Camperdown is in the midst of a rebuild, forced to blood youth this season after losing the majority of its open-grade Hampden league squad from last year.
The Magpies will be without sisters Krystal and Chelsea Baker (both moved to Geelong for work/study commitments), Lily Eldridge (Colac), Laura Bourke (Kolora-Noorat), Brooke Richardson (retired), Mary Place (Geelong for study), Ruby Conheady (Melbourne for study), and Ella and Nellie Sadler (school commitments).
Incoming Magpies coach Emily Stephens is looking forward to the season but knows she has a sizeable task in front of her after losing the bulk of last year's side.
The Magpies are still hoping to secure last-minute recruits and will rely on younger talent to fill the gap
"Our season will look a little different to what it has done in the last few years," Stephens said.
"We're still getting good numbers to training but it's just really about those older bigger bodies, that we sort of haven't really got a large range of them at the moment.
"It's more about trying to work with our young ones to learn how to use their body correctly and to try and keep them from being injured because they're going to have to play up and play open netball."
Stephens said players like Elsie and Isobel Sinnott, Indi Cameron and Piper Stephens, although only 13 and 14 years old, would likely be asked to step up at different stages.
It's not all doom and gloom for the Magpies, with the side welcoming 250-game defender Emma Wright back to the club for part of the season.
"She's a 250-gamer and a strong body and a huge amount of knowledge on the court," Stephens said.
"She'll be a great guide.
"She can't play every week, she's going overseas for a while, she's planning to try and play as much as she can."
Annabel Lucas also returns from a serious injury while Grace Lucas has come home from the Northern Territory.
The club is in good spirits despite the playing-number struggles.
"We're training still two nights a week and we've got a really good vibe and good coaching program going at the moment," Stephens said.
"Holly Swayn who's come into the mix this year, she's a personal trainer, she's helping out with that side of things as well."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.standard.net.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines and newsletters
- Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Tap here to open our Google News page
- Join our Courts and Crime Facebook group and our dedicated Sport Facebook group
- Subscribe
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
