City West Falcons are preparing for a season of uncertainty in the Victorian Netball League.
Having dominated the competition for three years, the Falcons will have a new look for 2015.
Due to a rule change in the VNL competition, sides are allowed only two players on their squads who are also contracted to play in the ANZ championships.
City West is responsible for six current ANZ championship players, with Chloe Watson, Emily Mannix, Kate Moloney, Tegan Caldwell, Alice Teague-Neeld and Liz Watson all coming from the western suburbs-based club.
The rule change means defenders Watson and Mannix will be available for the Falcons.
Another player not returning to the Falcons this season is Casey Price, who has moved to rival club Melbourne University.
City West coach Marg Lind said the off-season changes had led to a busy pre-season.
“It’s hard to say how we are going because a lot of the players are doing fine in pre-season, but it’s completely different once you get into real matches.
“We had to have a year like this year where we basically have a whole new group … obviously you might step backwards to step forwards.”
The Falcons have moved quickly to secure new players.
Demi Woodlock is returning to the club after a season out of the game.
City West has also brought in former Monash University shooter Stephanie Tyrell and Altona Netball Association player Bridget O’Halloran.
Lind said it was great to see some of the young talent from the west graduating to the Falcons’ squad.
“We’re finally achieving the link between the real young juniors coming through the western suburbs and having them transitioning through the club.
“That’s what we aimed to achieve originally and what we are starting to achieve now.”
City West will begin its 2015 campaign against Melbourne University Lightning this week at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.
Despite all the changes to her squad, Lind is confident her new-look team has what it takes to match it with all the competition’s sides.
“There’s no question that, barring injury, they will be competitive,” she said.
“It obviously depends on when we get our Vixens players back, too.
“If we don’t have them regularly, that will test our depth.
“I think we will be competitive. I wouldn’t like to predict that they will do ‘X’, but they will certainly be competitive, there’s no question about that.
“It will just come down to their control and how they jell as a team.”
City West Falcons finished second in the VNL last year, with the grand final being the team’s single loss for the season.
“With the big turnover … there’s a small percentage of players who feel what happened last year, but then there are also all these fresh players so there are mixed emotions,” Lind said.
