Tara Murray
The Western Warriors have secured two big signings as they look ahead to their second season in the Victorian Netball League.
Former Melbourne Vixen Tayla Honey, along with shooter Poppy Douglass have made the switch across from the Casey Demons.
Warriors coach Kim Bailey said it had taken a while but they were thrilled to get both of them into the side.
“They are pretty handy, both of them,” Bailey said. “I chatted with Tayla last year and she wasn’t ready to make the move.
“For both of them the big thing is distance and they don’t have to travel to the other side of town for training now.
“It works in our favour. Training is now only five-10 minutes for Tayla and for Poppy it’s a lot less too.
“We’re happy to have them both on board.”
Bailey said both fitted into what they were trying to do in getting local players into the side as they build the program up.
Honey has been coached by Bailey the past two seasons at the Sunbury Lions in the Ballarat Netball League.
There are several other Sunbury Lions premiership players in the Warriors line up too.
While Bailey has known Douglass for a number of years through connections in the Ballarat league and coaching against her, she’s never coached Douglass.
“I’m looking forward to what she can do in partnership with Kim Borger,” she said.
“To have Poppy there as a goal attack, not a wing attack, we want to build some combinations.
“We’re hoping it’s not just for one season, but hopefully she’ll be here five or six years or however long she wants to play.”
Tara O’Grady, who played in the under-23s side last season, rounds out the shooting end.
Bailey said they had to do something different in the shooting end and were keen to see what the two younger shooters could do.
Honey will move into the midcourt with Bailey saying she’s keen to see what the combination of her and under-21 Australian representative Ruby Shannon can do.
Among the other players revealed so far is Sarah Croft who will also be part of the new-look midcourt after being promoted from the under-23s.
Bailey said Croft was an underrated midcourter.
Eliza Gollant also makes the move up from the under-23s and will be part of the defensive end.
Ella Ogier, who missed last season with a knee injury will be another inclusion, while Elly Randall and Jasmine Fraser are back for a second season.
Bailey said it was about making sure they were planning for the long term.
“It might mean another year of development,” she said. “We’ve bought in some experienced players in Tayla and Poppy.”
