Sport
4 April, 2025
Van Den Heuvel, Dupuy part of plan
BRIDGEWATER made it through to the preliminary final last season, losing to ultimate premiers Mitiamo after winning their first two finals against Bears Lagoon Serpentine and Newbridge. It was a strong result for the Mean Machine, which had finished...
BRIDGEWATER made it through to the preliminary final last season, losing to ultimate premiers Mitiamo after winning their first two finals against Bears Lagoon Serpentine and Newbridge.
It was a strong result for the Mean Machine, which had finished the home-and-away matches in fourth spot.
Mitiamo and Pyramid Hill were a class above the other teams in 2024, but Bridgey defender Carly Van Den Heuvel marked her first season in the Loddon Valley league by winning the Helen Ward Medal for the competition’s best-and-fairest player.
Co-coach Caz Wood is expecting a slow start to the season with a few players unavailable but says by round four Bridgewater’s best side should have settled.
“If we can hold steady for only one or two games I won’t be worried about the overall season.”
Wood plans to change the goal circle lineup with the acquisition of tall shooters.
A potential senior star is 17-and-under B&F Rachael Flood, who has been named in the elite Netball Victoria Talent Academy.
At just 15, and a towering 185cm, she made her A Grade debut last season despite still being eligible for the 15-and-under side.
Flood, who generally plays goal defence, won both the league and Bridgewater 17-and-under best-and-fairest awards and has been selected in the North Central region training squad for the 2025 state titles.
Bridgewater has some real junior talent coming through, with three representatives out of 10 in both the 13-and-under and 17-and-under inter-league squads.
Carly Van Den Heuvel quickly stamped her mark on Loddon Valley netball in her first season after transferring from the Bendigo league.
She played in three premierships with Sandhurst before moving to Kangaroo Flat and immediately established her dominance over opposition forwards when she made her debut with Bridgewater.
Winning the league’s top individual accolade, the Helen Ward Medal, showed the instant impact of the tall defender’s move, with votes in nine of the first 10 games of the season as a perfect illustration.
She was also named in the team of the year, along with Mean Machine co-coach Olivia Collicoat.
Van Den Heuvel admitted she did not know what to expect in the new league after her switch from a stronger competition.
With a year under her belt with Bridgewater, expect another massive contribution from the bona fide star in 2025.
Gun goal shooter Lou Dupuy brings a new dimension to the Bridgewater attack, with her height offering a point of difference from the speedy goalers who have carried the load in recent years.
She is returning from an ACL injury and may take some time to get back in the swing of things, but the former Kangaroo Flat and Colbinabbin star is set to give the Mean Machine some real bite.
The versatile and powerful Dupuy can also play in defence if needed, and has coaching experience with Colbinabbin, so her leadership skills have already been recognised.
In one match with Kangaroo Flat in the Bendigo league in 2022, she scored 50 goals in the first three quarters to lead her side to a crushing win against Strathfieldsaye.