Happy homecoming for Ruby Barkmeyer as Melbourne Vixens prepare for Bendigo visit

The former Kangaroo Flat A-grade premiership star and Elmore goaler will head back to Bendigo this weekend with her Vixens teammates as part of a blockbuster weekend of pre-season Super Netball action.

Joining them will be the Adelaide Thunderbirds, GIANTS and Sunshine Coast Lightning for a pair of doubleheaders at Red Energy Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

It's the first opportunity Barkmeyer, who will again be a training partner this season, has had to don the Vixens' navy blue teal and pink in a match in her home town.

She could not be more excited.

"Going into pre-season comps, it's all about trialling new combinations and that sort of thing, so travelling with an extended squad will allow those combinations to be tested," Barkmeyer said.

"As we have seen a bit in recent seasons (due to COVID), training partners can be called upon a lot, so this is a good time for everyone to be out on the court and practicing what we've been working on.

"We were training hard even before Christmas, so this weekend we'll go out there with nothing to lose and just see where we are at compared to the other teams that are here."

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Barkmeyer, who turns 22 next week, has entered her fourth season with the Vixens, the third as a training partner following a year on the main roster in 2021.

It's the main roster that she hopes to return to eventually.

The Vixens will enter the 2023 position from a position of strength, with a settled squad after they finished runners-up to the West Coast Fever last year.

That stability, coupled with the hunger of grand final vengeance, has the Vixens firmly planted among the early season favourites for the title.

"We have the same squad as last year, so obviously the goal this year is to go one step further a win the grand final." Barkmeyer said.

"I'm sure we'll have a great season, but every team will be saying similar things right now.

"Every year, the competition improves, so you never know until you step out there in round one, and then after the first few rounds, we all get an idea where everyone's at.

"In pre-season it's a bit hard to gauge, as not everyone has their full squad.

"Obviously some players were on international duties, so early in the season will let us know where everyone is at.

"We've been doing lots of match play quite early on this year, so it's going to be good to get out against the other SSN teams in Bendigo."

The steadiness at the Vixens extends to the training partner line-up, with all of Gabby Coffey, Emily Andrew, Sharni Lambden and Maggie Caris back for either their second or third season.

Coffey will be no stranger to many Bendigo fans, having played a handful of games for Castlemaine last season.

Another hectic year ahead for Barkmeyer will include her Vixens training partner commitments and being ready for a call-up should the situation arise, on top of a heavy schedule of Victorian Netball League (VNL) games with Boroondara Express.

The Express finished just outside the four last season, with their young goaler confident they can make strides this season.

Familiar faces in the Express' open squad this year include star Sandhurst defender Sophie Shoebridge, South Bendigo midcourter Chloe Gray and Deniliquin's Ella Harvey, who has been a regular in North Central region junior teams in recent seasons.

"We have our first pre-season matches next week, so it will be pretty exciting to get into that," Barkmeyer said.

"We'll actually be playing against South Africa, who will be playing a few VNL teams.

"That will be a nice challenge."

Barkmeyer has never been one to shy away from giving back to the game she loves at grassroots level.

It led to her taking charge of a pre-season session for BFNL club South Bendigo last Sunday, following an invite from her former Kangaroo Flat premiership coach Jannelle Hobbs.

"She asked me a few weeks ago to come down and do a session with the girls. It was really nice," she said.

"I've done a few of them over the years.

"(New Marong coach) Sue Borserio has asked me to do a few sessions at some of the clubs she's been involved with after she left Kangaroo Flat, and then Jannelle asked me.

"They (South Bendigo) are looking good. They are quite young, but I think they will be quite strong.

"They'll obviously be hoping to be up in their finals, but it was be hard to beat the top teams as usual.

"Those top three (Sandhurst, Kangaroo Flat and Gisborne) have been pretty settled."

As part of the Vixens visit, Barkmeyer will take part in a clinic for more than 300 children at the Golden City Netball Association courts outside Red Energy Stadium on Saturday morning.

It's the same venue that launched not only her career back in the day, but that of former Vixens dual premiership star Caitlin Thwaites.

Barkmeyer would like nothing better than to see another future Vixen emerge from the throng at the weekend.

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