LVFNL 2023 season preview: Calivil United

Anthony Dennis, who previously coached the Demons from 2016 to 2018, including to the club's 2017 flag, is back at the helm of Calivil United.

Dennis returns to the Demons following a four-season stint at Tongala, which has included the past two as an assistant coach.

"There has been a fair bit of change at Calivil since I was last there... definitely a lot of new faces in both the football and netball and it's really exciting to see that next generation coming through," Dennis said.

Dennis is returning to the Demons as a playing coach and will provide some experience in the midfield and forward line.

Dennis isn't the only familiar face back at the Demons, with fellow 2017 premiership players Henry Miller and Nathan Ryan also back at the club.

Miller, who last played with the Demons in 2018, is back at the club after a stint in the BFNL at Eaglehawk.

"Henry is a previous best and fairest winner and captain of the club, so to have someone like him coming back is going to do a lot in terms of helping to develop the younger players coming through," Dennis said.

"Henry is fairly versatile and can play wherever we need him to, but I expect most of his footy this year will be across half-back."

And another former Calivil United player back at the club is ruckman Justin Hynes from Marong where he had been part of the Panthers' drought-breaking premiership team last season.

Other recruits to the Demons include the former South Bendigo duo of Jack Maher and Tom Piazza and Cody Thompson.

Maher will provide the Demons with a key position option at either end of the ground, Piazza will likely spend most of his time forward, Thompson will play through the midfield and Ryan on a wing for the Demons, whose departures include last year's coach Jack Daley and leading goalkicker Jacob Greenwood, who have both gone to Eaglehawk, Ben Daley (Huntly), Blayne Ryan-Storey and Alex Daniels.

At this stage reigning best and fairest Phil Ryan is overseas.

"Well see what happens with Phil... it's one of those situations where he is either going to be away for the whole season or he will come back halfway through," Dennis said.

"He's a quality player, so fingers crossed we get a bit of footy out of him this year."

While the Demons only won two games last year - one of which was against eventual grand finalist Bridgewater - they were more competitive than their 2-14 record suggests given they lost five games by 14 points or less.

"Our starting point for this year is to obviously be competitive and being able to put four quarters of consistent football together," Dennis said.

"We've had a big emphasis on our fitness through the pre-season to make sure we can get to more contests around the ground.

"I've got some new structures in place that will also, hopefully, allow us to be able to shut down teams a bit better."

After averaging just 53 points per game last year and having only three players - Greenwood (29), Jake Lawry (17) and Jack Burns (11) - kick more than seven goals, Dennis says the Demons will be relying on an array of players hitting the scoreboard this season to generate winning scores.

"We'll need a spread... my theory is if we can have four or five players kick at least 20 goals it's going to go a long way towards us improving," Dennis said.

The Demons open their season on Saturday at home against Newbridge.

Coach: Chelsea Hicks.

Last year: Third (9-4-1).

2022 best and fairest: Jasmine Condliffe.

Player gains: Chelsea Hicks, Hollie Davidson.

Player losses: Amy Ryan, Tia Steen, Jasmine Condliffe, Mia Peters, Jarileey Scholtes.

Last A-grade premiership: 2014.

A NEW and energetic young coach and plenty of fresh faces will spearhead Calivil United's push for success in 2023.

The Demons have appointed homegrown player Chelsea Hicks as the successor to last year's coaching tandem of Karen Pascoe and Tiegan Redwood, who led the Demons to a preliminary final appearance against Mitiamo, and at least one win over every team in the competition, with the exception of premiers Maiden Gully YCW.

At 21, Hicks, who is returning to Calivil after being a key player in Lockington-Bamawm United's resurgence in the Heathcote District league last season, is the league's youngest coach.

But this is by no means her first coaching assignment, having previously led junior teams.

She will take charge of a vastly different-look team to last season, with only three A-grade regulars returning, one from each third of the court.

They are experienced defender Michelle Balic, midcourter Lily Buckingham and goal shooter Amy Murfitt.

Gone from last year's team are quality young goal shooter Mia Peters (Castlemaine), best and fairest defender Jasmine Condliffe, who has moved to Wagga Wagga, midcourters Amy Ryan (Eaglehawk) and Jarileey Scholtes (Sandhurst), and versatile goaler and midcourter Tia Steen, who has moved overseas to London.

The ins are headed by Hicks and former Echuca United midcourter Hollie Davidson, with the remainder of the line-up to feature players promoted from the last year's lower grade teams, including Maddy McGowan, who is coaching the Demons' B-grade team.

Having only taken on the job in late January, by which time most players had already signed with clubs, Hicks admitted recruiting had been difficult.

But she was confident the Demons would piece together a competitive enough side to again challenge for a finals berth.

"Hollie Davidson is a good strong midcourter, who has moved to Bendigo for uni, and will fill a need in the midcourt," Hicks said.

"Other than that we are utilising what the club has spent the last few years developing and giving some girls the opportunity to play up (a grade).

"Calivil has always been really strong with its netball and looking at the playing group this season, overall it looks very young.

"That's a promising sign, having so many young players at the club."

With Steen and Peters gone from the shooting circle, Hicks pointed to Buckingham or Balic as possible contenders to make the move into attack this season alongside Murfitt.

The Demons fared well in a practice match against Lancaster earlier this month with Buckingham in goals and took on North Central league powerhouse Wedderburn last weekend in a good lead-in to the season.

The Demons will open their 2023 campaign against Newbridge and then play Pyramid Hill after the Easter weekend bye before another bye in round three in a stop-start introduction to the season.

Taking over the senior coaching reins for the first time, Hicks is expecting to grow into the role.

"In all honesty, I am pretty young and inexperienced in coaching, but I have been playing senior netball since I was 15, so I guess I have some experience in senior netball," she said.

"And I've been developing my coaching. I've been coaching juniors for years now, so I'm excited by the challenge.

"One of my big goals this year is boosting our club culture, especially making sure the girls enjoy what they love most in netball.

"It's a big development season for us, but making the top five is our aim from the start."

ROUND 1 - April 1

v Newbridge (h)

ROUND 2 - April 15

v Pyramid Hill (h)

ROUND 3 - April 22

Bye

ROUND 4 - April 29

v Bears Lagoon-Serpentine (a)

ROUND 5 - May 6

v Marong (h)

ROUND 6 - May 13

v Bridgewater (a)

ROUND 7 - May 20

v Mitiamo (a)

ROUND 8 - May 27

v Maiden Gully YCW (h)

ROUND 9 - June 3

v Inglewood (a)

ROUND 10 - June 17

v Newbridge (a)

ROUND 11 - June 24

v Pyramid Hill (a)

ROUND 12 - July 1

Bye

ROUND 13 - July 8

v Bears Lagoon-Serpentine (h)

ROUND 14 - July 15

v Marong (a)

ROUND 15 - July 22

v Bridgewater (h)

ROUND 16 - July 29

v Mitiamo (h)

ROUND 17 - August 5

v Maiden Gully YCW (a)

ROUND 18 - August 12

v Inglewood (h)

Inglewood

Maiden Gully YCW

Marong

Newbridge

Pyramid Hill

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