SOUTH Warrnambool’s Open netball team will have a Hamilton flavour this year with Hollie Phillips taking to the court for the Roosters under the watch of Hamilton export and new coach, Will Jamison.

Jamison was assistant coach at the club last year and has stepped up into the main role, having played netball throughout his life, including being involved in the men’s netball game as part of the Pride and Inclusion Game at Melville Oval in 2018.

Jamison said he was excited to take the step up into the top role and had high hopes for the team in 2022.

“Last year I had the assistant role under Leesa Battistello and this year we have switched the roles,” he said.

“It is really exciting because our team is so young, seeing them continue to grow and develop and play against some really experienced and mature players is a very exciting prospect.”

Going into the season as the first male Open coach in the league, Jamison said he didn’t take on any extra pressure.

“It is normal for me, yes I might be the first (male) coach from a Hampden perspective, but there are a lot of male coaches throughout the Victorian and Australian pathways,” he said.

“At the end of the day, I really enjoy this sport.”

Phillips is the only addition to the 2021 squad with the partnership between the former Kangaroo working for both player and club so far.

Jamison said a mutual conversation sparked interest and it flowed from there.

“We talked about what Hollie wanted to get from her netball this season and I wanted to tell her what our aim was for the club and the culture we are trying to instil in our Open team,” Jamison said.

“She came along and trained with us one night and the team has embraced her entirely and I think she is going to have a great season.

“I think what is exciting about including Hollie in our attacking end is it gives us a real variety of different ways to shoot our goals.

“She is a strong target and we have some moving goalies as well, so she just provides us with a different opportunity.”

Phillips will partner Annie Blackburn in goals and Jamison said he expected the pair to work well together and be a handful for opposition defences.

“Annie is obviously a really tall player and is creative and I am excited to see Annie in there with Hollie as two tall targets,” he said.

As for expectations for the season, Jamison said the home and away season was about qualifying for finals and was not looking too far ahead.

“I think there are always some nerves, but we just need to remember there are 18 rounds and you can’t play finals until then,” he said.

“Provided we play our best netball and we can do it consistently, we have definitely go an opportunity to play finals.”