After falling at the preliminary final stage three years in a row, the Mallee Eagles will be hoping to take the next step in 2025 – with some big name recruits set to help their cause.
Former junior and Lake Boga premiership defender Jemma Meehan will return to her home club, bringing with her premiership teammate Lily Brennan in what shapes to be a major boost to the Eagles hopes of finally reaching the grand final.
It was another heart breaking end to a season for the girls from Lalbert last year, with an 18-goal loss to Swan Hill in the penultimate game of the season once again bundling them out of the finals race.
Despite their premature end, the atmosphere has been upbeat over the pre-season according to Mallee Eagles co-coach Alicia Harvey, with confidence high ahead of another campaign.
“Obviously success is something that we want and are striving for, but honestly we have such a good group of girls and win or lose, we are going to have such a fun year,” Harvey said.
“That’s not just in A grade but across all grades, everyone is positive and all our coaches are very happy across across the grades with the depth that we have as well.
“The preliminary final, or our inability to get past it, is definitely a motivating factor for our girls and yeah it might be in the back of our minds now, but once the season starts it all becomes irrelevant.
“The fact that we’ve made it to the prelim final the last three years in a row or however long it’s been, is definitely a credit to the players, the club and to the team as well and shows that we’ve performed at a consistently high level for a number of seasons.
“We have a pretty fresh side this year and with the changes in all the other teams as well, we just want to focus on our game and we know that if we do well and play to our ability, we can get there.”
Meehan will be a key inclusion for the Eagles following the departure of goal keeper Laura Sheahan to the Calder United Lions this season, with the intercept defender set to form a dangerous one-two combination with young gun Nevaeh Roberts following her breakout season last year.
Brennan on the other hand will replace Leah McKenzie, with the Lake Boga premiership star set to run alongside Kasey Torr and co-coaches Jess Jobling and Harvey in an already stacked midcourt combination that will challenge most teams.
The biggest change is likely to come in the Eagles’ attacking third, with Megan Thorneycroft set to resume her role in the goal ring, alongside developing goaler Mikayla O’Meara and the returning Julia Amezdroz.
Although the Eagles will have lots of options and plenty of versatility, the one thing they will be missing is height, with the blue and gold army once again prioritising speed over size among their playing squad.
“It’s the way it’s been for the last couple of years now, but we see our speed through the midcourt as being a real strength,” Harvey said.
“We’re not going to be a super tall team, which obviously has its disadvantages, but I think that really is advantageous to us with our speed and agility.
“You can see it already in our pre-season games, bringing the ball down the court from defence into attack just with the speed and the connection that we’ve already built and I think we’ll really work on using that to our advantage, particularly against the taller teams that we we play against.
“It’s not as though we won’t have any height at all either, both Nevaeh (Roberts) and Mikayla (O’Meara) play tall with their leap and athleticism and even though they are quite young, the experience they bring with their junior development, state championships and all their accolades is a real positive for us.”
MALLEE EAGLES FAST FACTS
JOINED LEAGUE – 1997
COURTS – Lalbert Recreation Reserve
PREMIERSHIPS – None
A GRADE COACHES – Alicia Harvey and Jess Jobling
2024 LADDER POSITION – Preliminary Finalist
2024 BEST & FAIREST – Nevaeh Roberts
FROM THE COACH
“I think the obvious thing is to break that preliminary final curse. We’ve lost the prelim final the last three years, so that is definitely the goal, to get past that stage and make the grand final. I think looking at our team on paper, we will definitely be thereabouts, just as long as injuries and all that don’t put a spanner in the works.”
PLAYER TO WATCH
Nevaeh Roberts
Had a breakout season in 2024, not only winning the Eagles A grade best and fairest, but also polling 19 votes to finish sixth in the CMFNL’s Julie Wardle Medal.
Will join forces with Jemma Meehan following the departure of Laura Sheahan this season, with the pair expected to form one of the most difficult defensive combinations in the Central Murray.
Her ability to intercept, read the play and create, along with her athleticism and capacity to play on both tall and small attackers will make her an invaluable member of the Eagles team.
IN’S
Jemma Meehan (Lake Boga)
Lily Brennan (Lake Boga)
Julia Amezdroz
OUT’S
Meg Allen (NNW United)
Laura Sheahan (Calder United)
Leah McKenzi
