Hawks in the mix
The depth of Gippsland League netball continues to get better and pre-season indications are that all clubs will be as strong as or better than last season.
Drouin Hawks are always in the mix in the top A grade competition and will make a bold showing again in defence of the premiership it won last year.
Warragul, after a few lean years following its 2006 premiership season, looms as an improver.
It will be a hard-fought battle for places in the “five”; Traralgon again looking strong with probably the tallest side in the competition, Moe on the verge of pushing for the ultimate prize, Morwell strengthening its squad as is Maffra, Leongatha will be its usual competitive self, while Wonthaggi Power, Sale and Bairnsdale are all confident of taking steps up the ladder.
At Warragul the senior group looks the best it has had to put on the court for most of the intervening years since the premiership.
Second year A grade coach Lexie Fenton will enjoy the return of Jamie Rollison (nee Perry) and Lucy Monahan and the addition of Anna Green from Garfield and Hayley Roberts and Eboni Wall.
The better depth at the top level will also push through to the lower grades to build the Gulls’ overall competitiveness.
As is always the case, being as good as last year is not enough to defend a premiership and further improvement has been a keynote of Drouin’s pre-season under new coach Kylie Proctor.
She has plenty of wise and experienced heads around her on the court, her sisters and former coaches Stacie Gardiner and Christie Edwards will be keys again along with Jessie Hedley and Sarah Dunn and a trio of youngsters – Kim Diston, Ruby Pratt and April Bethune - that celebrated A grade success last year. Linda Rasmussen is the only absentee from 2016. Both Warragul and Drouin have tough season opening tests on their home courts on Saturday week.
The Gulls face a Moe side headed by last year’s league best and fairest Montana Holmes determined to being a major contender.
At Drouin the Hawks face Morwell, a finalist last year, that is boosted by the returns of premiership player Claire Allison, Kim Inglis and Jen Duncan and some recruits from Mid Gippsland.