HDFNL 2024 season netball preview: MOUNT PLEASANT

After a pair of fourth place finishes in 2023 and 2022 under Carine Comer, club 400-gamer Anthea McCleary (playing A-reserve) will lead the Blues into battle as coach this season.

She will take charge of a young and energetic A-grade team, boosted by the recruitment of Keeley Jones (formerly Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye).

The Blues will pin their hopes on further improvement from quality youngsters such as midcourter Maeve Tupper, defender Ivy Harrop, Matisse Perez, and Olivia and Ava Nihill, while making the most of Aish Tupper's availability when free of VFLW commitments with North Melbourne.

Ava Nihill was one of the real success stories of last season, with her composure and accuracy at goal shooter at just 16 years of age.

How excited are you for the season ahead and to be back coaching the A-grade team following a previous stint?

"We have got a good young team that Carine has done a great job with over the last couple of years. I am excited to continue what she started with the girls after they made finals last year. Hopefully we can keep improving and developing them. It was a really nice squad last year. They did win the elimination final. To be honest, last year, it was probably a top-three and then the rest, but we didn't really know what to expect last year with such a young group, so we were rapt with how they went. We just hope to build on that."

What have you done on the recruiting front?

"We've brought in Keeley Jones, a new recruit with BFNL experience, and she has proven to be a great leader on the court. She will be really helpful for the girls. Outside that, we are probably looking quite similar and young again. (Midcourter) Aish Tupper has got in to North Melbourne's VFLW side, but she is still going to be involved and play when she can, but her availability will be limited. We will take her when we can get her. Not having her every week will be a loss. She was a good leader for us last year. Importantly, we haven't lost anyone - the whole squad has remained and we have brought in Keeley, who is slotting in to our goaling end very nicely. She did some travelling last year, but is a good friend of Matisse Perez - they won a premiership together at Sandhurst. Sophie Rerden, who has played at Mounts before and has had a bit of time off, is coming back and is really pushing for a position in the A-grade team. And Karly O'Toole, who has also played at Mounts before, will be an A-squad player. Her experience will be a great asset."

What are the club's expectations in 2024?

"I am no under no denial that this is going to be a tough season. As I said, last year was a definite top-three and then the rest, but every week, no matter who you played, you got a tough game. The teams that didn't make finals last year have certainly improved. In saying that, we still want to be there come September. Our aim is still to make finals, but I think it's only going to get harder."

Your juniors have enjoyed amazing success in recent seasons and last year your 17s and 15s both won flags. Will we see anyone from the 17-and-under team filtering up into A-grade or the A-squad?

"The girls who have come up have come up into the B-squad at this point. We have Audrey Gargiulo, who was in under-17s the year before and came up into B-grade last year and won the league best and fairest. She has stepped up into the A-squad, which is really exciting for her. We will certainly be giving our very talented juniors, who are still eligible for under-17s, some opportunities throughout the year where we can up in the A-squad. Numbers overall are good. I've been at Mounts forever and it used to be that we were trying to get people to come to Toolleen and now you are almost turning them away. But we have had a lot of good luck recently with our juniors. I'm sure they will continue to progress."

Your round one clash should be an intriguing one after you ended Heathcote's season last year in the elimination final?

"It's a really important game first-up. They were great rivals of ours last year and have been a pretty even match-up for a few seasons. It's not one we want to drop early on to be honest. We'll be a bit nervous as I think we might be a little underdone due to various issues, but it's a great challenge for us to begin with."

SEASON FIXTURE

ROUND 1 - April 6

v Heathcote (h)

ROUND 2 - April 13

v White Hills (a)

ROUND 3 - April 20

v Huntly (h)

ROUND 4 - April 27

Bye

ROUND 5 - May 4

v LBU (a)

ROUND 6 - May 11

v Colbinabbin (h)

ROUND 7 - May 18

v North Bendigo (a)

ROUND 8 - May 25

v Elmore (h)

ROUND 9 - June 1

v Leitchville-Gunbower (a)

ROUND 10 - June 15

v Huntly (a)

ROUND 11 - June 22

v White Hills (h)

ROUND 12 - June 29

v Heathcote (a)

ROUND 13 - July 6

Bye

ROUND 14 - July 13

v LBU (h)

ROUND 15 - July 20

v Colbinabbin (a)

ROUND 16 - July 27

v North Bendigo (h)

ROUND 17 - August 3

v Elmore (a)

ROUND 18 - August 10

v Leitchville-Gunbower (h)