Your guide to the 2023 Warrnambool and District league netball season

The Standard looks at how each club is placed entering round one.

Ins: Bec Hunt (time away); Samantha McKenzie (Colac); Amy McGillivray (A reserve); Sarah Janes (17 and under); Madison Drake (17 and under).

Outs: Georgia Martin (Merrivale); Carmel Moloney; Tessa Jewell (not playing); Keely Price (not playing).

Players to watch: Wing-attack Amy McGillivray gets her chance in the top grade after finishing runner-up in last year's A-reserve league best and fairest.

Coach's comment: "(The expectation is) to make finals and to get that desire to win. To have so many draws last year, stopped our chances of making finals." - Rachel Mungean

Prediction: ninth: A rebuilding year looks likely for the Cats after the departures of vice captain Georgia Martin and defenders Carmel Moloney and Tessa Jewell.

Ins: Lena Wright (South Rovers); Ebony Lilley (Merrivale).

Outs: Bonnie Williamson (work); Hannah Rose (maternity leave).

Players to watch: Recruit Lena Wright is the obvious choice here as the reigning WDFNL players-voted MVP. The Dogs will be hoping she can continue that form this year and form a formidable shooting partnership with Zoe Fleming.

Coach's comment: "Like any year we aim to be in finals. What that looks like yet though without really understanding the competition, it's a bit difficult (to know) but that would be what we'd strive for." - Sue Fleming

Prediction: Fifth. The Dogs weren't far away from playing finals last season and by adding attacker, Lena Wright, who won the league MVP in 2022, they have done their chances a world of good.

Ins: Laura Bourke (Camperdown); Anna Bourke (St Joseph's); Molly Bourke (Geelong Amateurs); Lillie Bourke (Geelong Amateurs); Meg O'Sullivan (time away), Annie Moloney (time away), Hannah O'Connor (time away), Sarah Clissold (time away), Steph Jenkins (South Rovers).

Outs: Sophie Shaw (work and study), Ashley Twaddle (moved to Geelong), Sophie Sumner (injury).

Players to watch: Defender Laura Bourke as playing-coach will be vital for the Power with her extensive Hampden league experience.

Coach's comment: "I really hope we go well. It is really hard to tell obviously we haven't all played together for quite a long time but us all being quite close in age and all very good friends I think, I'm hoping that we can go well and even potentially play finals." - Laura Bourke

Prediction: Sixth. The Power could surprise a few this year under the leadership of returning player Laura Bourke. A host of her former teammates have returned to the club after a winless 2022.

Ins: Georgia Martin (Allansford); Carly Peake (time away); Tatum Cassidy (A reserve).

Outs: Maya Netherway (moving interstate); Sarah Moloney (moving interstate).

Players to watch: Emerging talents Paiyton Noonan and Luka Cassidy continue to improve. The teenagers have been elevated to the A-grade side after impressing as development players last year.

Coach's comment: "I'm a strong believer in camaraderie. As long as all the girls are happy I don't feel concerned at all. As long as there's lots of laughs and everyone'e enjoying their netball I think we're in a pretty good place to start the season." - Elisha Sobey

Prediction: Second. The Tigers pushed the Blues all the way in last year's decider and are a genuine premiership contender.

Ins: Montana Wallace (Warrnambool); Keele Hillas (basketball).

Outs: Katie Ryan (retired); Chelsea Quinn.

Players to watch: Amanda Gilbert was a force under the ring last season for the premiers and in a star-studded line-up sometimes goes under the radar.

Coach's comment: "I certainly hope we go along OK. I know that most other clubs recruit quite well off season and we haven't necessarily changed too much, although we have lost some key figures from our team. There will be a readjustment period for us and we'll look to see how we get our balance happening but also not rest on our laurels from last year by any means because it's a completely new season." - Lisa Arundell

Prediction: Premiers. Nirranda went undefeated last season on the way to the title and are well poised to do win it all again. The Blues have the depth to cover the losses of experienced players Katie Ryan and Chelsea Quinn.

Ins: Eliza Hoy (Koroit); Bec Kavanagh (injury).

Outs: Chloe Williams (injury/work); Lauren Vawser (work).

Players to watch: A versatile mid-courter with speed to burn, recruit Eliza Hoy will be a strong addition to the side.

Coach's comment: "I think for us, building on what we had last year. A massive thing Bec and I have highlighted for our team is being really good teammates off the court to be able to bring on-court success." - Jemmah Lambevski

Prediction: Seventh. Will be aiming to finish higher than last year (seventh) but the departures of Chloe Williams and Lauren Vawser could cause defensive issues.

Ins: Rebecca Mitchell (Simpson); Olivia Arnott; Ann Bugoss (Melbourne).

Outs: Abby Sheehan (South Rovers).

Players to watch: Goalie Milly Mahony may take her game to another level in her second season with the Bulldogs.

Coach's comment: "I feel the pressure and obviously my sister being a coach for A grade last year I think she might have me if I don't get to that prelim. I can't have her having bragging rights so we've got to get to the grand final this year hopefully." - Rebecca Mitchell

Prediction: Third: Even with the loss of Abby Sheehan to South Rovers the Bulldogs have enough class to finish top-three again.

Ins: Hannah Van Zyl (Warrnambool); Zoe Murrell (South Warrnambool), McKenzie Van Der Starre (A reserve).

Outs: Charlotte Van Der Starre (work); Rachel Hansen (Tyrendarra); Brooke Herbertson (work).

Players to watch: The older sister of important Creeker Carla Van Zyl, Hannah - who arrives from Warrnambool - will bring a lot to the club.

Coach's comment: "We were building on that (sixth in 2022) and I was really keen to have some extras come into that side and improve. Now lacking some positions we might have to move positions around to fill a side." - Stacy Dunkley

Prediction. 10^th. Player exits have caused some headaches for Russells Creek after what was a promising 2022 campaign.

Ins: Abby Sheehan (Panmure); Rebecca Peterson (South Warrnambool).

Outs: Lena Wright (Dennington); Zahra Walker (study); Emma MacLean (study); Keziah Freeman (maternity leave); Steph Jenkins (Kolora-Noorat).

Players to watch: Sharp-shooter Abbie Sheehan is a key acquisition for her junior club after she had dominant season for Panmure that ended in a preliminary final.

Coach's comment: "We've got the goal to finish in the top-five again. If we just work towards that given that we've got a few changes now it'll be just cementing all those things that we were doing really well and just continuing on with that game-play and hoping that we can make that final five." - Kylie Carter

Prediction: Eighth: The losses of several key players, including 2022 league MVP Lena Wright, will hurt the Lions and their finals aspirations.

Ins: Raina Hunt (year off travelling), Anna Archie (Lake Boga), Taya McLeish (Quambatook), Tash David.

Outs: Jaimie Castledine (pursuing football in Geelong), Hollie Castledine (Terang Mortlake).

Players to watch: The attacking combination of Macy Gale and Laura Rosolin after a year working in partnership.

Coach's comment: "Last year was a really good experience for a lot of our players and this year we'll just aim to consolidate and build on that. We're Aiming for finals again." - Beth Hallyburton

Prediction: Fourth. The Demons have lost captain Hollie Castledine since last year's elimination-final win over South Rovers but thanks to that experience and a full year playing together, should return to finals in season 2023.

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