MILDURA
COACHES: Jess McNamara and Ava Zadow
2024 SEASON: Preliminary final
FIRST MONTH: Red Cliffs (H), Robinvale Euston (H), Imperials (A)
ARRIVALS: Olivia Bowden (Merbein), Demelza Henry (South Mildura)
DEPARTURES: Ellie Vincent, Ally Leng
THERE’s probably no busier sportsperson in this part of the continent than Ava Zadow.
Yet the 20-year-old Mildura Heat co-captain and 2024 SFNL MVP has found even more room on her plate to take on the role of co-coach of the Demons along with Jess McNamara for this season.
“I do have a lot going on, but I am really excited to step into a new role, particularly in netball on the coaching side, and I feel it is the next step for me and the next step for my game,” she said after a drizzly training session last weekend.
“I am actually quite lucky this season that pretty much every time netball has a bye is an away trip for basketball so between the two seasons, I will miss one basketball game.”
The Demons fell to eventual champions Ouyen United in last year’s preliminary final after finishing second on the regular season table with a 13-3 record.
No predictions of a repeat performance or better from Zadow for this season, particularly with the departures of key players Ally Leng and Ellie Vincent, but she is cautiously optimistic as the team slowly takes shape.
“Things are moving along quite well,” she said. “There are a lot of new girls coming through and we are just trying to work ourselves out a bit.
“We have picked up veteran Demelza Henry from South Mildura and Sharon Watson is back and they will show in those hard games how they can step up and lead our team to some victories.
“I am excited about this season and for everyone. I think it’s going to be a real developmental year, so all the girls are going to benefit from it so much.
“It is going to be tough. I hope with a bit more of a senior crew we can find our feet because I thought last season we could beat Ouyen; until that final game, but we couldn’t get past Wentworth.
“I don’t want to say ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ about if we can beat Wentworth now, nobody knows.
“Obviously, we want to do well and win but, as long as we are playing the best we can and the girls are having fun, that’s what really matters.”
