A staggered start

Uncertainty hovers over Wimmera netball league this season as teams prepare to blow out the cobwebs with an opening round of matches on Saturday.

And that uncertainty will continue into next week with traditionally strong Ararat and Stawell out of action until Good Friday and perennial force Horsham sitting out with a first-round bye.

But coaches and teams will gain some understanding of structures and potential with A Grade games set for Hopetoun and Minyip.

At Hopetoun, Southern Mallee Giants will take on visiting Dimboola in a contest generating plenty of expectation.

Giants coach Anthony Schache said the Giants were happy to welcome back Amy Walder, who played either end of the court, and mid-court player Gemma Lehmann.

Schache said the Giants’ A Grade outfit would be ‘an exciting mix of mature and young players’ who had completed extensive pre-season training preparations.

He said players travelling from Melbourne, Ballarat and Horsham, with connections to the club, would complement home-based players and expected the mix to produce a competitive group.

Dimboola leader Ant Toet will gain insight into how the Roos will shape up for the season in what looms as a test for a new-look line-up.

Toet said Hannah Dubois would make her A Grade debut after playing all her netball at Dimboola and Ashlee Morrish, from Ouyen United and a new teacher at Dimboola, was also in the mix.

She said Paige Glover was also set to play her first full season of A grade after impressing as a junior development player in 2021 and Abbey Greig returned to A grade after winning the league’s B Grade bestand-fairest award.

The newcomers might offset departures including Steph Glover and Ruby Redford and Delta Wardle, university studies, and Meaghan Pohlner, Kalkee.

The clash at Minyip should also be fascinating, with Minyip-murtoa welcoming contemporary rivals Horsham Saints for a first-up encounter.

Minyip-murtoa coach Sheridan Petering said her players, after last year’s interruptions, were looking forward to a full season of netball.

Petering said the club had been lucky in being able to welcome Faith Mckenzie, Tamika Mentha and Lucy Brand to the club and returning Billie Bibby.

“All bring experience, enthusiasm and versatility to our A Grade team. The girls are itching to get going,” she said.

Petering predicted a key match-up would be between Mentha and the Saints’ Ash Grace.

“These two run all day so it will be an interesting battle in the midcourt,” she said.

Horsham Saints coach Jess Cannane said she was looking forward to the clash against the Burras.

“It’s always a good match-up across the court between Saints and Minyip-murtoa with games being very even. In the past we have played very similar game styles – that being short and fast,” she said.

Cannane said the Saints would have two new players in Steffi McDonald and Jami Luhrs making their A Grade debut this week.

“The girls have been training hard throughout pre-season and their combinations within the team is starting to develop,” she said.

She said she also looked forward to Shannon Cross returning to the side after interrupted seasons on the sidelines.

“Her speed and feeding ability strengthens our attacking end,” Cannane said.

Horsham has a bye because it is scheduled to play Nhill, which is not fielding an A Grade side this year.