NEW Leitchville-Gunbower coach Jordy Holman is confident a busy off-season has left them well placed to cover the loss of one of their former stars.
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The Bombers will head into the 2018 HDFNL netball season without their former coach Jodie Lake, who has opted to play football.
Lake, who finished runner-up in the 2016 HDFNL league best and fairest count and third last year, played both sports last year.
Lake led the Bombers to three consecutive finals series as coach from 2015-17 and was widely recognised as one of the league’s premier defenders.
But with former coach Sammi Drover making a return to the Bombers and the addition of recruits Kaitlyn Wishart and Kate Donehue, Holman was confident the Bombers could again push strongly for a finals berth.
The new coach said she was pleased with what her side showed in their sole practice match to date.
“These new players coming in bring a good dynamic to the team and was good to see which girls worked well with each other,” Holman said.
“We had Sammi down in defence and her leadership was a factor with our juniors floating through the middle.
“We are still in the mix of working out who will develop and in what position, but we are working through that.”
Also expected to feature in A-grade this season are last year’s 17-and-under league best and fairest Macey Brereton and fellow youngster Bronte Gundry.
Midcourter Kym Hanna is the only other out for the Bombers, who were beaten by Mount Pleasant in last season’s elimination final.
Holman indicated the Bombers would work on a quicker brand of netball in a bid to match the likes of reigning premiers Colbinabbin, White Hills and Mount Pleasant.
“I’m not saying we aren’t quick, but with some of these teams, just because they have played together for so many seasons, players are used to where each are going to go,” she said.
“Being able to shut down their drive and quickness on the court is something we are focused on.”
The Bombers open their season against North Bendigo at Leitchville, with Holman excited by what her first season as coach might bring.
“So far it’s been very different playing and coaching to just playing – it’s a big step up,” she said.
“But the people on the sidelines, especially our A-res coach Meg Dye have been fantastic in supporting me with what I need to do on the court.”
TO find out the player movements from all Bendigo, Heathcote and Loddon Valley clubs, look for the Bendigo Advertiser’s football and netball liftout inside the Thursday, March 29 edition.
