got quite a universal style of play. Having quite a heavy new player intake for the A-grade, I think we've got a lot of new ways of play, a lot of different experiences and I think having that universal utility to use them, to create different styles of play and to not just be stuck in one style of play is probably going to be a strength for us. To be able to switch between different styles of play and not just be stuck in that one method."
Biggest improvements: "I think the talk on the court has definitely improved from pre-season last year. A lot of our new players are very vocal, in a positive manner I should mention. Being able to bring that into the court and to get around teammates and to keep that positivity is definitely a noticed improvement from pre-season last year to this year. That's really good to see for me as an A-grade coach, being able to support your fellow players and to keep that positivity and your head up on court to keep playing those four quarters."
Players to be excited about: "Very excited to see Rhiannon Ezard play, one of our newcomers, our shooter. She's also the vice-captain for this year as well, I'm excited to see her play and to lead that goaling ending quite strongly. I'm also excited to see how our defensive end plays, I think we've got some quite strong players down there, I'm excited to coach them and mould them together to learn how to best work with each other."
SPRINGBANK
Coach: Kelly Conroy
Captain: Amy Conroy & Casey Johnstone
2019 season:
3rd, 14-2 record (runners-up)
Best & Fairest: Cynna Kydd
Coming in: -
Out the door: -
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "The family culture we have there at Springbank, a place and a community where people feel they really belong in and feel supported in as well. That's not just for netball but I think that's really important in peoples lives, if they do have that support they're gonna be better people, better players and better because of it. Netball court wise we are looking quite strong I think all over the court in all positions in A grade from the defence end all the way to the goaling end. I think we've got a lot of added strength in all of the seven positions on the court this year which we may not have had in previous years. I think just a bit of freshness in every position and versatility is what we have this year which we've lacked in past years. It'll be interesting to see whether that works in our favour or not, hopefully it does."
Biggest improvements: "I think the improvement in their form is going to come from their improvement and their growth as an individual in the year off as well. I think that time that people had through 2020 and with the cornavirus just gave them that extra time to understand themselves and understand where their passions lie. A lot of them found that yes, their passion does lie in netball and the joy that playing for Springbank brings. I think them finding that understanding that yes, playing for Springbank does mean a lot to them and playing netball does mean a lot to them and playing amongst other people that have those same values, I think that in itself is what's going to work. I think that's what's going to be the key instigator in peoples improvements on the court and our improvement as a team."
Players to be excited about: "I wouldn't be able to pick out a single person within the team that I'm excited to coach specifically. As I said netball is a team sport and the players within our entire team I am beyond excited about just playing alongside them, let alone coaching them as a group. They're a fantastic group of ladies and they all bring something new to the team. They all make me feel very supported as a coach and a player, not just as a coach, so I'm excited for the entire team and that dynamic, not just single people."
WAUBRA
Coach: Anna Coote
Captains: Emily Atkins & Bethany Van Rossum
2019 season:
10th, 7-9 record
Best & Fairest: Esse James
Coming in:
Chloe Dunmore (Wimmera)
Kara Cooper (Daylesford)
Caitlin Barker (returning)
Jess Morris (returning)
Out the door:
Esse James (family)
Jane Douglass (Darwin)
Rachel Murphy (not playing)
Caitlin Murphy
From the coach's mouth:
Team strengths: "I think we're a very young side. We have a lot of goalers this year so I think that end will be really interesting because we've got such good depth. If we come across a team that are stopping one goaler we have four more to put in there to have a crack at it, so that's a really good strength, we're really diverse I think."
Biggest improvements: "I think the whole team's going to improve the more we play with each other. Like I said we have some really young girls that are just making a name for themselves in senior netball so they're looking great at the moment. The more senior games they get under their belt the better they will be with the more physical games that are in senior netball. It's really exciting to see those girls and their improvement."
Players to be excited about: "Chloe Dunmore one of our new recruits, she's really lovely to watch. She's a goaler, she doesn't like to play defence but she's able to so as a coach that's very handy to have someone there that can do that. It's also really lovely to see two of our juniors coming up. Heidi Simpson and Gypsy Dunmore which is Chloe's sister, they're some really strong juniors and they're very adaptable also so they can play any end, mid-court, all that sort of thing so looking forward to seeing how those girls do this year."
If you are seeing this message you are a loyal digital subscriber to The Courier, as we made this story available only to subscribers. Thank you very much for your support and allowing us to continue telling Ballarat's story. We appreciate your support of journalism in our great city.
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.