VU-Western Lightning will be forced to implement a new-look goal strategy for the third year running but coach Matt Hills has otherwise retained the bulk of the squad that went deep into the Victorian Netball League finals over the past two seasons.
Hills is optimistic the Lightning can sustain the levels which saw it reach the grand final in 2012 and get within a game of the big dance last season, despite the big losses of front end stars Erin McCarthy (travelling overseas) and Megan Fitzpatrick (injured).
“Our premiership window is well and truly open,” he told the Weekly. “We’ve gone out with a plan of adding to our team to ensure we can stay at the top of the tree.”
The cornerstone of Lightning’s new-look offence is young recruit Kate Thompson.
Thompson is raw but talented, having been part of the AIS set-up and representing Australia at under-21 level.
Filling the void left by national league talent McCarthy and Fitzpatrick, out for 12 months with a knee injury, will be no mean feat but Thompson has impressed over the summer.
“We’ve had to introduce a couple of new players and we’ll have a new front end again for the third year running,” Hills said.
“Kate’s a tall goaler, only 22 this year so she fits into our young group.
“She’s added into our front end really well.”
Lightning has welcomed back mid-courter Danni Stewart after two years away.
Stewart was part of the City West Falcons back-to-back titles but often found it hard to get a starting role.
“She needed a change of scenery and a new challenge,” Hills said.
Lightning’s defensive unit is recognised as one of the VNL’s best and the only question mark has been depth in the event of injury.
That problem will be solved with the inclusion of Sanonu Robertson, from Geelong Cougars.
“We’ve kept our core defensive end, which has arguably been the best defensive end in the competition for the last couple of years,” Hills said. “We certainly needed another defender because we haven’t had that back-up defender.”
Lightning will meet City West Falcons in Wednesday’s blockbuster opening night at the State Netball and Hockey Centre.
The western suburbs rivalry is growing by the year.
“If you look at the margins over the last three years, there’s been only one game where the margin has been a blow-out. Every other game has been close,” Hills said.
“In our two games last year, we beat them by three and they beat us by one, so it’s a really hard-fought battle and both teams have a great deal of respect for each other.”
