MEG Williams will lead the Bendigo Strikers into their inaugural Victorian Netball League season as the club's first championship team captain.
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As the countdown to the Strikers' first Victorian Netball League game next week continues, the club has announced its leadership group.
Midcourt player Williams, 25, will captain the championship division side, with the duo of Chelsea Sartori and Millie Brock as vice-captains.
And the Strikers' under-23 team will be captained by Grace Hammond with the trio of Shae Clifford, Chloe Langley and Abby Larkin filling out the leadership group.
Williams takes on the Strikers' championship team captaincy with more than 100 games of VNL experience behind her with the North East Blaze.
"It's a really good feeling being recognised by the girls and coaching staff to lead the inaugural team as captain," Williams said on Wednesday.
"But it goes without saying that it's not just a one-person job, the leadership has to come from all us girls.
"We've got so much experience from other VNL clubs and other sports such as Ollie (Heather Oliver, basketball) and as a group we can all learn so much from each other."
The Strikers' historic first game in the VNL is now less than a week away.
The Strikers will begin their new era against the Southern Saints at the State Netball Centre next Wednesday night.
"There's a really good vibe around at training now that the season is almost here and we'll get the chance to showcase what we've been working on," Williams said.
"With the earlier start to the season it has been a shorter VNL pre-season than in the past, which has been great for us in that we've just been able to put our heads down and get to work on our structures.
"Everyone is really excited to be able to put it all together and see what we can do."
In what's an expanded VNL championship division this year, the Strikers are among three new teams joining the competition alongside the Gippsland Stars and Melton-based Western Warriors.
The three new teams have been granted licences for the next five years, with Williams confident the Strikers can have an impact in their inaugural season.
While the Strikers are new to the competition, there is plenty of VNL experience spread across the championship division team.
Of Bendigo's championship division squad of 11 players, which will be coached by Tracy Brereton, only Kangaroo Flat's Milly Wicks hasn't previously experienced the VNL.
"There's promising signs, for sure," Williams said.
"A lot of us have been fortunate to have played with each other through footy/netball clubs, so there's connections there already.
"I think we're definitely capable of pushing the top teams and we're fortunate that we'll be able to get out there and play with freedom and just enjoy being in the league together.
"I think we'll be really strong with some great talent in both the championship and under-23 teams, so I definitely think we can take it right up to the rest of the league."
The bulk of the Strikers' 22 games will be played in Melbourne, with only three to be played at Bendigo's Red Energy Arena, with the first against the Boroondara Express on Sunday, April 28.
