MELBOURNE Vixens coach Simone McKinnis hopes next year’s pre-season tournament in Bendigo will be an opportunity for the club to connect to established fans and hopefully reach new ones.

Announced on Tuesday, the Vixens will meet two yet to be determined Super Suncorp Netball rivals in a series of matches at Bendigo Stadium on March 30-31.

The games will be the first in Vixens’ colours for Bendigo’s own Caitlin Thwaites since her departure from the club at the end of the 2010 season.

McKinnis said the pre-season matches provided a great opportunity for the team to finalise preparations ahead of the season and give back to the community.

“Getting to play in a pre-season competition like this is an important part of pre-season as it’s an opportunity for us to uncover areas of our games to focus on in the final few weeks before round one,” McKinnis said.

“We know Vixens fans come from near and far, so to be able to bring a competition to Bendigo is incredibly important to us in reaching out to these fans who support us through the season.”

Netball Victoria will also be engaged in a number of community events in the area in the week of the competition, including a coaches conference, umpiring workshops, Rock Up Netball sessions and junior clinics.

Thwaites, who was back in Bendigo for Tuesday’s announcement, alongside Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards and Vixens acting CEO Steven Gatt, has rejoined the Vixens after stints with Collingwood Magpies, New South Wales Swifts and Central Pulse.

The Australian Diamonds goal shooter, who previously played a Test match against England in Bendigo in 2014, was in awe of the city’s redeveloped stadium.

“Just walking in the door then and to find out the capacity of this stadium is over 4000 people, it’s incredible to have that capacity to bring sporting events here,” she said.