The BFNL team needs to finish either first or second in this weekend’s Association Championships Northern Zone tournament in Bendigo to join the league’s open team at the June 17 championships at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.

The open team, coached by Sandhurst’s 2016 joint premiership coach Tamara Gilchrist, has already been assured a place in the championships after claiming the title in 2017.

BFNL under-17 coach Melinda Keighran said her side was intent on continuing its good early season form.

The team went undefeated in all eight games and its semi-final and grand final games at a Golden City tournament on May 6.

It followed a runners-up effort at a tournament in Shepparton in late April.

A rigorous tournament schedule will start with a 9am clash against Wimmera, the team the BFNL defeated in the final at Golden City, followed by another eight qualifying games.

Keighran said she was impressed with the depth and diversity in her side.

“The girls have tasted success in all the tournaments we’ve played in (this season), but the real test is this Sunday, to finish first or second and get that opportunity to compete in Melbourne,” Keighran said.

“We have got a fair bit of height in the team and a lot of diversity – we have a few goalers who can switch into defence.

“We’ve been impressed with the way they have gelled and combined together.”

Keighran said a pleasing feature of the squad was that it contained six first-year BFNL players.

These are complemented by third-year player and captain Bree Heiden, who is playing A-grade this season at Golden Square, and second-year Sandhurst pair Ruby Turner, who made her A-grade debut earlier this season, and Sophie Shoebridge.

“It’s exciting to see such strong competition stepping into the BFNL in their first year,” Keighran said.

“It is a really big development year in the BFNL this year – a lot of clubs have lost players that have gone up into the senior ranks.

“It’s definitely a new-look team that we have, and one with six clubs represented.”

Kangaroo Flat’s Bridie Semmens and Golden Square’s Abbey Clohesy have come off the emergency list to replace Jas Collins and Chelsea Hicks, who will both miss the tournament with injury.

The 17-and-under squad is: Chloe Langley (Castlemaine) Chelsea Hicks (Eaglehawk), Bree Heiden, Ashlee O’Shea, Abbey Clohesy (Golden Square), Abbey Grindal, Brianna Pedretti, Ella Wicks, Bridie Semmens, Jas Collins (Kangaroo Flat), Sophie Shoebridge, Ruby Turner, Keely Jones (Sandhurst) and Carissa Brook (South Bendigo).

 v Wimmera (9am); v Central Murray (9.34am); v Golden Rivers (10.08am); v Sunraysia (11.16am); v Castlemaine and District (11.50am); v Loddon Valley (12.24pm); Heathcote District (12.58pm); v North Central (1.32pm); semi-finals (2.28pm); grand final (3.04pm).