THE Hampden Football Netball League is well underway in its preparations for the 2023 season, with clubs digging into their preseason training in hopes of getting an edge on the competition.
Here’s a look at how each club is shaping up ahead of another season.
Portland
Senior football coach Jarrod Holt will be continuing in his capacity for 2023, with the Tigers hoping to make a return to the Hampden league finals this season.
Despite losing some of their top-line players during the off-season, including Maskell Medallist Daniel Jackson and assistant coach Lochie Huppatz, Holt told the Observer earlier this month that he sees no reason why the group cannot make another trip back to the finals.
“We expect to be competitive… a lot of people from outside might have been saying we’ll drop away but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case,” Holt said then.
“The guys that are still here from years gone by have shown that no matter what we can stay competitive, and I don’t expect that to be any different.”
Meanwhile, Ellen Zeunert has stepped into the top job as open netball coach, taking over from last year’s co-coaches Michelle Finck and Remy Grant.
Zeunert will be tasked with taking the club to the finals in the upcoming season, after they finished seventh on the ladder and missed out on finals action in 2022.
Port Fairy
In what is undoubtedly the biggest shake-up of the Hampden Football League’s off-season, three-time premiership key forward Jason Rowan has made the switch from long-time club Warrnambool to head up the highway to nearby Port Fairy for the upcoming season.
Rowan, who is currently sitting on 995 Hampden league goals and is almost certain to break Tony Russell’s record of 1020 sometime this season, is expected to continue to be a fearsome presence in the forward line regardless of the change of colours.
Port Fairy were the league’s most embattled club last season, as they failed to win a game across either the seniors or reserves and were forced to forfeit their senior match in round 16.
However, with a new senior coach in Dustin McCorkell and now a star forward locked in for 2023, the future looks ever brighter for the Seagulls, with Rowan expected to be a driving force behind the growth of the club.
Port Fairy has also made some changes at the top of their netball ranks, with Allahna Edwards set to take on the role as open grade coach for 2023.
A previous premiership coach, the Seagulls faithful will be hoping she can be a spark to help push the club back into contention after they went winless through 2022.
Hamilton Kangaroos
Emma and Kellie Sommerville will be co-coaching Hamilton Kangaroos’ open netball team this season, taking over from Nat O’Dea.
The Roos finished just one spot out of finals last season, but with 16 points between them and fifth-placed Warrnambool last season, there will be considerable ground for them to make up if they want to play finals netball this season.
Meanwhile, Hamish Waldron will remain at the helm of the Kangaroos’ senior football side, with hopes that they can make a push for finals after finishing seventh on the ladder last season.
Waldron, who had been the captain of the Roos since 2014 before taking on a playing-coach role last season, will be hoping his wealth of experience at the club can start to translate to on-field success.
Terang-Mortlake Bloods
Terang-Mortlake Bloods have been one of the league’s biggest movers and shakers this off-season, signing a number of quality players as they look to make a push for the finals in 2023, with their biggest signing being ex-AFL player Lewis Taylor.
Taylor, who grew up in Mortlake, played 124 games at the highest level of the sport across nine seasons with Brisbane and Sydney, and is expected to be a massive addition to a club which is all of a sudden loaded with talent.
Other additions include former Geelong VFL footballer Scott Carlin and two-time Big Rivers Football League premiership player Wade Rosas.
Ben Kenna will retain his role as senior coach for the 2023 season.
In the netball ranks, the Bloods announced that Sharni Moloney will be taking on the role as their open grade head coach.
Another player who is returning to the club after some time away, Moloney will be looking to help elevate the Bloods up the ladder, after a difficult 2022 saw them finish in ninth place with just three wins on the season.
Camperdown
Two big changes have been made to Camperdown’s netball ranks, with Emily Stephens announced as their open netball coach, while Grace Lucas will be at the helm of the division one side.
Both women have been involved with the Magpies for a number of years, coaching and playing at a junior and senior level.
It comes at a time where the Magpies were in dire need to change things up, having finished eighth and 10th in the two divisions respectively.
The club announced back in September last year that Neville Swayn would remain in the top job on the football side of things, in what will be his fifth year as senior coach.
Koroit
There were no surprises for the seven-time defending Hampden Football League premiers Koroit, with Chris McLaren having been confirmed for the top job back in last year.
It was a case of the rich get richer at Victoria Park, with the Saints welcoming back premiership player and club best and fairest James Gow into the fold for 2023.
Meanwhile, last year’s open netball coach Kate Dobson will continue to lead a side which just missed out on a grand final berth in 2022, losing to Cobden in the preliminary final.
With two strong outfits set for 2023, the club will fancy itself a chance to win premierships in both of the top divisions across the sports.
North Warrnambool Eagles
Last year’s runners-up in the senior football competition will retain their key man, with Adam Dowie having signed on for the 2023 season back in July last year.
A six-time premiership coach, Dowie will have every reason to believe his club can go one better this time around, especially as they’ll be retaining the services of former AFL ruckman Nathan Vardy.
In the netball department, Maddison Vardy will be taking the reins of the open grade team for 2023, as they push for grand final contention after finishing fourth and losing in the preliminary final last season.
With the club looking as strong as ever, they’ll be another group that remains in the hunt for both the football and netball premierships.
Warrnambool
New Blues senior football coach Dan O’Keefe will have his work cut out for him if he wants to keep his club in finals after the loss of Rowan, however, there has also been some good news in the recruitment department over the off-season.
Rhys Jansen van Beek, who played for Simpson Tigers in the Colac and District Football League last season, should help to boost the club’s draft stocks as they look to make their way back into finals contention for 2023.
The club has appointed co-coaches for it’s open netball side, with Raewyn Poumako to enter her sixth season in the job alongside Laura Peake, who is a former premiership player.
The side filled the last spot in the finals in 2023, although they were well ahead of sixth-place Hamilton and will be hoping to make up some ground on the top four in the upcoming season.
South Warrnambool
Will Jamison will once again lead South Warrnambool in the open netball division, although in a further expanded capacity whereby he will be in charge of overseeing the entire netball program at the club in a restructuring which was announced in October last year.
The reigning premiers will be further bolstered by the return of Victoria Fury midcourter Ally O’Connor who was absent from their line-up last season.
Mat Battistello will remain in charge of the Roosters’ senior football side for the upcoming season.
After falling to North Warrnambool in the preliminary final by less than two goals, Battistello’s men will have every reason to believe they’re in the hunt for a premiership this time around.
Cobden
Last year’s open netball runners-up will welcome back head coach Sophie Hinkley for the 2023 season, with Hinkley set to return to the court after spending last year on the sidelines as she was pregnant with her second child.
With her return set to bolster a side that came ever so close to glory last season, there’s every reason to think the Bombers can finally get over the hump this time around.
Cobden’s senior football coach Dan Casey recommitted to the club back in July of last year, with the club hoping to make a finals push this season after finishing just one spot out in 2022.
Casey will be sharing the coaching duties with returning player Brody Mahoney.
In saying that, four games separated them and fifth-placed Warrnambool, a mighty gap to bridge, but they’ll be helped in that task by the addition of Mahoney along with dual Timboon Demons best and fairest Jordan Fowler who is transferring over from the Warrnambool and District league to join the Bombers for 2023.
