WELL-STOCKED with emerging young talent ahead of the 2020-21 WNBL season, Bendigo Spirit has opted for invaluable experience with its 10th player signing.
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The Spirit have added tenacious defensive specialist Amelia Todhunter to a roster, which is nearing completion.
A championship player with the former Bulleen Boomers in 2010-11, Todhunter arrives in Bendigo with 12-years of WNBL experience, through stints with the former Dandenong Rangers (now Southside Flyers), West Coast Waves and Melbourne Boomers.
The move to Bendigo reunites her with her former Dandenong team-mates and current Spirit stars Tessa Lavey and Carley Ernst.
Albury-born Todhunter's signing with the Spirit marks a long-awaited return to country basketball for the 32-year-old guard.
She is grateful for the chance.
"I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity to play with the Spirit, I have always admired the professionalism of Bendigo in the WNBL and I believe I will be a great fit within the club and uphold their core values," Todhunter said.
Those words are music to the ears of Spirit coach Tracy York, who feels they sit perfectly with the culture the Spirit is trying to achieve.
"Amelia is a hard worker and her leadership and experience will be invaluable to our group," she said.
"We have some very experienced players in Tessa Lavey and Carly Ernst but we also have some players making their WNBL debut.
"I think Amelia will be someone we look to, particularly on the defensive end."
Amelia is a hard worker and her leadership and experience will be invaluable to our group.
- Tracy York
Despite arriving at the Spirit with more than 200 WNBL games under her belt, Todhunter believes there is still plenty for her to learn, just as there is as much knowledge to impart onto her new team-mates.
"I am so excited to be playing for the Spirit, I've known of Tracy around the league both WNBL and NBL, so I am thrilled to learn and grow even more from Tracy's knowledge and experience," she said.
"This year I want to be 100 per cent true to who I am as a player and person.
"I want to combine my basketball skills and experiences with my knowledge in well-being to help grow each player and create strong chemistry within the team.
"On-court, I am excited to get out there and play my role.
"I want to positively impact the team by bringing my relentless defence, hard-work, and dedication to the game while maintaining my fun, energetic nature."
A seasoned finals campaigner and five-time SEABL (NBL1) championship star, Todhunter looms as the perfect complement to the Spirit's younger core, led by Alicia Froling, second-year Spirit players Cassidy McLean and Demi Skinner, and developing players Paige Price and Piper Dunlop.
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