By DAVID NAGEL
EXPECT the unexpected – that should be the catch-cry for the newly formed South East Netball League this season.
Just one game in and the surprises are already flowing with last year’s wooden-spooner Hampton Park taking down reigning premier Doveton.
And that’s just the beginning.
Our new league has new coaches and players that are keen to make their mark in one of the highest standards of competition anywhere outside the elite forms of the game.
Berwick’s Sarah McDermott can feel it.
“The excitement around the first game is always there, but this year with so many new coaches and players, it’s even more exciting to get started and see where everyone sits,” she said.
New Pakenham coach Kerry Twyford can feel it too.
“The enthusiasm and the interest around the place have been great, to the point where we actually had to cut players from the senior squad,” Twyford said.
“We’re looking at four strong sides, all looking to play finals and we’ve been working really hard since December.”
And at Hampton Park – an early title contender after last week’s demolition of the Doves- new coach Kylie Kiddle can’t wait to test the waters. Kiddle, who comes to the Redbacks after three years at the helm of MPNFL club Pines, is excited to be a part of the league.
“I believe this is the strongest out of the three leagues (Nepean, Peninsula and South East) so to make Hampton Park successful would be very rewarding for everyone involved,” she said.
The season begins this week with the highlight being the clash between perennial finalists Beaconsfield and Berwick.
In other games this week, Narre Warren, under new coach, former North East Blaze player Jade Heinrich travel to Cranbourne, who are expected to be much improved under new coach Simon O’Shanassy.
Reigning premier Doveton will be looking to strike its first blow of the season against Tooradin at Robinson Reserve while Twyford will coach her first home game for the Lions against Hampton Park at Toomuc.
