Reigning premiers Geelong Cougars are gearing up for another exciting Victorian Netball League season as they eye off back-to-back premierships. After the season was cut short last year, goaler Zanna Woods says the Cougars are eager to get back to their best and protect their 2020 championship.
“Just going for a repeat and just showing that we do have that consistency.
“We do have a lot of the similar girls because we all love the club and love playing with each other, so I think to show that we can do that again and that we’re not going to drop off, and we refuse to do anything less than our best. To kind of continue that and go stronger and get another premiership,” she said.
With premiership glory still etched in their memories, the focus for the Cougars this year is to showcase their versatility and stick to the consistent brand of netball that they have been renowned for to ensure they are once again title contenders.
“I think with our consistency and our amount of variation that we have on and off the court, we can make lots of changes and it makes no negative impact to our game - it only benefits us. Then to have consistent games and be known as a team that people don’t want to play against because we’re a threat. We just want to play good, clean netball.”
With the 2021 season only lasting 11 rounds due to COVID, the Cougars feel like they have some unfinished business and are eager to cement themselves atop the ladder this season according to Woods.
“I think cutting out the season half-way through, especially when we were just finding our feet again coming to the end of the season, it lit a fire under us to keep going.
“We really just wanted to be able to continue that and having the season stop has only made us want to do it more. Coming off a premiership the year before we really just wanted to keep that going. So I think we are all just really keen to get out there and prove ourselves again and show why we are on top.”
The club’s personnel has remained relatively stable over the past few years, with Woods crediting the low turnover rate to the Cougars’ regional status and family-like atmosphere that breeds success.
‘I think partly being a bit of a regional club, a lot of us have known each other for a really long time. There’s a lot of homegrown talent.”
“We’ve had the same coaching panel for ages and the same team for ages which is really a testament to how lovely the club is. We train as a big club, we all know each other in and out so I think we’ve got that bond outside of netball and that trust on court as well,” she said.
Coaches Gerard Murphy and Mel Savage have been inspirational leaders and have helped shape the culture and structure of the club.
Woods highlighted how their in-depth knowledge and unique working relationship has been a key driver in the club’s sustained success.
“Gerard and Mel have both been at the Cougars for so long, but they’re both so different in the way they bring things to the club. They bring out the best in each other. They’ve got so much smarts and experience and from different court perspectives as well.
“Whether we’ve got one or the other coach being more dominant on the day in what they’re delivering, it just adds so much. We’re getting new knowledge every game,” she said.
Recently announced as a member of the Melbourne Vixens Academy, Woods is eager to develop her goaling craft and ensure that her teammates can trust her when on court to deliver the goods.
“Just being a good asset to my team, and like I said we’ve got so much depth, so making sure that when I do get on court that I am just putting my best foot forward to make sure my team is in the best position possible.”
The Cougars’ first game will be at the State Netball Centre on Wednesday 16 March against Hawks Netball.
