Gisborne lands major recruiting coup, signing Collingwood Magpies defender Zoe Davies

Davies, a training partner with the Magpies this year, made a smooth transition to Super Netball by making several appearances during the 2022 season.

The 25-year-old has again been named as a training partner for next season and will line up for the Bulldogs when commitments allow.

With the Super Netball season scheduled to finish in early July, Gisborne will be counting on Davies playing a key role in their premiership push in the latter part of the season.

Reappointed Bulldogs coach Tarryn Rymer said the club could not contain its excitement at landing one of the state's premier defensive players and believed she would have a strong influence on the playing group with her skill, experience and dedication.

"I obviously knew Zoe from playing against her in the Bendigo league and we know that she is a great player and have followed her journey along the way down to Melbourne," she said.

"It's pretty impressive what she has achieved for someone who started netball late.

"Knowing she would be down in Melbourne we thought we'd ask whether she would be interested (in joining Gisborne) and had a chat.

"It ticks a box for us that she understands what a football-netball club is about.

"She is an extremely dedicated and motivated person and we are glad to get her on board."

Davies, a late-starter to netball, who only took up the sport at 15, is no stranger to the BFNL having previously played with Kangaroo Flat and Eaglehawk.

She was a member of the Roos' last premiership-winning team in 2016 before crossing to Eaglehawk.

She later moved to LVFNL club Bridgewater in 2019 and this season made a few appearances for HDFNL club North Bendigo, coached by her mum Shellie.

Davies has been a staple in the Victorian Netball League for a number of seasons, claiming the grand final MVP award in City West Falcons' 2022 and 2018 championship division wins.

She was selected in this year's VNL team of the year.

Davies will add great strength and depth at the defensive end of the court for the Bulldogs, who will be without their dual Betty Thompson medallist Maddy Stewart, while travelling abroad in 2023.

"Super Netball finishes at the start of July, so hopefully we will see much more of Zoe on court from then," Rymer said.

"Obviously Super Netball is her priority, trying to get that big breakthrough.

"We will support her in that. But it will be really valuable for us to get on her court.

"She's a lovely person. You just know from the first time you speak to a person, whether they will fit in.

"She loves the Bendigo league and speaks really highly of it and speaks well of grassroots netball being a pathway.

"We probably ask more of our players of her calibre at Gisborne, but she was willing to jump on board. I think she'll be a great fit for our club."

Despite the loss of star defender Stewart and Jordan Cransberg, who has joined the West Coast Fever, the Bulldogs are again shaping as a powerful outfit having re-signed star goal attack Claudia Mawson, 2022 season recruit Kirby Elliott and the bulk of their A and A-reserve squads.

They have regained star centre Tiana Newman following the birth of her and partner Luke Saunders' first child Seve and goaler Tazma Morris after a season away in 2022, while goal shooter Rylee Connell is recovering quicker than expected from the Achilles injury she sustained in the closing minutes of the Bulldogs' narrow preliminary final loss against Kangaroo Flat.

Rymer was further encouraged by the impact last season's 17-and-under league best and fairest Torie Skrijl had during recent tryouts.

"She did a really great job and is such a brilliant player," she said.

"I feel we are looking good at this stage. We have a lot of depth in our A-reserve, so we want to give those girls opportunities as well to step up and play some A-grade. Girls like Eloise Rodda, who had an outstanding season.

"Ideally, one more goal shooter would be great, but I feel we will come up okay."

Gisborne finished the 2022 season as A-reserve and 17-and-under premiers, with the junior team going through undefeated.

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