The Saints face an almighty challenge to kick off their season against reigning premiers South Warrnambool on Good Friday and while the returning mentor knows it will be a tricky assignment, she will back the youth in to put on a show.

"I've got no real expectations against South (on Friday), whether we win or lose, it's a long season and for us we'll just give it a real go and try and take something from it," she told The Standard.

McInerney, who brings in a stable squad from last year with only Kasey Barling missing due to pregnancy, said her open squad, to be captained by emerging players Layla Monk and Molly McKinnon, were confident they could build on a third-placed finish last season.

She said gun teenagers Indi O'Connor, 14 and Shelby O'Sullivan, 15, both boarding at Geelong College this season, were ones to watch but might miss a game here or there.

"They'll play when they are available, which will be the majority of the season still so it's exciting," she said.

"But we're going to be very young. Shelbs is 15, Indi is 14, Scarlett O'Donnell is 17 now, Millie Jennings is 18, and our older players like Layla Monk are only 20.

"The last two seasons those same girls have finished third and Shelby last season was 13, so the team hasn't changed that much.

"My expectations are we can improve on that third and a lot of these younger girls have got a couple of years of open netball under their belts now so we'd like to think we can get better again.

"You've got all the nerves out and they've got the confidence and now it's about tweaking a few things and hopefully improving."

McInerney, who coached the Saints in 2021, has returned to the region after spending time living in Townsville and said she was embracing the role.

"I'm loving it. I wasn't expecting to come back and potentially coach open again, but I'm so glad now," she said.

"I'm doing the 17s as well with my daughter (Paris) and I really love the juniors so it's been really exciting. All those girls are playing in one of my senior teams so it's great to see the talent coming through at Koroit."