BFNL 2024 season netball preview: SOUTH BENDIGO

McGlashan, who joined the Bloods in time for the 2022 season after a long and accomplished career at Kangaroo Flat, will look to continue the club's proud recent record of contesting every finals series since 2019.

But despite plenty of progress in that time, the Bloods have been unable to make it past the elimination final stage, which is something they will be hellbent on rectifying should they get the chance again in 2024.

There has been one major change in personnel, with goal shooter Chloe Langley crossing to rival club Kangaroo Flat in the off-season.

But the Bloods have been very active in the recruiting stakes, luring an exciting crop of A-squad newcomers.

They will join the likes of McGlashan, quality midcourter Chloe Gray, defensive mainstay Steph Goode, underrated goaler Olivia Mason and the returning Ella Flavell in a line-up that should definitely challenge for a spot in the top five again.

How did you fare in the summer recruiting stakes?

"We have some exciting recruits that haven't been seen in the Bendigo Football Netball League. We have Izzy Coutts, from Boort, who is a part of the Bendigo Strikers development team. She is a young goaler, who is really exciting. She is wanting to learn and is working really hard and she has teamed really well with Liv (Mason) in goals. Ella Flavell is back after a year with Strathfieldsaye. She is a training partner with the 23-and-under Strikers. She too is working really hard and brings lots of energy. She is just going to get better and better and is ready for a great season. We have Kira Baldwin, who last played in the Riddell league (with Lancefield). She is a strong, tall defender. She had a bit of a knee injury last year, which she is coming back from, but the rehab has gone really well and she is starting to progress. We can't wait to see her play. We also have Sophie Perryman, who has played at Eaglehawk and Sandhurst in the past. She is another strong attacker, who is very versatile on the court. We will be able to use her in a few positions. (Outside of A-grade), we have a lot of recruits across the grade, including the B-squad."

How is the mood around Harry Trott Oval going into an exciting new season and your first as playing coach?

"Everybody is working really hard - the tempo has lifted. It'll be fantastic to see what these young, strong, fit players bring to South Bendigo this year. We are really excited to start the season."

Not to dwell too much on it, but there have been some player losses. Chloe Langley looks a big one?

"Chloe is a big loss. She had been at South Bendigo for a few years and went there for Jannelle (former coach Jannelle Hobbs). Hopefully her moving to Kangaroo Flat gives her the opportunity she is looking for over there. We would have loved to have kept her. But that's just meant we have had to change our approach to the way our team plays netball, without having that tall shooter in there. We still do have Olivia Mason, who is quite tall herself, so we still have the height in the goal end. She is 25 this year, but is just getting better and better, and I'm sure she hasn't peaked yet. We've had (former Vixens coach) Julie Hoornweg for a few special sessions with us and even she identified Olivia Mason and thought she was brilliant."

You're juggling quite a bit with a young family, a career and the coaching. How are you handling the demands of combining all three?

"It's a new challenge that's for sure. I have gone into it with a really open mind as to how I approach it and I have had lots of discussions with some of my friends, who are balancing playing and coaching netball with their careers and their young children, such as (White Hills coach) Lauren Bowles. They've been good discussions on how to put 100 per cent into everything without burning out. It's been an adjustment, but now we are back into the full swing of it, I'm loving being around the girls and they are bringing an energy that is making my coaching job really easy. Obviously I was going to be training and playing anyway, but now I get to put some of my knowledge out there for the girls. So I'm really enjoying it and it's giving me a good break from parenthood and my career. It's been a challenge, but a really positive challenge."

How has the practice match form been?

"Our practice matches have been really great. We've played Newbridge, Shepp Swans and Kyabram and our teams have been fantastic across the board. I have been very impressed with some of the things I have seen. If we are playing like this now, it's going to be exciting to see how we develop during the season. But the BFNL is such a high level league, you don't really know where you are sitting until you get into the season. That said, I am genuinely excited about what this young, talented group can do."

SEASON FIXTURE

ROUND 1 - April 13

v Strathfieldsaye (a)

ROUND 2 - April 20

v Castlemaine (h)

ROUND 3 - April 27

v Kangaroo Flat (a)

ROUND 4 - May 4

v Gisborne (h)

ROUND 5 - May 11

v Sandhurst (a)

ROUND 6 - May 18

v Maryborough (h) - A-grade (bye)

ROUND 7 - June 1

Bye

ROUND 8 - June 8

v Golden Square (a)

ROUND 9 - June 15

v Eaglehawk (h)

ROUND 10 - June 22

v Strathfieldsaye (h)

ROUND 11 - June 29

v Castlemaine (a)

ROUND 12 - July 13

v Kangaroo Flat (h)

ROUND 13 - July 20

v Gisborne (a)

ROUND 14 - July 27

v Sandhurst (h)

ROUND 15 - August 3

v Maryborough (a) - A-grade (bye)

ROUND 16 - August 10

Bye

ROUND 17 - August 17

v Golden Square (h)

ROUND 18 - August 24

v Eaglehawk (a)