Tara Murray
The buy-in from the playing group continues to push Gisborne in the Bendigo Netball League.
The Bulldogs, who are traditionally in the mix in the A-grade competition, have had a good start to the season in all their grades.
Bulldogs coach Tarryn Rymer said speaking before Saturday’s match with Kangaroo Flat that it had been a really good start to the season.
The Bulldogs lost that match 52-40.
“We’re sitting quite high in all the grades, from 17s through to A-grade,” she said. “We have a huge game this week.
“In most of the grades it’s either one and two, or one and three. They’re really strong and it will give us an idea on what we need to improve on.”
The A-grade side sits third after six rounds, where the side was expecting to be. Rymer said the aim was to sit even higher before the season ends.
For the Bulldogs this season there has been a mixture of new and old. Maddy Stewart and Tiana Newman are back again, while Claudia Mawson and Jordan Cransberg lead the includes.
Cransberg is a Melbourne Vixens training partner, while Mawson of the Vixens Academy.
Rymer said their impact on the club had been massive.
“They are such great individuals and it’s not just what we see on the court,” she said.
“Their knowledge is valuable for the young girls. Working with them, they are so crusiey and disciplined in the way they play.
“They know what it’s like to be part of a team. They play high calibre netball and they rock up and train and are involved in the club.”
Rymer said that it was Cransberg, who approached them about joining the club. She said straight away she was ready to buy into what they’re doing and not just rock up on game day.
Cransberg is set to miss the next few weeks for the Bulldogs with the Vixens preparing for finals.
“When we had that first conversation about what to expect she understood about being part of a team and building a culture,” she said.
“We got Kirby Elliott from Riddell as well. It was about making sure they were the perfect fit.
“We want to make sure we have the right people at the club.”
The Bulldogs will also be without Newman in the coming weeks, with the midcourter pregnant.
“There’s no replacing her on and off the court,” Rymer said.
“She will be my little assistant on the side. It’s a huge loss with her experience.”
Kiralee Collings and Emerson Lakey are both expected to step up in the absence of Newman.
Rymer said they had already taken steps this season and were getting better and better each week.
Overall, she said things were going good with more depth showing across all the grades.
“With Tiana out and a couple going overseas and injuries, it has been really hard balancing the squads whatever grade they are in. We want people getting good court time.
“I don’t want someone sitting on the bench the whole time.”
