With Cricket Shepparton’s senior women’s competition folding after one season, the trio of Goulburn Valley clubs are back with Goulburn Murray Cricket, rejoining what will now be a nine-team division.
The season launches this Sunday, October 18 – so who is well-placed heading into the curtain-raising T20s?
Mooroopna is chasing a historic three-peat after conquering Nagambie in back-to-back deciders, though it will be a new-look XI that takes the field.
The reigning Cricket Shepparton premier has regained flag batter Kelsey McDonald and will again look to skipper Mia Earl to spearhead operations, but the all-conquering Cats have seen several exits.
However, Mooroopna coach Jeff Vandermeer says that will open up opportunities for others.
“We have a couple of new girls who are just starting out,” Vandermeer said.
“We’ll still rely on Mia Earl who’s been terrific in trying to get the team up this year. We’ve got girls like Ebony Sleeth who will be in week to week, she had a strong finish last year and she’ll be important.
“The good thing is we still have a core group that have been playing together for a few years; they’ve got all the basics that are required and an understanding of the game.
“We’re just going to be lacking a bit of depth with our bowling, so it will be a good opportunity for other girls to get a good go.”
Vandermeer’s side will get an early lay of the land against GMCW grand finalist Echuca in round one.
Meanwhile, Nagambie will be hell-bent on rectifying two years of heartbreaking results, going undefeated all the way up until last year’s grand final.
Experienced campaigners Breanna Moore and Sandy Ezard have called it a day, but the Lakers will be bolstered by the return of star batter Kait Carracher, who played only a handful of games last season.
Carracher and prolific run-scorer Kayla Shepherd look poised to form a ruthless one-two punch in the batting line-up and, paired with the addition of BLU duo Ruby Brentnall and Liz Chapman, Nagambie should figure highly once more.
“(Having) someone with Kait’s experience is a big inclusion for us,” new coach Jason O’Brien said.
“Breanna Moore and Sandy Ezard have both done the hard yards, so they’ve earned a well-deserved break.
“We’ve been lucky that we’ve played in a couple of finals over the past few years. There’s experience there, but we just haven’t managed to get the job done.
“We’re focusing from a team perspective on getting a few things right in the sense of you don’t have to be the best team all year, you just have to be the best team when it matters.”
For SYCU, there will be hope the maroon and blue can snap its recent semi-final barrier.
The Princess Park tenants have been perennial contenders in recent times, but saw their season ended by Mooroopna in the penultimate game of last season.
SYCU has been ably led by Mel Saunders, Lia Beecroft and Di Poole and if the club’s leaders can stand tall once again, there’s belief they can make a return to grand final day.
Their first assignment is Katamatite at home.
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