Tara Murray
It will be the same familiar faces for Macedon in the Riddell District Netball League this season.
While there has been a number of changes across the league with playing personnel, the Cats have brought back the core group that has been together for a number of years and played finals every year.
Cats coach Ciara Stewart said the playing group just enjoyed playing netball together and that was even more so evident after COVID.
“The core group is returning for our fifth or sixth season,” she said. “COVID hasn’t affected our A-grade side with playing numbers.
“We just love the club. We’re looking for another really good year together. Netball is how we stay connected through sport.”
Stewart, Katie Clarke, Janelle Tate, Chloe Wilson, Hayley Birch, Chelsea Kemp, Caitlyn Alifraco and Karlee Bruno are all returning this season.
Shanae Brundall had been promoted from B-grade and at just 20 will add some youth to the squad.
Stewart said they had been looking to promote some more younger players, but many had stepped away from the game, something which is being felt across a number of clubs.
“We’ve lost player after player in the lower grades, they want their weekends to themselves.
“We had a really good group of under-19s, three or four years ago that we had promoted into the higher grades. All bar one has left.
“It hurts as some of us A-grade players are starting to age and we can’t be playing at this level forever.”
The Cats were among the contenders again last season when the pandemic resulted in the season being canceled.
Stewart said had the season continued they would have been missing three players due to injury and pregnancy.
Stewart said early signs in the pre-season had been good.
“We’ve been training for a while and had quite a few practice matches,” she said.
“The training has really helped. When we played against Heathcote, it was like we took a deep breath to have fun being back together. “We’re having an intra club game on Saturday just to be around each other.”
Stewart said despite the success they’ve had in the past, they were looking to change things up. She said they expected to again be up their in contention.
“We’ve been working on a few new things,” he said.
“We’ve been working on ways to get smarter. Using really clean and smart ball movement.
“The group has been together for a long time, so we want to try something new.
“We want to offer more than the starting seven that has been so successful.”
The Cats will start their season this Saturday against Riddell as part of the PUKA UP Cup.
The two begin each season with a one-day senior football and A-grade netball competition to bring awareness to the issue of mental health after both clubs lost a young player to suicide.
In other round one matches, Melton Centrals hosts Rockbank, Romsey plays Wallan for the CFA Cup and Woodend-Hesket takes on Lancefield underlights.
Diggers Rest has a bye.
