South Warrnambool coach Wil Jamison witnessed "some really encouraging signs" from his new-look attacking partnership in a first-up win against Koroit on Friday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The two-time reigning open-grade netball premiers downed the youthful Saints 45-24 in the standalone Good Friday fixture which opened the Hampden league season.
"It's obviously always nice to get a win, particularly in pretty hot conditions," Jamison told The Standard.
High-profile recruits Emma Buwalda (20 goals) and Meg Carlin (25 goals) filled the attacking posts on debut, with star shooter Hollie Phillips still a week or two away following eye surgery.
Jamison was happy with what he saw from the pair in their first outing together.
"I think we just need to be patient with that end because it is a really different looking end," he said.
"Particularly with Hollie not playing today, we had two goalers that we hadn't really had the opportunity to spend a huge amount of time with. I think there were some really encouraging signs.
"I thought Meg Carlin was a standout today, I thought she was incredibly strong under the post and we were able to find her really easy, so I think that's encouraging and I think with more time Emma's going to integrate into how we attack the game as well."
Jamison praised his side's defence for sticking to its structures and being accountable.
He said he was "reasonably happy" with the outing.
"I think we did the fundamentals well," he said.
"I think our intensity was there, I thought our skill execution was there and I think that was probably the difference today but definitely some things to work on.
"I think our attacking end, which is obviously quite new, needs a little bit more time to get our systems and our shape right but reasonably happy given it's the first game."
Meanwhile, Koroit coach Danielle McInerney was pleased with her players' efforts against the competition's benchmark team, saying she thought they "pushed them in areas".
"I was really happy with the girls, obviously they're a really young line-up," she said.
"A couple of the girls hadn't played at that open full-quarter level of netball before.
"We've obviously got lots to improve on but for the first time playing together as a squad (I was happy)."
Teenager's Shelby O'Sullivan and Indi O'Connor, who attend boarding school in Geelong and aren't able to train with the side often, starred for the Saints.
Nell Mitchell left the court around half-time after injuring her foot.