Great Flinders netball preview

Here we are on the cusp of another netball season and with players already in a frantic rush to wash their lucky socks and find the most comfortable sneakers, I thought it was high time we had a look at what Great Flinders netball has in store for us in 2011.

The first game will see Tumby Bay take on Lock at the home of the Blues, Ramblers are meeting Eyre United out at Ungarra and Cougars take on Yeelanna at Cummins.

Good luck to everyone involved in the 2011 season this year and whether you are playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring, timing or simply just watching, enjoy the year and play hard but play fair.

Bring on the netball!

The undefeated A grade premiers from 2010 look set to be strong contenders again his year to go back to back.

The side is once again under the eye of the very experienced Gayle Phillips and Cathy Haarsma and they haven't lost any players from the premiership side.

They also welcome back Aimee Pedler from having a baby and Shannon Nagel joins the black and whites which will add even more depth to the defence end.

The A reserves and B grade will also look to go back to back with plenty of new combinations available for all sides.

Expect to see some big wins for Ramblers this year and at important times during the finals.

Ins: Caitlin Parker (Wanilla), Jess Murray (Wanilla), Shannon Nagel (Bostons), Aimee Pedler (returning from pregnancy), Kirsty Fox (returning from pregnancy), Bec Langley (out of retirement)

Outs: Abbi Dahlitz (Adelaide), Tatum Lawrie (Yeelanna) Tori Dahlitz (Yeelanna)

A Grade prediction: Runners Up

The Tumby bay netball club has huge numbers again this year but all teams are looking strong and fit and ready to take on the 2011 season.

There have been some new coaches appointed and plenty of new players welcomed to the club.

The Tumby Bay Netball Club A grade had a poor end to the season last year losing to Ramblers by way too many goals in the grand final, but this year they look set to break the Magpies undefeated run.

With the return of Ilka Curtis and Nadine McInerney the A grade side is looking promising.

Young gun Renee Butler has returned from a year at Eyre United and has been included in this year's side and looks set to be a consistent A grade player in the future.

The A grade side will once again be guided by playing coach Charmaine Cross and keeps Somma Baldissera, Stacey Curtis, Karlee Dunn, Shae Franks and Linda Trenberth in the side.

The A reserves is also looking strong and after a couple of years of finishing third and fourth the team is ready to step up and try and bring home a premiership.

The B grade and B reserves are also filled with both youth and experience and plenty of position combinations with both sides having plenty of numbers.

Ins: Nardine McInerney (pregnancy), Ilka Curtis (pregnancy), Renee Butler (Eyre United), Sarah Lynch (new to town), Erica Larwood (returns to town), Leah Hunt (Cowell), Lyndal Stanley (Eyre United), Jessica Cave, (returns to town), Leanne Higgins (returning), Therese Lawrie (pregnancy)

Out: Emily Schwark (Adelaide), Briohny Cave (work commitments), Bianca Jenkins (overseas), Ellen Walker (Adelaide), Leanne Butler (retired), Lisa James (Adelaide), Danielle Carr (pregnant)

A Grade Prediction: Premiers

Eyre United might have lost a lot of players from last year but they have been able to add to the team lists with new girls coming in.

The A grade side finished third last year and while there is only three of last year's team still around, the team welcomes back Chelsea Franks and Brooke Parsley which will boost their side and provide the experience for the younger players to look up to.

Donna McCallum has the experience to take her side to the next level and with a mixture of youth and experience the Eyre united saints should go well again this year.

As last year's Great Flinders Netball Association most successful club, Eyre United hopes to continue this form in both the juniors and seniors.

One player to look out for is young Twania Flavel who is making her A grade debut this year and if she is anything like her mum Deb Flavel she will be a player to watch.

