Diamond Creek Women’s is ready to embrace the challenges the new season will bring ahead of the 2018 ANZ NFNL Women’s Division 1 campaign.
Diamond Creek will again compete in Division 1 in 2018, where it will contend against Bendigo, Darebin, Keilor, Pascoe Vale, VU Western Spurs and Whitehorse in the league’s seven-team top flight.
The Creekers last year finished runner-up to Bendigo in the competition’s inaugural season, and new head coach Mitchell Lower said his team is keen for the new season to begin.
“The pre-season has been going pretty good. It’s exciting to be so close to kicking off the season,” Lower said.
Lower coached Diamond Creek’s Division 2 side last season, but now takes the reins of the Division 1 side from Olivia Rahme.
He says his side has moved on after losing the Grand Final by a mere 10 points to Bendigo last season.
“We haven’t thought too much about the grand final with the busy off-season that we’ve had,” he said.
“We’re focused on this season and not looking back.”
According to Lower, having the opportunity to embrace so many new players into the club has brought another element to pre-season.
“It’s been interesting blending in a lot of new girls with players who have been with us before,” he said.
“About half of our team is new faces and it’s been good to watch them improve.
“We’ve had a busy off-season with a lot of new girls and some of them haven’t played footy before.
“We want to be competitive and get a lot of player development happening.
“We’re absolutely excited about the year ahead. A lot has changed and that’s going to be a challenge but with that comes a lot of unknown and excitement.”
Diamond Creek will kick off its 2018 campaign against Pascoe Vale at Raeburn Reserve on Sunday April 8.
