It will be an unrecognisable Lake Boga outfit that takes to the court against Kerang in round one, with the Magpies undergoing a complete transformation since their 12-goal grand final win over Swan Hill last season.
After ending a 59-year premiership drought last September, the Magpies have experienced a mass exodus, with all seven of their premiership team, as well as premiership coach Anne-Marie Stewart departing the club over the off-season.
Stepping in to replace Stewart is Lisa Ryan, who will return to coaching the top flight after stints coaching at NNW United, Birchip-Watchem, Lake Boga and Sea Lake Nandaly, where she won a premiership.
It will be Ryan’s first time as a senior non-playing coach however, with the veteran leader looking forward to the challenge of re-building a squad that is still capable of playing finals.
“I’ve never not played and coached, so this year will be a new experience for me, even when I came back to (Lake) Boga after Sea Lake and coached the A reserves I was still a player,” Ryan said.
“I’ve coached the juniors in recent years, but this is the first time besides coaching the young girls that I’ve coached an A grade team as a as a non-playing coach.
“I’ve changed a lot over the years, I’ve definitely mellowed a lot with training, but your relationships with the players, that’s the important part.
“We’re in a transition period as a team, every person that played last year isn’t playing this year and we’ll have a young team, but it will also be a good chance for me to actually instill some coaching and development into our squad rather than just having great players do the work.”
While Ryan will have an entirely new squad to work with, there will still be some familiar faces, with Maddy Gleeson returning to the Magpies after playing with Moulamein last season and young guns Montana Davies and Milla Holt stepping up to play more consistent A grade minutes.
Also returning to the A grade side is experienced defender Felicity Robertson, who will be a valuable component of Lake Boga’s new look defensive third, with Steph Anderson being another player expected to get her chance to impress in the A grade side and will fill the wing attack role.
The Magpies will also have some new faces don the black and white this season, with former Tyntynder player Jess Weaver expected to play in attack or defence and Maddie Hickey to run through the midcourt when available in the second half of the season.
With a new squad taking shape, Ryan is hoping that her young team clicks in the second half of the season, with the new coach not ruling out a tilt at maintaining her club’s finals streak.
“My expectations or our aim for the season is to be in the top five for, that’s what we all aim to achieve at this point of the season, but our focus is really on the development of our younger players,” Ryan said.
“We’ll rotate through the bench with some under 17 and potentially under 15s players, just to give them that experience in the A grade environment and we can potentially give them that experience now that we have the rotating sub to potentially give them some experience on the court against some bigger bodies.
“Our fitness and enthusiasm will be a strength, but I want the girls to play on instinct, use their initiative and fight for every ball.
“Even though it’s going to be a developmental year and we are going to have some young people playing, those young players are more than capable of performing to this level and our new recruits that are coming into the club are going to be good as well.”
LAKE BOGA FAST FACTS
JOINED LEAGUE – 1997
COURTS – Lake Boga Recreation Reserve
PREMIERSHIPS – 1 (2024)
A GRADE COACH – Lisa Ryan
2024 LADDER POSITION – Premiers
2024 BEST & FAIREST – Emma Peacock
FROM THE COACH
“I think the club’s excited for a change and for some junior players that haven’t had the chance to play A grade to move into the team. There are a few local girls who have played at Lake Boga their whole life and have never really had the opportunity to play A grade for their club. Hopefully this year they’ll get that opportunity and they’ll be able to enjoy it and blossom.”
PLAYER TO WATCH
Felicity Robertson
An experienced player who played A grade netball for Lake Boga and Tooleybuc-Manangatang for several seasons, before dropping back to play consistent netball for the Magpies A reserves last season.
Will return to the A grade side this season, where her experience and knowledge will be invaluable for her younger teammates, along with her height and smarts in defence.
Is a strong defensive player who is as adept at stopping her opponents as she is intercepting the ball coming into the ring.
IN’S
Maddy Gleeson (Moulamein)
Jess Weaver (Tyntynder)
Maddie Hickey
OUT’S
Emma Peacock (Koondrook-Barham)
Sophie Peacock (Koondrook-Barham)
Taigan O’Shannassy (NNW United)
Jemma Meehan (Mallee Eagles)
Lily Brennan (Mallee Eagles)
Katie Carmichael
Sarah Hepburn
Jayda Fleming
