Sport
29 January, 2026
Into the woods! Blues sign netballers
INGLEWOOD has gone on a netball recruiting spree, with eight new signings for the club’s 150th anniversary season.
The Woodies have nabbed four players from rival Loddon Valley league sides, including three from Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
Both the A Grade and A Reserve teams went through last season without a win.
The 150-year milestone is the focus of major celebrations on King’s Birthday weekend, when Inglewood and Serp will meet in standalone netball and football matches, highlighting the league’s oldest rivalry.
A more competitive netball performance from Inglewood’s senior teams is seen as important in the context of the anniversary.
President Darrell Billett said: “The whole aim is to get both netball and football competitive, because the two have not aligned for quite some time.”
New A Grade coach Dani O’Toole agreed: “The anniversary is such a great occasion – across the board we want to get better.”
She said a much deeper playing list promised a significant improvement on the court.
The club attracted an impressive 70 players at try-outs, with some missing out on selection for the training squads.
A key signing is Georgia Mangan from Calivil, who joins the Woodies after five years with the Demons that included a best-and-fairest win in 2024.
A diminutive and pacy centre or wing attack, Mangan took out the league under-17 best and fairest in the truncated 2021 season.
Of the trio of Bears Lagoon Serpentine recruits, Julia Tobin played one season with the Bears in 2023 after playing her junior netball in Melbourne, winning the C Reserve league best-and-fairest.
She plays goal or wing defence and will team up with Casey Zass in a new-look Inglewood back court.
Zass impressed in her return to the Bears last season after a year out following a shoulder reconstruction.
She was runner-up in Serp’s 2023 A Grade best and fairest and O’Toole said Zass’ leadership would be an important bonus for the club.
The third former Bears player is another defender, Kathleen Hocking, who spent five years in junior ranks with Serp.
Also a back court player, Georgi Short, is new to netball, coming from a basketball background, while Mackenzie Harrison, who knows the league from her Maiden Gully days, is returning to the sport after having a break. Harrison will play in centre court.
Tori Anderson played three seasons with Inglewood before moving to Geelong, and returns to help shore up the defence.
The most recent recruit is Alex Marshall, who will play netball for the first time, and will offer flexibility in attack and defence.
O’Toole said she was looking forward to seeing further development from goal attack Teresa Fitzpatrick, who was runner-up in the Woodies’ best and fairest last season,
The Blues are planning a series of events for the 150th years.
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