IRYMPLE
IRYMPLE were one of the red-hot teams in the final month of the 2023 A Grade netball season but they fell just short of a finals berth after a tight three-way tussle with South Mildura and Merbein for fourth spot.
Swallows coach Sherrie Geister is confident her side will be pushing for post-season action in 2024, when a new final-five finals system will be in place.
“We’re definitely pushing for finals this year,” Geister said.
“Ideally, making that top three would be great but you also don’t really know where you stand in the competition until after round 9 when you’ve played everybody once.”
After having a young squad at her disposal last year, Geister said it would be a more experienced line-up taking to the court this year.
A number of fresh faces will be in action wearing the blue and gold, including former Mildura Heat basketballers Vanessa Power and Bronte Pezzaniti.
“Everyone’s starting to build that excitement,” Geister said.
“There’s a lot of new faces — definitely a different-looking squad to last year, which is kind of exciting.
“As a coach it’s good for something different to have new players to work with but there’s also a few more older heads involved this year so the playing group won’t be quite as young as last year.”
Power said she was looking forward to the new challenge after starring for the Heat for the past two decades.
However, like many basketballers who take up netball, she expects the stepping rule — which is far less lenient than a travel — to be one of the most difficult adjustments.
“I step a lot, apparently, so I think probably my footwork is something that I will have to really concentrate on,” Power said.
