Former Northern Jets coach finds a new home with interleague rival

The Farrer League team of the year midcourter has signed on with East Wagga-Kooringal for the 2024 season after spending her entire senior career with her home club.

McLean moved to Wagga in July last year and said she decided mid-season she would not return to her playing-coaching role.

Returning home twice a week to run training sessions, and a third time for home games, became too much.

Initially hesitant to join another Farrer League club, she will reunite with fellow former Jets' coach Claudia Barton.

"Claudia had heard that I had moved over to Wagga and was considering playing for other clubs," McLean said.

"She has coached me in the past as well, we crossed paths with someone who had mentioned it to her and she asked what my plans were.

"She was the coach of the A grade side when I started moving into seniors and was a really big role in me moving forward, I loved playing under her and she's got great wisdom."

Having already decided to step down from coaching before signing with the Hawks, McLean is looking forward to focusing on her own game this season.

Coaching since she was 16, she is excited to have a year to focus purely on her own game.

The implementation of rolling substitutes made on-court coaching even harder for the centre.

"Although I really enjoy coaching, it's such a rewarding job, I want to just take time off, especially with the rolling subs, it's really hard to stay caught up," she said.

"It's a lot on your game and very stressful each week so I'm really keen to just enjoy playing, getting around the girls, and having the social side back."

East Wagga were a dark horse in last year's competition, with a second round push taking them through to the preliminary finals.

Finding her place within the Hawks squad, McLean said the team and club have been overwhelmingly welcoming.

Falling out of finals herself in the first elimination last season, McLean would like to return to premiership contention this year.

"Anyone obviously looks towards the big prize package of winning a flag, but we do have quite a strong team from last year, a lot of the players are playing again," McLean said.

"But basically, I just want to really enjoy netball again and really have fun, play good hard competitive netball and see where the year takes us."

With the season more than a month away from starting still McLean is pleased with how the team is coming together.

Working with Barton has so far been what she had hoped for.

Admitting the Jets will always be her home, McLean said she hopes there is no love lost between her and the club.

"I definitely still have my loyalty and my love for the Jets," she said.

"It's just hard moving over to Wagga, working afternoons, it would have been a little bit too much, a bit too stressful for another year out there."