While a lacklustre start ruined Kerang’s finals dream last season, the 2025 version is expected to be one the Central Murray’s big improvers.
Having lost eight of their first 10 matches with a brand new squad, the Blues found form late last season, winning four of their last six games and making a late charge for the finals, before losing their last two games.
Those losses showed just how good Kerang could be, with a three-goal defeat to eventual preliminary finalists the Mallee Eagles before ending the season with a four-goal loss to grand finalists Swan Hill.
Kerang will be without three key players from that team, with Carla Walker departing for rival Cohuna and both Danielle Coates and Keiarah Brooks not returning.
Although the trio will leave big holes to fill on every line, that is exactly what the Blues have managed to do, with 2023 club best and fairest Katelyn Wright returning this season, along with new recruits Madi Hall and Maddy Black.
Hall, a tough midcourter who is strong with ball in hand will be the perfect replacement for Coates, while Wright and Black can each play at either end of the court in a team that will be extremely versatile, according to joint coach Chloe Adams.
“We’ll be a lot more settled as a team than we were at this time last year,” Adams said.
“Last year we had an influx of players and we were trying to work out what were our best combinations and where everyone best fit.
“We still have a few new players this year, but we also have a real core group there, so it’s more about building on that core group with the likes of Katelyn (Wright), who has already played with a lot of the girls before, so she’s not a brand new person coming in.”
Along with a handful of new players, the Blues will also employ a new coaching structure, with Adams joined by teammates Denise Roberts and Jarni Gilmour in leading the side in a joint capacity.
Although Gilmour has several years of coaching experience, this will be Roberts’ first foray into the coaching seat, with the goal shooter having begun her career in navy blue mid-season following an Achilles injury last year.
The addition of Roberts to Kerang’s line-up also coincided with the Blues’ rise in form, with the dangerous shooter helping to add some much needed attacking flair to the side.
“I feel like we’ll be quite defensive right across the board. We’re maybe a little light on for attackers, but we’ll be quite strong defensively,” Adams said.
“We’ll have a bit of height too right down the court, which is a really good thing, but I think it will all come down to the way we gel.
“We showed what we could do last year, especially with Denise (Roberts) down the other end executing the way she does and if we continue to play that brand of netball, should do ok, I feel.
“Last year was obviously really disappointing, but at the same time, I think it was a great way to end the season as it gave those girls that haven’t had much success a bit of a taste of what being up there and competing against the top sides can feel like.
“There’s no way we can wait until half way through the season to get our act together, we’ll be coming out hard right from round 1 because we know how much those games mean come the end of the season.
“Every single game matters and I think that will be the case this season more than any other season with a perceived evenness across the league.”
While Adams and Roberts are expected to be key contributors at both ends of the court for the Blues, so too will young locals Bree Cordina and Mikala McNeill, with the pair having big pre-seasons as they make the step up into a more permanent A grade role.
KERANG FAST FACTS
JOINED LEAGUE – 1997
COURTS – Riverside Park
PREMIERSHIPS – 2 (1999, 2000)
A GRADE COACHES – Chloe Adams, Denise Roberts and Jarni Gilmour
2024 LADDER POSITION – 9th
2024 BEST & FAIREST – Chloe Adams
FROM THE COACH
“As always, we’ll be aiming to play finals. That’s been my expectation for the past two years and it hasn’t changed. If we break the season down into smaller goals, we’ll be making sure that we’re putting out a really competitive team and build each week so that we can hopefully peak at the right time of the season. We’re aiming to continue building our culture and our development within the squad, and hopefully have some success as well.”
PLAYER TO WATCH
Chloe Adams
Widely regarded as one of the Central Murray’s premier defenders, Adams will be hoping to take her game to new heights in 2025.
Having won Kerang’s A grade best and fairest and being named on the bench in the CMFNL netball team of the year last season, she’s considered to be the barometer of the Blues side.
Adams is in her third year as A grade coach at Kerang and is desperate for the Blues to have success, with her height and defensive prowess expected to have a big say in her teams capacity to finish in the top five.
IN’S
Katelyn Wright
Maddy Black (Cohuna)
Madi Hall (Leitchville-Gunbower)
Caity Hamilton (Leitchville-Gunbower)
OUT’S
Carla Walker (Cohuna)
Danielle Coates
Keiarah Brooks
