REIGNING league best and fairest Brydie Lawford will lead Heathcote District into inter-league battle against Geelong District on Saturday.
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The dual Colbinabbin premiership star and versatile defender was announced as the HDFNL’s captain at the squad’s final training session on Thursday night at Huntly.
White Hills midcourt ace Danni Wee-Hee is the vice-captain.
A strong and flexible squad will be coached by Colbinabbin’s dual premiership coach Liz Cobbledick, who is in charge of the inter-league team for the first time.
Cobbledick, a league best and fairest winner in 2016, was confident the team would give a good account of itself against an expected tough opponent, spearheaded by last season’s GDFNL best and fairest Shannyn Leach and her Thomson premiership team-mate Errin Lang, who was runner-up.
“The mix of the squad and the depth we have is very strong,” she said.
“There’s quite a lot of versatility. Ruby Scanlon is someone one who will be able to play in goals or in the midcourt; Dannielle Sawyer is another who can play at both ends of the court.
“We’ve assembled a really good bunch of girls, everyone really wants to be there and is looking forward to representing the league.”
As with most inter-league clashes, Cobbledick said there were more unknowns than knowns about the opposition.
“We will just go in focused on the things we know we can do,” she said.
“We will set up some structures that we can work towards – I’m more worried about what we can do.”
Cobbledick highlighted the defensive end of the court as a definite strength of the HDFNL team, with skipper Lawford being joined by White Hills goal keeper and last season’s league best and fairest runner-up Anna Grace Close and Lockington-Bamawm’s Rebecca Eade.
The Cats youngster played in a BFNL 17-and-under premiership with Sandhurst last season, while splitting time between the two clubs, and is enjoying a stellar season in the A-grade ranks.
“She is a nice young defender and it will be a good experience for her working with Brydie and Anna-Grace,” Cobbledick said.
The match will be played at Keith Barclay Oval, North Geelong, starting at 2.15pm.
The team is Liz Cobbeldick, Brydie Lawford (Colbinabbin), Kaitlyn McPhee (Huntly), Rebecca Eade (Lockington-Bamawm United), Ruby Scanlon (North Bendigo), Anna-Grace Close, Rhian Moressi, Dannielle Sawyer, Danni Wee-Hee (White Hills).
Reserves: Isabel Nichol-Smith (Elmore), Megan Baird (Mount Pleasant), Lara Daly (North Bendigo).