Newly-appointed A grade coach Kerry McGlade was naturally pleased to welcome Smedts to the club.

“She is a great player and it will be good for the girls to follow her example,” she said.

“She will have some fresh ideas from playing in Geelong and from playing in state teams.

“She would have been coached by some good coaches.”

Smedts, a midcourter, represented Victoria at last year’s 19 and under National Netball Championships and was also part of the Geelong Cougars side in the Victorian Netball League championship division.

On Saturdays she played for Netball Geelong club Bell Park.

When she didn’t have commitments with the Dragons, she featured in Hampden league A grade for the North Warrnambool Eagles, where she had played juniors before moving to attend Geelong Grammar.

McGlade said the Bombers’ recruiting coup came about because of Cobden footballer Aidan Cole, who is Smedts’ boyfriend.

As well as the addition of Smedts, the Cobden A grade line-up will be boosted by goaler and former coach Hayley Plozza, who returns to the court after having a baby last year.

The only departure at this stage is centre Lisa Gardner (overseas).

McGlade made the decision to coach the Bombers this week ahead of their first pre-season training session last night.

“Lots of girls are keen and of course having Maddie as a recruit, she wanted to do a bit of an assistant coaching role so I thought I should help out,” she said.

McGlade, a seasoned defender, is fresh from guiding the Bombers’ A1 team to the 2011 premiership, in which she was named best on court.

“At this stage I won’t play A1,” she said before saying that she could potentially be a ninth player for the A grade side.

The Bombers had a forgettable season in Hampden league’s top grade last year, finishing on the bottom of the ladder without a win to their name. “The obvious (early goal) is to get a win,” McGlade said.

Cobden has been preparing for the upcoming season by playing in the Western Regional State League at Warrnambool stadium.

Next Thursday the Bombers take on Hampden White, which is the side Smedts plays for.