Mel Starr knows exactly what her team is capable of.
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The Western Region netball open division coach has set a solid pass mark for this weekend’s state netball titles because of that.
Starr, who coached Hamilton Kangaroos in the Hampden league open division this season, is confident her team will match it with the best at Shepparton on Saturday,
"We definitely should make finals,” she said.
“I think we'd all be pretty disappointed if we didn't make finals with the team we have got.
"But not knowing what we are up against it is anyone's guess, though we would like to see Western in finals again.”
Starr, who has an impressive coaching resume including Victorian Netball League experience, said she was happy with the team selected.
The squad consists of Nadine McNamara, Remeny McCann, Molly Hutt, Alicia Blain (Cobden), Aleisha McDonald (Hamilton), Libby Moloney (Terang), Sinaed Finck, Sarah O’Keeffe (Warrnambool), Brooke Richardson (Camperdown) and twin sister Amanda Clark (cleared for titles).
She did admit there could be more ‘buy in’ from the other elite players in the region.
"Yeah it is a really really good team and very similar to what we had for interleague," she said.
"We also have the addition of the two Warrnambool girls Sarah ('O'Keefe) and Sinead (Finck), so that is pretty positive for us.
"It was not necessarily a real focus to have the same team, but it was about getting the best team we could get.
"And we were lucky with our interleague team that it was probably the strongest team we could get from the league anyway."
Western Region will also have two junior teams take to the court.
The 17 and under team, coach by Raewyn Poumako and Chris van Kempen, is made up of Chelsea Quinn – Ashlea Ferguson, Laura Richie, Tara Elliott (North Warrnambool Eagles), Jessica Thwaites (Warrnambool), Molly Hedrick (Camperdown), Hannah Anderson (Cobden), Katie Zuenert (Portland), Meg Kelson (South), Alice Tanner (Terang).
Megan Forth will also coach the 15 and under team which includes Ava Pierce (Port Fairy), Zahli Adams, Ava Bishop, Matilda Fitzgerald (Warrnambool), Hollie Phillips, Jordyn Templeton (Hamilton), Jess Perry (Warrnambool), Ally Mellblom, Olivia Marris, Maillie Baillie (South) Tahni Porter North Warrnambool Eagles), Emma Stacey (South/Allansford).
Peta Van Bruggan and Ashley Evans will travel as umpires.