00:00 teams into our Victoria Netball League. After a really extensive 12-month review, we announced
00:08 that we would be having two divisions next year, a Championship and a 23 and under. But
00:14 what's more exciting and particularly why we're here in Bendigo is that we'll have three
00:19 new teams. So, Bendigo Strikers, Gippsland Stars and the Western Warriors. The board
00:26 were really keen when this was reviewed eight months ago that we wanted to increase our
00:32 presence in regional and we're really excited we now have three regional teams in our Victoria
00:39 Netball League. So, to join Geelong Cougars, who are already in there, we now have the
00:45 Bendigo Strikers and the Gippsland Stars, which will give an opportunity for our country
00:52 people to actually participate in our Premier competition without having to do the copious
00:58 amounts of travel that they've had to do in the past. So, previously they've had to travel
01:02 and I've done it as a coach. We've had to travel down and back for training a number
01:08 of times a week, but also then to play. That won't have to happen anymore. People in our
01:13 area will be able to play, train and then play in Melbourne and they'll be able to do
01:18 so much more locally, which will open up our sport to players and coaches that don't have
01:24 to do the commitment and the travel that they have had to do in the past. We've had some
01:28 amazing athletes come from our region, from Shirelle McMahon to Beck Bulley to Caitlin
01:34 Thwaites, you know, previously, but right now we've had Ruby Barkmire that's been a
01:39 training partner with the Vixens. We've got Charlotte Sexton away with the Fury at the
01:44 moment playing. So, we have some fantastic talent and this will give them the opportunity
01:49 to achieve and play in our Premier competition from Bendigo. So, it will really open up the
01:55 opportunity for regional people right across the state and particularly out in the Western
02:00 corridor of Melbourne as well. So, for us, it was part of our strategic plan to be more
02:08 accessible to regional Victoria and this announcement, which we're really proud of, will allow us
02:13 to do that.
