ALLANSFORD will welcome three handy recruits into the fold when it kicks off its Warrnambool and District league A grade season in April.
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Former Port Fairy and South Rovers goaler Mandy Knee headlines the arrivals at the Cats, who missed finals last season by half a game.
Bridget Foster, who co-coached Nirranda last season, has also joined the club while Rebecca Hunt returns after a year off. Both are midcourters.
But the summer hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Renae Meade has stepped down as co-coach and is undecided whether she will stay on as a player.
Sarah Robertson, who was to share the role with Meade after enjoying a successful first season with the club, will remain at the helm in her own right.
“Renae has chosen to step away from the coaching role.
“She’s looking at moving away to further her career and do some further travel,” Robertson said.
Robertson said she was rapt to have Knee, Foster and Hunt at her disposal. She said the additions had raised hopes of a return to finals.
“We’re definitely aiming for finals. That’s our main goal,” she said.
“That’s what we’ve been working hard during pre-season for, to get the fitness levels up so we can hit the ground running come round one.”
She said the deep player pool meant competition for spots would be hot but welcomed the selection headaches.
“It’s a good position to be in. It puts more pressure on the girls to come to pre-season and put in the hard work if they’re wanting a game,” she said.
“They’re having to get their fitness levels up and prove themselves.
“It will be a bit tricky at some stage but we’ll be fine. We’ll work through that.”
Robertson crossed to Allansford from Mininera and District league club Penshurst and enjoyed an eye-catching debut season at goal keeper.
She said she had enjoyed her first summer as coach. “I’m definitely enjoying it so far. It is extremely busy at times,” she said.
“But it’s already been rewarding seeing the amount of numbers and the support I’ve got from the community and the Allansford committee.”