Strikers urged to embrace 'history-making' netball moment

Ten years after the plan for a Bendigo team in Victoria's premier netball competition was first hatched, the Strikers will take to the court for the first time in a Victorian Netball League match against Southern Saints.

The history-making moment at the State Netball Centre comes just six months after the Strikers were granted a VNL licence along with fellow newcomers Western Warriors and Gippsland Stars.

While it has been a long, and at times frenetic build-up, Brereton declared her championship side ready for their first-up clash against a similarly pumped-up Saints.

"I feel we have reached that time when we just have to start playing and from there we will see what we need to keep working on," she said.

"We are coming up against a pretty well established, full of stars, team for our first game.

"It's exciting. I just want to make sure that we go out, and whether we win, lose or draw, the girls show off the brand of netball we want to play."

Brereton said she was content with the Strikers' preparation, which included a practice match win over last year's championship runners-up Boroondara Express. and a pair of matches against Hawks.

"Obviously we have had some good hit-outs against Boroondara and Hawks and I think we learned quite a bit from those games," she said.

"It has been a bit tough the last three or four weeks - there have been a few niggles present themselves, not quite at the time we wanted.

"But that's just the nature of sport - sometimes you have good patches when nothing happens and sometimes you cop a few.

"We've probably had to lighten off a little bit in the last few weeks, but I'm sure we're ready to go."

Coming together for the first time under full match conditions at the State Netball Centre on Wednesday night, Brereton hopes the Strikers' championship and 23-and-under players will embrace what is a 'historic moment' for central Victorian netball.

"I know the (Strikers) board and the foundation people behind the club are really trying to make it professional for the girls and to make it a big deal, because it is a big deal that they are playing in the best netball competition in Victoria," she said.

"And we are now a part of it. It's exciting.

"At our season launch (on Sunday night), I had a little glance over at our 23s and they have come a long way from where they were, just in the last month.

"Things have really turned around.

"I feel both teams are going to have quite a big game on Wednesday night."

Brereton hailed her championship leadership group of captain Meg Williams and vice-captains Chelsea Sartori and Milly Brock, saying the team was in 'great hands'.

All three players have joined the Strikers for their inaugural season after crossing from rival VNL clubs - Williams from North East Blaze, Sartori from Geelong Cougars and Brock from Ariels.

For one Strikers player, Wednesday night's clash will be her first at VNL level.

Having previously represented the BFNL at Association Championships and been a championship-winning basketballer with the NBL1's Bendigo Braves, Kangaroo Flat's Milly Wicks will play state league netball for the first time.

The versatile midcourter and sometimes goaler earned her opportunity with another stellar season with the Roos in 2023 and a standout performance at tryouts in October.

Brereton said Wicks had thoroughly earned her opportunity.

"She adds something else to our group in that strong body and being aggressive to the ball and is someone who contnually wants to do better," she said.

"It doesn't stick out that she hasn't played VNL before. Like all of our midcourters, she is up and running.

"It will be a big night for Milly."

The Strikers-Saints clash at the State Netball Centre is scheduled to start at 8.45pm.