Two per minute, Jets win in goal-fest game; Barton shakes up Hawks lineup

In what midcourt defender Katrina Lord called a 'very attacking' game, the Jets earned a 73-60 win over their hosts.

Never walking into a game complacent, Lord said the Jets expected a tough hit-out against the Magpies, who themselves have had a change in look over the off-season.

Unable to compete with TRYC's height under the ring, it became increasingly important to ensure the ball wasn't turned over.

"We were very excited to start the year off with a win, it was a great game of netball actually," Lord said.

"It was a very attacking game, The Rock have a new goal shooter, Olivia Lang, with Caren Hugo, so they had the height and our defence just couldn't get near her (Lang).

"Any turnovers happened through the midcourt and there weren't many, it was very clean.

"It was a great game.

"We weren't going in there thinking they were going to be a walk in the park, we heard they were a different look team to last year, and with Olivia, we knew it was going to be tough in defence.

"So we really had to make the most of our attacking which the girls did, they made minimal errors and just showed so much composure."

The first game under incoming coach Alice Clark, Lord said the team felt strong out on court.

Key signing Meg Reinhold also added a new dimension to the Jets' side.

"We're so so happy to have Meg, she's an unbelievable talent, she's an absolute superstar," Lord said.

"She really controls the game, the narrative, and she owned our attacking end, she fed well.

"We had Charlotte Bell also step up into A grade, she played a few games last year, but she'll be a permanent fixture in our A grade side this year and she had an outstanding game in goal attack, I think she was our best on court."

A maiden win for incoming coach Alice Clark in her first senior coaching role, Lord said there's an overwhelmingly positive feeling around the team.

With their first win under their belt, Lord said it frees them to focus on the year ahead.

"Getting a win in the first round puts a bit of a bounce in your step, and you feel like it's a positive way to start," she said.

"It gives you a chance to look ahead and relax into it a little bit, enjoy it a bit more, take the monkey off your back so to speak."

They fell out of finals in week two last year, but East Wagga-Kooringal are putting their best foot forward in the hope of going even further this year.

Welcoming Coleambally to Gumly for round one, coach Claudia Barton said she knew the side had their work cut out from them ahead of the first centre pass.

Three new players stepped into the Hawks side this year, ex-Northern Jets playing coach Sharnie McLean, Turvey Park's Tegan Ashcroft, and Merrae Argus (year off).

Already testing the versatility she has down court this season, Barton said she used the opening round 55-40 win to really hone in on combinations.

"Coleambally do all of the fundamental things really well," Barton said.

"Especially with Lauren Pound down the shooting end, she is a force to be reckoned with within herself, so we knew they were going to be a great first game for us to see where we're standing and how we're developing.

"I did warn the girls I was going to chop and change the combinations quite a bit and use the rolling subs, just to see what works and what doesn't, it was a great first game."

Most surprising for spectators was Barton's moving of Sharnie McLean from midcourt to the shooting ring.

Feeling McLean underutilised herself as a shooter when coaching, Barton was pleased with how she worked alongside Maddie Browning and Maeve Jackson.

"She's always been capable of it, but I think she underutilised herself when she was coaching, because she is very very quick and there is nothing worse as a defender than playing someone who is fast," Barton said.

"I knew I was throwing her in the deep end, but it worked really well."

The return of Argus to the side also frees Lauren Barton to move across the court and creates additional defensive circle rotations.

Barton said versatility has been a focus of their pre-season preparations, and is carried down to their A reserve squad also.

So impressed by the strength of her reserve side, she said there will be plenty of players banging on the A grade door this year.

Holly Nelson in the midcourt was most impressive, the teenager has been a staple in the side for several years now.

Pleased to have the first game done and dusted, Barton was relieved to have had humid conditions over the wet ones seen across the league this weekend.

The first win now under their belts, East Wagga were on Farrer League minds at last week's launch.

It's a compliment she'll take.

"It's not only a reflection of me, but a reflection of the girls, I can sit on the sideline and coach and try and lead by example, but you have to have a good group of girls to be able to put in those hard yards and show what we're capable of," Barton said.

"I think the A and A reserve squad as a whole, because we're all pushing each other to be a bit better, it's a credit to the girls themselves.

"I think it's positive, and I think the girls would appreciate people saying that as well, because it makes you think that we are ticking all those boxes.

"We're obviously doing something right."

While the Magpies and Jets, and Hawks and Blues didn't have to worry about intermittent rain across the league weather wrecked havoc on games in Barellan.

The aforementioned games were battling ample humidity but it was in Barellan that the heavens truly opened up, with their game against CSU abandoned due to dangerous weather.

Northern Jets 70 d The Rock-Yerong Creek 63 at The Rock Recreation Ground.

Barellan 27 d Charles Sturt University 12 (game abandoned at half time) at Barellan Sportsground.

East Wagga-Kooringal 55 d Coleambally 40 at Gumly Oval.

Temora 41 d Marrar 34 at Langtry Oval.

BYE: North Wagga