Netballers ready for latest pandemic challenges

THE SFNL’s A-grade netball teams are fit and firing, and hoping for an uninterrupted season in 2022.

With players potentially missing games due to isolation and fill-ins set to come from other grades and age groups, this year’s netball season is predicted to be unlike any before.

SFNL vice president Karen Martin said due to player changes, she thought this year there would be a “bit more of an even competition” between teams, but tipped Wentworth as favourites for the premiership.

“I think (Wentworth) will be the powerhouse, they’ve maintained most of their players and have a couple of new players like Molly Young,” she said.

“I think they’d probably be tipping favourites for premiership.

“I do think Imperials will push Wentworth a little bit, particularly with the Littore sisters, Ebony and Alle, playing and Meg McManus is still there.”

Martin said she thought Ouyen United would also be a strong contender this season.

“I think Ouyen has maintained pretty much their side,” she said.

“Once they hit their straps, they’ll probably give all the sides a run.”

Ms Martin said Red Cliffs would most likely be the most improved after the team hadn’t seen a win for a couple of years.

“Red Cliffs I think will be out to get their first win for a number of seasons,” she said.

“They have a new coach Steph O’Loughlin and they have a few young ones coming through like Jazmin Parker.”

Ms Martin said the main worry for teams this year would be losing players to isolation.

Coaches such as Irymple coach Tammie Rowe said they planned to move players up and down grades to cover isolating players.

“The new rule around players being able to play up and down (their grade) just covers players in isolation, it will come in very handy this season,” she said.

“We’ve already found that into the start of the season at training we have players moving up and down just to make numbers. It’ll be nice just to get a season out even if that is utilising players from a lower grade.”

Overall, coaches said they were just hoping for an uninterrupted season.

Ouyen United co-coach Kyra Nathan said COVID was going to hit every club at some point.

“It seems to be hitting us at the moment which is probably ideal because then it might not hit us too hard at least in the first few rounds,” she said.

“It would be great just to have a consistent season and not stop and start.”

Mildura co-coach Sharon Watson said: “I think it just needs to go onwards and upwards with (COVID).

“If there is a player unavailable, well that is where you just have to go on, instead of a stop start season.”

The first round of the SFNL season kicks off on April 15 with Irymple v South Mildura.