PROFILE
AFTER a tumultuous 12 months, Kerang’s A Grade side will be back in 2023 – and won’t be looking to make up the numbers.
After playing for the majority of last season without an A Grade, the Blues will return to the top flight of the Central Murray competition with a new coach, fresh faces and a determination to prove the doubters wrong in a big way.
After claiming best-on-court honours in last year’s Golden Rivers A Grade Grand Final for Murrabit, Chloe Adams has returned to her home club and will take over the coaching duties. Adams won’t be the only inclusion for Kerang this season, however, with the Blues having gone on a major recruiting drive to ensure a competitive return to the firsts – with Olivia Jones (Woorinen), Zoe Livingston (Swan Hill), Keiarah Brooks (South Bendigo), Emmerson Simpson (Macorna) and Kaitlyn Wright (returning) all joining the Blues in 2023.
While Adams is pleased with where her team sits ahead of their round 1 match against Woorinen, this season will be as much about setting the club up for the future as it will be about putting wins on the board.
“It was obviously disappointing to watch from afar and see my junior club not have an A Grade side last year – but with that front of mind I thought it was the perfect opportunity to hopefully help out and make some change,” Adams said.
“We want to really rebuild our culture and set Kerang netball up and have the netball club be taken as seriously as our football club is.
“With that, we’ve recruited pretty heavily over the off-season – obviously the club not having an A Grade last year meant that we had to recruit and fill from the top down, but we’re pretty pleased with where our squad sits at this point in time having also retained the bulk of last year’s squad.”
While Kerang will have a fresh look about them in 2023, there will still be plenty of old faces to take to the court alongside their new teammates. Courtney Wright will return for the Blues and should take one of the two goalies’ positions, with the experienced Tahni Clark doing likewise at the defensive end and Bree Cordina providing much needed run through the midcourt.
It’s been a busy pre-season for Adams – her first as a senior coach – having not only begun a process of changing the attitude of the playing group, but also improving the Blues’ fitness base. As for the way she wants her new look team to play, that too contains a clear directive.
“We want to be aggressive and play with a never-say-die attitude – but at the same time, we want to be a good team to play against,” Adams said.
“We want to be known as a team with a really good reputation, one that plays the game hard but also fair – which personally, I think the best teams are often a good mix of those qualities.
“In terms of our pre-season, it’s been faultless.
“There’s a real hunger for the challenge in terms of what’s ahead from the playing group and they’ve been nothing short of sensational in terms of their commitment.”FROM THE COACH
“We’re no different to anyone else, I suppose, in that we’d love to win a premiership. But if not, then we want to play finals and push as deep as we can into the finals.”KEY PLAYER
Olivia Jones
The former Woorinen coach has made the move to Kerang this season and is set to have an immediate impact with her new club. Versatile player who does her best work through the midcourt, but is equally adept playing in defence as well.
INS & OUTS
INS
Chloe Adams (Murrabit)
Zoe Livingston (Swan Hill)
Olivia Jones (Woorinen)
Keiarah Brooks (South Bendigo)
Emmerson Simpson (Macorna)
Kaitlyn Wright (Returning)
OUTS
None
