Sport
15 March, 2026
Premiership star decides on league switch
ONE OF Wedderburn netball’s shining stars, Aliza Lockhart, has made a shock move to a different league for 2026.
Lockhart, 21, has decided to play with Navarre in the Maryborough Castlemaine league, following her footballing partner Mitch Birthisel, who has transferred from St Arnaud.
He moved to play with his brother Nick, an assistant coach with the Grasshoppers, and Lockhart finally succumbed to overtures from Navarre netball coach Sidney Dyer, who is Nick’s partner.
She said Dyer had been urging her for a few years to join Navarre, and with Mitch changing leagues it seemed the right time to jump.
“It was a tough decision,” Lockhart said of her departure from the Redbacks after playing all her netball with Wedderburn.
“I’ve never made one so big in my life. There was nothing in me that wanted to leave Wedderburn – it was a very, very hard decision, but I think it will be the right one.”
Her’s is the only loss from the all-conquering Redbacks senior squad for the coming season, but it is a big one.
Lockhart won the North Central A Grade best-and-fairest in 2022, also playing in the Redbacks’ premiership that year.
“It will be a big change, but I’m sure I’ll be back there before I retire,” she said.