Tara Murray
Gisborne is going with youth in the Bendigo Netball League this season.
Having had a similar line up for a number of years, this season the Bulldogs will look different.
Coach Tarryn Rymer said things were going along really nicely.
“We’ve had four really good practice matches,” he said. “It’s been really good to get back into that and get the ball rolling.
“We have a few new recruits that have come in. We’ve had a big A-squad last season and the girls who are stepping up in A-grade already know what to do as we have done it in past seasons.
The biggest addition for the Bulldogs this season is Zoe Davies.
The City West Falcons defender is a Collingwood Super Netball training partner for a second straight season.
She made her Super Netball debut last season.
Rymer said Davies fitted in with what they wanted.
“She has excellent leadership and is able to share her knowledge with the playing group,” she said.
“We’re pretty fussy with who we bring to Gisborne. We want to get in people who get footy-netball and she has been brilliant.”
Eloise Rodda comes up from the Bulldogs A-reserve side, while Tori Skrijel, who was equal winner of the league under-17 best and fairest award last season also steps up.
Tazma Morris, who had a season off, also returns to the club.
Emily McDonald, who has been promoted to the A-reserve side after sharing the league best and fairest award with Skrijel, is another one who might get opportunities in the A-grade side.
Last season’s league best and fairest winner Maddy Stewart is travelling this season and won’t play, while Polly Slater is having a baby.
Tiana Newman, who had a baby last year, will join the team when she’s ready, while Rhylee Connell is still recovering from an achilles injury.
Rymer said they were excited by what the team could do.
“I’m excited as we don’t get a lot of change over, and players leaving,” she said.
“Zoe is the oldest at 25. Claudia [Mawson], Kirby [Elliott], Kiralee [Collings] and Emerson [Lake] have all returned.
“We will be very young and very determined. We’ll be quite fast and play some disciplined netball across the season.”
Rymer said the club’s focus remained that all five teams were together and that you just don’t belong to one team.
She said after two premierships last season and another side making the grand final, they were keen to have some strong results across the board again.
“We would like all five teams to make finals and finish top three like last year,” she said. “A few more premierships would be good.
“We’ll look to build good connections across all the grades. “
The Bulldogs start their season this Saturday against Strathfieldsaye at home.
Kyneton starts its season on the road against Golden Square.
