The Kyabram District League netball season roars back into action this weekend, but reigning premier Nagambie won’t be hitting the courts due to the bye.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The featured match of the opening round will be contested by two finalists from last year, Tallygaroopna and Dookie United.
Lisa Crosier is at the helm of the Redlegs this year and she expects the opening match against Dookie to be as competitive as they come.
‘‘I’m expecting this weekend to be a tight game against Dookie, I don’t think either side will be dominant, the contest will be tight to the finish,’’ Crosier said.
‘‘We’re a relatively young side, but we have had a good pre-season and I know the girls are excited for this weekend.
‘‘I’m impressed with our fitness levels, we haven’t spent too much time with ball work over pre-season, just focusing on our running capabilities.’’
Dookie has signed refreshed former coach Tanya Caruana for the season.
The former Benalla netballer conceded she was uncertain of how the first round would play out, yet she believed there was plenty of potential in her new-look side.
‘‘This weekend will be a little bit of an unknown for us, we have yet to get the full list together for consistent training sessions,’’ Caruana said.
‘‘I hope I’m wrong, but I’m expecting a little bit of inconsistency, first games are always rusty, especially with the preparation we’ve had.
‘‘But I know that the potential is there within the group and this weekend will be a good learning curve against Tally, the game will come down to those one-on-one, small battles.’’
●Lancaster welcomes back Leanna Couston after a year away from the club and the coach expects the youth in its netball system to play a key role in its first-round clash against Avenel.
The Swans’ A-grade coach is also a returning player, with Jacinta Jamieson back at the club with her two sisters in tow, as well as former Swans defender Nikkie Lord.
●Longwood faces the new kid on the block this weekend when it hosts Shepparton East.
The Eagles enter the Kyabram District competition after contesting the Murray league last year where they finished 11th on the ladder and coach Erynn Hueston expects the transition to be a smooth one.
●Alice Cunningham will lead Murchison-Toolamba in its opening game against Rushworth, with the Grasshoppers out to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish and the Tigers have brought in Nicky Chillingsworth as coach.
●Last year’s runner-up Stanhope will be hoping it can fire on all cylinders this weekend in its home match against Undera, with reigning league best-and-fairest Chicky Barr taking on the assistant coaching role.
●The clash between Violet Town and Ardmona will feature plenty of fresh faces for both sides, with Prue Holmes returning to the Towners as A-grade coach.
●In the final game of the round, Girgarre will host Merrigum under lights and both sides look destined to climb the ladder this year after their recruiting in the off-season.
TALLYGAROOPNA V DOOKIE UNITED
Tallygaroopna will unfurl its prized premiership flag this weekend in front of its loyal supporters, as the Redlegs take their first step towards defending their title against Dookie United.
The reigning premiers will be without Dylan and Mitch Sidebottom, with the two brothers lining up for PDFNL outfit Katunga.
However, with the exit of one family duo, another will take their place, with Tally luring Numurkah’s Josh and Ben Wellington, who are expected to add plenty of firepower across half-back and through the midfield.
Dookie will be out to spoil the party for the Redlegs on Saturday, with Brendan McMullan taking charge of the club and with recruits Karl Thompson and Harry Ukich set to shine.
Dookie finished last year with a finals exit and will begin a new phase without star forward Wayne Pavitt, who has joined Port Douglas for the upcoming season.
LONGWOOD V SHEPP EAST
Despite these two clubs meeting for the first time you can expect a hard-fought contest, with a large representation of former Longwood players pulling on the Eagles jumper this season.
Shepparton East has joined the competition and begins its journey in a third league in as many years, but will do so without the talented Matt Rendina, due to his shift back to Shepparton United.
Former Longwood coach Nick Brown has shifted across to the Eagles and following him are Ben and Anthony Tautala, Josh Brown, Daniel Freeman and Josh Dohnt.
The Redlegs welcome new coach Mick Galvin to the fold, with the former North Bendigo player hoping to rally the troops and build a core group of players for this year and beyond.
The club has been able to bring across Daniel Gordois, Mitch Lane and Michael Quaine for the first-round encounter against the Eagles at Longwood Recreation Reserve.
MURCHISON-TOOLAMBA V RUSHWORTH
The Grasshoppers will be hoping they can pencil in a win against Rushworth at home this weekend, as they look to build on last season’s ninth-place finish.
Nick Iorriani joins Murchison-Toolamba as coach and all signs from the club are that it has been able to retain the majority of its list.
It has brought across smart half-back flanker Shane Kay from Tatura, defender Steve Devlin from Congupna and Dylan Moncur from Stanhope.
Rushworth welcomes Brett Pateman back to the role as senior coach, 20 years on from his first stint, and it has looked to retain as many players as possible in a bid to build the list.
Travis Johnstone comes across from Strathfieldsaye and Kade Dearing has left Merrigum.
STANHOPE V UNDERA
Finishing last season in second spot and missing out on a shot at the premiership will spur Stanhope on in its opening round clash against Undera.
Cobey Aynsley takes charge of Stanhope from Robert Montgomery and Troy Auld, and the Lions have been able to poach Shepparton East duo Jamie Spencer and Brandon Cornish.
But they have farewelled goal-kicking maestro Rohan Baldock and Montgomery has decided to hang up the boots.
Undera has also welcomed a new senior coach, with Mick Kyle moving across from Mooroopna, bringing Ash Hockey with him.
Reigning McNamara medallist Kaine Herbert will receive assistance from Jack Hajiro, Liam Cross and Shaun Wilson.
VIOLET TOWN V ARDMONA
Violet Town was a major disappointment last year, not being able to replicate the form that carried it to the 2017 grand final.
Joining Sean Horsburgh in the top job at Violet Town is Tim Ross and with new additions to the line-up it should create an exciting year for the club.
Reigning best-and-fairest Pat Horsburgh has gone to Katamatite alongside Samuel Poole and John Woodcock, but the Towners have signed Jett Bewick, Nick Abley and Jake Cullen.
Ardmona has not had the ideal preparation, with a change of coaches a month out from the first game interrupting its pre-season.
The Cats have plenty of new faces with newly-signed coach Tim Keegan hoping they can get the next period of the club’s long history off to the right start.
GIRGARRE V MERRIGUM
These two sides finished last season side-by-side on the ladder, in seventh and eighth spot, and this weekend’s night match at Girgarre looms as an enticing battle.
The Kangaroos will be without quality duo Rowan Priest and Jake Hyland, the winners of the club’s goal-kicking and best-and-fairest respectively, but they’ve been able to welcome Craigieburn’s Hayden Phillips and Old Scotch’s Matthew Tyler.
The Bulldogs have brought over Kade Turvey from Golden Rivers league outfit Marcorna with hopes he can bring his pace and outside run to the side.
Merrigum pair Ty Parsons and Liam Cross are the only two omissions from last year which is a terrific sign of player retention by the club.
Sports Editor