'Different game plan' for milestone netballer without sister by her side

The Bombers midcourter doesn't have injured younger sister Sophie alongside her.

Alicia - preparing for her 150^th Hampden league open game on Saturday, April 27 - said it was an unusual feeling.

"I love playing with my sister Sophie but she's not playing this year unfortunately," she said ahead of her milestone match against Port Fairy at Gardens Oval.

"This is the only time I haven't played with her so it's very strange walking out on the court without her. It's a different game plan I guess."

Alicia said the pair had built a strong rapport on the court.

"We just get each other and it's a privilege playing with her, I am very lucky," she said.

"We are very honest with each other, on and off the court, in a good way, and it makes our bond a lot stronger as well.

"It's more a friendship on the court than being sisters."

Alicia, 26, and Sophie are used to spending a lot of time side-by-side.

They work together on their family's dairy farm near Cooriemungle.

"We do everything together so we have to get along," Alicia laughed.

"It's a family farm and we don't have any workers so my mum (Sally), dad (Darin), me and Soph we do it together seven days a week.

"We get a few sleep-ins here and there but it's a team effort and I have a managing role. It's mentally and physically tough but we fit everyone's social lives in. We still have a work and life balance, or else we wouldn't be doing it."

Alicia, who has played in four Cobden grand final sides and described it "as an achievement", said it was humbling to reach 150 open games in red and black.

Now one of the older players in the Sophie Hinkley-coached team, she is priding herself on being a leader for the Bombers' next generation.

"It's humbling to be one of the older ones because when I first started playing I looked up to the older ones," she said.

"I just want to be an influence to the younger ones. I wasn't actually going to play this year because I have a few injuries but I didn't want to let the younger girls down. I wanted to be that role model the older girls were for me.

"I like to be the one who calms their nerves and gives them support I needed back in the day and I got."