Ins: Twania Flavel, Tagline Flavel, Sarah walker, Deb Flavel, Janine Pobke, Danielle Nugent (All from Port Lincoln), Susan Carmody (Cowell), Kristy Modra, Eden Telfer, Nicole Kroemer, Emma Pycroft, Shelley Fiegert, Kirsty Ives, Nicole Doley (All returning or new to club), Abby Degner, Jessie Liddicoat, Susanna Simpson and Leann Schreiber (All moving into seniors)

Outs: Trish Tassie, Karissa Cave, Kellie Freeman, Mardi Montgomerie, Kimberley Modra, Renni Maitland, Kyra Cave, Lyndal Stanley (Tumby Bay), Kylie Butler (Tumby Bay), Renee Butler (Tumby Bay), Lynne Coote, Sofia Modra, Mel Skarstrom, Kelsey Birkin, Corree Guerin, Britt Carmody (Adelaide), Rachel Telfer.

A Grade Prediction: Fourth

The Lock netball club is hoping the string of pregnancies that have occurred produce plenty of girls because unfortunately for the club they can only fill three sides once again.

This year the Roos won't have an A reserves side due to people leaving the district, injuries and pregnancies but the A grade side is still looking reasonably strong.

While it might take them a little while to gel at the start of the year hopefully they don't get too disheartened if there are some early losses because by the start if the second round I can see they will be challenging teams and even getting the points on the board.

Coached once again by Jodie Thompson the younger girls, such as Sarah Hurrell will combine well with Mel Glover and Abby Lee Agars - two of the more experienced players in the side and great club members of the Lock Roos.

In the B grade and B reserves, expect the teams o be competitive this year with some junior players stepping up as well as some of the "older" ladies adding the experience to the side.

A grade prediction: Sixth (prove me wrong girls)

Like Tumby Bay Yeelanna has huge numbers this year and girls who would normally be playing in a higher grade are taking on roles in other teams.

Holly Campbell will be playing coach this year and will do a great job rallying her troops through the centre court, while her mum Debbie will be keeping a watchful and experienced eye on things from the sidelines.

The return of a number of players from maternity leave will bolster the both the A grade and A reserves who are looking to go one better this year and take home the premiership.

The B grade and B reserves is also looking extremely strong with some new players to the club and a player to watch will be Cheryl Thompson who looks to be running the centre for the B reserves.

Ins: Penny Will, Ebony Christian, Tatum Lawrie (Ramblers), Candice Lawrie (Ramblers), Bree Boyanton (Cougars), Lauren Keough, Lauren Routledge, Cheryl Thompson, Holly Turner - (retuned to the club from Ceduna), Rikki-Lee Watson, Kate Hancock (pregnancy), Brianna Modra, (pregnancy), Kellie Taylor (pregnancy), Tegan Modra (pregnancy), Kirsty Koch (pregnancy), Ahza Benedik, Caitlyn Martin, Jess Armstrong, Rianna McLaughlan (All coming up from juniors)

Out: Fiona Adams, Emma Hancock, Vicki Phillips, Sarah Nicholls, Kelsey Mullan, Maddie Richardson, Rebecca Carratt, Peta Griffiths, Amy-Lee Pervan

A grade prediction - Third.

The A grade side has made a few changes this year with some players leaving and a few new ones coming to the club. New coach Carrie Oesterman is looking at continually improving the side and seeing them be competitive throughout the year.

A big inclusion will be Jessica Green who was a star junior for Cougars and will be a welcome addition through the centre court with the Meyers sisters.

A big loss for the club is the retirement of gun netballer Sam Pedler who is hanging up the on court shoes but will no doubt be kept busy with other jobs at the club.

In: Jessica Green (returned), Belinda-Jane Clarke (Adelaide), Hayley Winen (Adelaide), Taylor Siegert (returned), SallyAnn Hill (returned), Lynne Davies (retuned), Kristy Southern (Tumby Bay), Kristy Cunningham (new), Kerri- Ann Lock (new), Melissa Roberts (new) , Georgia Nelligan (D Grade), Lisa Smith (D Grade), Tiahni Adamson (D grade), Genevive Wright (D grade)

Out: Sam Pedler (retired), Katelyn Wright (uni), Catlin Phelps (uni), Tash Puckridge (retired), Stacey Smith (Bostons), Marika Giddings, Kylie Smith, Robyne May, Elise Moroney (Wudinna), Emily Doudle (pregnant), Mardi Green (inj), Pennie Hazelgrove (apprenticeship), Shay Kimber (inj), Sarah Southern (Adelaide)

A grade prediction: Fifth

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