Barkmeyer makes stunning return to BFNL in imposing Roos win

STAR goaler Ruby Barkmeyer says she is excited by what the future holds for Kangaroo Flat after the Roos stunned reigning BFNL netball premiers Gisborne by 28 goals in their season opener at Dower Park on Saturday.

Playing her first Bendigo league game since 2018, Barkmeyer was one of the Roos’ top performers in a 64-36 victory.

The 24-year-old has returned to her home club this year after five seasons as either a listed player or training partner with the Melbourne Vixens.

A strong off-season by the Roos also netted Bendigo Strikers goaler Teal Hocking and accomplished defender Alicia McGlashan to complement their existing group of stars, led by dual Betty Thompson medallist Chelsea Sartori, Ash Ryan and Milly Wicks.

The fruits of their outstanding recruiting haul were on show for all to see on Saturday as the Roos gained a small measure of revenge for their 2024 grand final defeat at the hands of Gisborne.

Barkmeyer – who spent one season at Heathcote District league club Elmore in 2019 before her signing by the Vixens – was thrilled to start the season on such a positive note.

“It’s been quite a long build-up, but I was really excited to be back and to come up against Gisborne,” she said.

“It was a pretty good, solid hit-out to see where we are at.

“The conditions were quite tough for both teams, but we did well, physically and mentally, to push it out for the full 60 minutes.

“But I don’t think the scoreboard reflected how it felt out there. Every quarter it seemed to get harder.

“I don’t know if that was because of the weather, but it was good to put in a good four-quarter effort.”

Barkmeyer spent all four quarters in her return at goal attack, playing the first half alongside Abbey Ryan, before Hocking took over at goal shooter in the second half.

While Barkmeyer had shared the goal circle with Ryan before in their days together at VNL club Boroondara Express, pre-Vixens, it was her first time combining with Hocking, who has made her way to the Roos from Goulburn Valley league club Rochester.

Despite little time together in the lead-up to round one due to Barkmeyer and Hocking’s VNL commitments, the new goaling combinations quickly clicked.

“We actually only had one training session together as a full team, so we did well to come out and perform like we did,” Barkmeyer said.

“We’ve got plenty of (goaling) options this year, which is nice.

“It was Teal’s first time playing with a lot of the girls, but she slotted in nicely.

“She did a great job, shooting high volume and high percentage.”

Most of all, Barkmeyer is rapt to be back at Kangaroo Flat, where she won an A-grade premiership and a grand final best-on-court medal as a 15-year-old in 2016.

“It doesn’t really feel like I left – there were a lot of familiar faces there on Saturday,” she said.

The Roos will look to back up their impressive round one win against Eaglehawk on Good Friday.

Tipped by many to be a top-five side again in 2025, the Hawks showed good early signs under their new coach Jannelle Hobbs in a 17-goal win over Golden Square at Wade Street.

The clash at Canterbury Park will pit Barkmeyer and her fellow 2016 premiership teammates Sartori, McGlashan and Wicks against their coach on that occasion in Hobbs, who won two premierships with the Roos, before crossing to South Bendigo in 2018 and landing at Eaglehawk this season.

Barkmeyer said Hobbs would no doubt be eager to do well against her former club.

“Jannelle has coached a lot of the girls in our A-grade team, so she will be keen to get a win against her old club,” she said.

“We’re really looking forward to getting back out there on Friday. We’ve still got things to work on.

“We’ll focus on those at training and then try and put it into action against Eaglehawk.”

In other Good Friday games, Gisborne will look to rebound against round one winners South Bendigo at Gardiner Reserve, and Sandhurst makes its first A-grade appearance against the Storm at Strathfieldsaye.