BACK-TO-BACK inter-league wins will be on the minds of Loddon Valley's netballers when they line up against Horsham District at Horsham City Oval on Saturday.
The LVFNL celebrated its return to the inter-league scene, after a two year hiatus, with a 42-34 win against Golden Rivers at the QEO last May and will now seek to follow up with another.
Three of the players from that triumph - Bridgewater's Jessey Wilson, and Mitiamo's Amelia Ludeman and Lucy Morcom - are again part of coach Carmen Shevlin's squad.
They are joined by Bridgewater's 2018 premiership star Anita Dorrington and her Mean Machine team-mate Carly Scholes, Marong defenders Teagan Bickerdike and Kim Dalton, and Newbridge's Alyssa Cole, Leah Dixon and Jane Reid.
The versatile Cole is fresh to the league in 2019, after winning the Heathcote District A-reserve league best and fairest last year with White Hills, while Dixon has returned to Newbridge and the LVFNL following a stint away.
Shevlin, who led Newbridge to a flag in 2016, will be pinning the LVFNL's hopes on flexibility and quickness.
"There's a fair bit of flexibility in the team - Lucy and Carly can play at both ends and our midcourters can play in a variety of positions," she said.
"It's a quick side - quick and agile.
"We don't have a lot of height, with Jane and Lucy being our tallest. We don't have a team of six-footers unfortunately as height is always tough to beat, but I'm confident it's a strong team."
Shevlin nominated the support out of defence of Marong's Dalton, the quickness of Dorrington and Cole, and the goal shooting prowess of Scholes and Newbridge coach Reid, as some of the keys for her side.
The LVFNL rounded out its preparation last night with a practice match involving a few 'extra' players from across the league.
In terms of Horsham District, Shevlin said details on the opposition were scant.
"Horsham (District) have been very hard to find out about; what we have been able to find out is that three of their players finished in the top 10 of their league best and fairest last year, so that's pretty much on a par with us," she said.
"And they have a playing coach, which will be interesting ... and they will only be taking eight players into the game.
"Obviously back-to-back wins is the aim for us."
The squad is: Teagan Bickerdike (Marong), Alyssa Cole (Newbridge), Kim Dalton (Marong), Leah Dixon (Newbridge), Anita Dorrington (Bridgewater), Amelia Ludeman (Mitiamo), Lucy Morcom (Mitiamo), Jane Reid (Newbridge), Carly Scholes (Bridgewater) and Jessey Wilson (Bridgewater).
Meanwhile, the league's 17-and-under team will also chase back-to-back wins in the afternoon's early game.
The team, which is again being coached by Karlee Gilmore, features players from four clubs - Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, Calivil United, Maiden Gully YCW and Pyramid Hill - with the Demons and Bulldogs best represented with three and four players respectively.
Loddon Valley defeated Golden Rivers in last season's inter-league clash at the QEO 58-40.
The squad is: Bridget Baker (Calivil United), Jordan Broad (Pyramid Hill), Olivia Hall (Maiden Gully YCW Eagles), Mila Grant (Calivil United), Olivia Hampson (Pyramid Hill), Macey Holland (Bears Lagoon Serpentine), Jorja Moon (Pyramid Hill), Amy Murfitt (Pyramid Hill), and Mia Peters (Calivil United).
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
