But the one-goal extra time defeat to Koroit in arguably the greatest decider in league history will spur her much-improved side on when it starts season 2015.

Byrne, a non-playing mentor, will serve a second season at the helm after receiving the endorsement of Kangaroos officials to coach again next season.

Her reappointment comes with confirmation shooter Hayley Huf will return, although Clare Crawford will miss part of the season due to pregnancy.

“I’m a very, very passionate person about netball and basketball. I’ve been involved with netball since I was seven years of age,” Byrne said yesterday.

“It’s coming up to nearly 40 years playing and coaching.

“Now that I’ve got a taste back into the coaching side of things, I just love being able to put back into netball and I’ve loved being able to work with the girls.

“It’s been really enjoyable full stop. That’s the drive for me at the moment.

“I’ll reassess at the end of next year what I want to do, whether I want to go back to umpiring full-time or whether I want to keep coaching.”

Byrne said work and basketball demands meant she hadn’t sat down to watch the 50-49 grand final loss to the all-conquering Saints in September.

“We will sit down and watch it but I want to watch it as a group,” she said.

“We were going to do that not long after we played but it’s hard to get all the girls together because we are so busy.”

She was proud of the Kangaroos’ achievement to reach the grand final but implored her players to use the experience to go one better.

“My aim was top five so they could have a look at where they could get to and what we needed to work on,” she said.

“I never, ever thought we would take that next step and nearly pull off a win in the grand final.

“Now they’ve got that taste of it, they know what they have to do to better themselves.

“I’ve got girls running half-marathons, fitness-wise they haven’t dropped off at all. Their enthusiasm is fantastic.”

Byrne was one of four netball coaches the Kangaroos appointed this week.

Rhianne Lewis will have the reins of the A1 side, Tracey Barnes is at the helm of the 17 and unders while Ellen Casey will coach the 15 and unders.

The Kangaroos are still hunting coaches to lead the A2 and 13 and under sides.

Byrne was upbeat about the prospect of working with Barnes, an ex-teammate who she has mentored alongside in the past.

She said the recruitment of key players, including Kelsey and Rhianne Lewis, and the Kangaroos’ grand final appearance, had lifted morale at the club.

“There was a really good vibe within the club at the end of the season. With the experience that has come in, it’s made a huge difference,” she said.

“The kids can go ‘we could go there and get help from those players, the Kelseys and the Rhiannes’. It’s really nice to have that back.”

The Kangaroos have also finalised their football coaching arrangements for next season.

Jon Manson will coach the reserves and Jason McIntosh will guide the under 18½s. They will back up reappointed senior coach Jarrod Holt.