POINT guard Kelly Wilson will have a homecoming of sorts when the Bendigo Bank Spirit hit Gippsland this weekend.
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The former Leongatha league junior will have plenty of support in the stands when the Spirit clash with the Dandenong Rangers in Traralgon on Sunday.
With the WNBL season set to tip-off in two weeks' time, Wilson has arguably more reason than most to be looking forward to the Spirit’s opener against South East Queensland in Brisbane.
It is the first time in a few years she will enter the season injury-free, the benefits of which were seen in the team’s games against Melbourne and Perth last weekend.
"They were two really important games for us," Wilson said.
"We obviously had one win and one loss, but it was just really good for the squad to play a few games together.
"They were really important in terms of where we are at and where we need to be ahead of this weekend."
It's a new-look Spirit squad that will tackle the 2015-16 WNBL season.
Gone are one-time league MVP and five-time All-Star Five guard Kristi Harrower and fellow championship winning players Sara Blicavs, Tessa Lavey, Chelsea Aubry and Maddie Garrick.
The inclusions are headed by American import Joy Burke and young forward Molly Matthews.
Wilson, who is entering her eighth season with the Spirit, is impressed with what she has seen so far.
"Joy has fitted in well - her and Gabe (Richards) are working well together and that's really pleasing for us," she said.
"The other new girls have fitted in well.
"Simon (Pritchard) is obviously a new coach and he's put in a new structure and that's been a good thing in that we have all been learning from scratch.
"It's not like anyone has come in and had to learn anything a whole lot of us already knew."
The Spirit will head to Traralgon early for a series of coaching clinics on Saturday, minus star centre Gabe Richards, who will line-up for Golden Square in the BFNL A-grade netball final.
Richards will join the team for Sunday's game.
Wilson said the coaching clinics, involving some of country Victoria's top junior basketball talent, was something she looked forward to.
"I know being a (former) Vic country junior myself, if I was in that position myself, I would be really excited to be involved," she said.
"For us to be able to give back and hopefully be able to teach Victorian country basketballers something is pretty exciting."
For the first time this pre-season, the Spirit will have their full squad available in Traralgon.
Coach Pritchard said he was looking forward to working alongside his Opals squad representative.
"I am so lucky to have someone like Kelly who has been involved with so much international basketball and have eight years of experience with the Spirit," he said.
"It's so much easier to have someone with such strong views about how the game should be played and the ability to do it.
"She is my coach on the floor. It's not often you go to a place and have that situation."
The Spirit will begin their season with a tough road double against the South East Queensland Stars and Townsville Fire on October 9-10.