Thomastown Netball Club is hoping an elusive premiership in the Northern Netball League is at hand.
The club will have four sides in the Friday night competition this year.
Netball president Claire Consiglio says the club will have teams in divisions 3, 5, 7 and 8.
“Last season, our No.1 team competed in division 4 and made the semi-finals.”
Consiglio says there has been a growing interest in the competition since it started, with both the club and league expanding.
Some of the teams in the top divisions have former Victorian Netball League players in their sides.
Thomastown was one of the last Northern Football League clubs to enter a team in the competition.
“It’s a little more serious than a domestic competition … you have the relationship with the club and the footballers,” Consiglio said.
“We started with one team in 2010 and have had four since last year. Originally, it was interest from girls who had grown up around the club such as sisters, wives and daughters.
“Then through word of mouth there was interest from friends and other people wanting to get involved.
“We’re hoping next year we can field a junior side as well.”
Consiglio says the netballers have a good relationship with the footballers, despite playing on different days.
“Every week we all meet at the club for dinner and team selection.
“We try and get to the majority of the home games and the boys come along to support us as well.”
Consiglio says finals and a premiership are the aims for this season.
“We’re hoping for a premiership. We have played in the finals [with our top team] every season,” she said.
“We lost about a team’s worth of players over the off-season, but we have gained the same number of players through recruiting and new arrivals.
“The goal is to have all four teams make the finals.”
The Northern Netball League will have nine senior sections start new seasons on Friday night. Games are played at four different indoor locations.
