A LONG-AWAITED debut for VNL newcomers Bendigo Strikers has brought a mix of nerves, excitement and relief for players.
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Following and intense and thrilling first pre-season, the Strikers' Victorian Netball League journey starts in earnest on Wednesday night against the Southern Saints at the State Netball Centre in Melbourne.
As they prepare for a historic first VNL encounter, championship team vice-captain Chelsea Sartori said the Strikers were looking forward to putting the pre-season behind them and getting into the season-proper.
"We're really keen to show the VNL what the country girls up here (in Central Victoria) are made of," she said.
"We are excited to just get out there and enjoy it and hopefully get the win.
"We have been working really hard. It's been nice to have come up against some tough teams during pre-season.
"From here, we're hoping we can produce a good standard of netball and really take it to the top teams in Melbourne."
Sartori, who kick-started her own VNL career in 2014 with Ballarat Sovereigns and went on to represent Boroondara Express and Geelong Cougars with distinction before becoming a foundation member of the new club, warned of the need for tempered expectations in the Strikers' first season.
"We've got to be patient as we are a brand-new team and a brand-new club," said Sartori, who celebrated her 27th birthday on Tuesday this week.
"There will probably be some games we could have won by more, or games we lose that we could have won; we just have to be patient and keep continuing to work and build connections.
"Hopefully before the end of the season we can be playing some really good netball."
Like many involved at the Strikers - in particular at board level - Sartori admitted to never giving up on the dream of one day representing her home region at the top level.
"It was always in my mind," she said.
"Even now, realising the travel we are not doing back and forth from Melbourne for training, or in my case Geelong last year, it's a massive difference.
"You are not as tired and fatigued, so it's nice Bendigo has gotten this opportunity and great that we can showcase not just the girls from Bendigo, but from around the region like Shepparton, Echuca and Moama, and we have some girls from Horsham as well.
"For those girls wanting to play VNL, it won't be as daunting as it was when you had to go down to Melbourne and tryout.
"For Bendigo to have this, it's so exciting.
"Us girls can't thank Mel Ryan and Mel Keighran and the board for all of the hard work they have done within the last 10 years to get this up and going.
"We just want to do Bendigo proud and play some top netball."
Sartori, who will start the BFNL season next month with Kangaroo Flat as the league's reigning Betty Thompson medallist, is one of two championship vice-captains, alongside goal shooter Milly Brock, from Tongala.
Having also made her way back home to the Strikers via a rival VNL club, goal shooter Chloe Langley said the club's 23-and-under players were just as keen as their championship counterparts to get their season rolling.
A 19-and-under VNL premiership player with league powerhouse City West Falcons in 2019 and a division one player last season, Langley has detected a definite rise in intensity and momentum among the young squad in recent weeks.
"We're all super-excited. It's exciting to have a new team ... country girls ... playing for our home town," she said.
"I feel we are playing like a team - the connections have been built.
"Even though we are still working on those connections, it definitely feels like things have come together late in the pre-season."
Originally from Castlemaine, Langley - who will line-up with Kangaroo Flat in the BFNL this season after several seasons with South Bendigo - admitted to being immediately drawn to the Strikers once news of their VNL inclusion broke last August.
"At the end of the day, working in Bendigo and playing with girls I grew up with, it was a no-brainer," she said.
Langley, a part of the 23-and-under leadership group that includes captain Grace Hammond, Shae Clifford and Abby Larkin, hopes excitement will override nerves as the Strikers young guns start their season against the Saints.
As one of a small group of players with previous VNL experience in coach Jayden Cowling's line-up, the versatile goaler had this advice for those teammates only starting their journey at state level.
"Just play your own game, keep composed and just have fun with it," Langley said.
