The joint mentors, who led the Demons to an A reserve minor premiership in 2021, were unveiled as the club's A grade coaches on Wednesday.

The duo will replace outgoing leader Leah Sinnott, who has returned to Hampden league club Camperdown, and are expected to blood new faces on the back of Alicia Blain and Rebecca Dendle's departure to Cobden.

"We know that we've lost a few out of that A grade and we know that we had a really strong A reserve side so we're looking at giving those girls an opportunity that probably haven't had it in the past," Hallyburton said.

"They really have the skill level and I think we'd really like to develop that and give them an opportunity because they're not going to get better at that level unless they play there.

"We've got some strong juniors coming through as well so giving them some opportunities through the senior grades will be good as well."

Hickey said she and Hallyburton had exposed juniors to senior netball while leading the club's A reserve side in 2021 and were confident they could step up.

The pair, who are both schoolteachers, said prior experience of coaching together would be beneficial.

"I'm a defender so I tend to take that side of things whereas Carley looks at the attacking end a bit more," Hallyburton said.

"We tend to work well together. I played last year as a playing coach so I was probably more a mentor on court to the girls so that'll be different taking that role from the sidelines as well.

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"Being both working mums, it definitely helps having someone there as well if something happens at home or you can't get to training as planned. You know you've got someone there who knows what's going on."

Drawing on learnings from coaching under Sinnott will also be key, both Hallyburton and Hickey said.

"I think the way she conducted training. She goes back to basics, but has those core values of team and club and making sure the girls are working together," Hallyburton said.

"Hard work pays off, that's probably the biggest thing from learning from Leah."

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