WHITE Hills coach Lauren Bowles is backing her side to raise the bar again this season as the Demons take the first step towards defending their 2023 premiership crown on Saturday.
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The Demons start their flag defence at Huntly against a revamped Hawks, who will again be coached by Kym Bell.
Huntly is just one of many teams tipped to show plenty of improvement this season.
While most reigning premiers inevitably start the new season with a target on their back, don't expect there to be any talk of 'back-to-back' or 'follow-up' premierships emanating from Scott Street.
Bowles said any such suggestions had not been raised during the pre-season - at least not openly among the group.
"We don't talk about that at all, but I'm sure in the back of their minds, all the girls would love to win another one and go back-to-back," she said.
"I feel we certainly have the team to do it. But it's just something we haven't spoken about over the pre-season in our team chats.
"Enjoyment comes first and when we enjoy our game and challenge ourselves at training, improvement will come and hopefully success will follow."
The Demons will be a little light on against the Hawks, with key players missing from across the senior grades on Saturday.
In A-grade, versatile goaler and defender Karley Hynes is unavailable and midcourter Danni Wee-Hee is recovering from injury, while coach Bowles will be in Brisbane hopefully watching her brother Jayden Cowling playing for a gold medal at the Australian Men's Netball Championships.
Assistant coach and former North Bendigo A-grade coach Ellena Findlay will take the coaching reins in Bowles' absence.
The Demons will have a few fresh faces in the line-up, including Amanda Walters, who has crossed from BFNL club South Bendigo, and multiple Wedderburn premiership player Shelley DeAraugo.
Sarah Nash will step up from A-reserve and is this year's A-grade vice-captain.
Bowles is viewing Huntly as a tricky first step in a season tipped to be more even than any in recent memory and posing a bigger than usual number of premiership and top-five threats.
"It's really exciting. You want to be in a competition where you have more than two or three teams contending," she said.
"I know North Bendigo will be tough and Huntly will definitely be challenging for the girls tomorrow (on Saturday). I know they were a challenge last year, particularly in the second half of the season.
"We beat them quite comfortably earlier in the season last year, but they really pushed us the second time.
"They were only a young side, but Kym did such a great job with them. I can only imagine with all the work they've done in their pre-season, they are only going to be better.
"Leitchy are looking good too, so it's going to be great this year.
"I think on paper we have the depth at the club to be a better team than last year, but whether that translates to on the court, that is down to the girls and the work they are prepared to put in."
Two of the Demons' biggest rivals will clash in the opening round, with Elmore hosting Colbinabbin in a twilight fixture at 5.45pm.
It will be a rematch of last year's preliminary final won by Colbinabbin in an upset.
The Bloods will have redemption on their mind after being denied the chance to defend their 2022 premiership crown on grand final day, after going through the home and away season undefeated.
The return of co-coach Allira Holmes to the line-up will be an obvious key for the Bloods, along with fellow premiership coach Gabe Richards.
In other games, new Leitchville-Gunbower playing coach Caitlyn Hamilton will lead the Bombers into battle for the first time against Lockington-Bamawm United, while Mount Pleasant hosts Heathcote in a rematch of last season's elimination final.
