![\"Strikers](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/732269636_8958691068_03388_tn_w600.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
“Third year in, we’ve continually been working on the program and how we deliver it and how it functions alongside Champs and 23s,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I’m not going to say it’s perfect, but it’s come a hell of a long way in a short period of time.<\/p>\n
“We had 19 players play games.<\/p>\n
“We had injuries and illness along the way and a lot of those girls are doing year 12 as well, so that’s a massive commitment for them.<\/p>\n
“There’s been a few outs due to school events; that makes a difference when availability changes each week.<\/p>\n
“But I’m rapt to see all those 19 girls get their opportunity.”<\/p>\n
Of the four teams that qualified for finals, the Strikers beat two of them (Waves and Geelong Cougars) during the season and drew with the other two (Blaze and top-of-the-ladder Melbourne Lightning).<\/p>\n
The final-round clash with the Blaze was in many ways reflective of the rollercoaster ride the team endured throughout a season that brought eight wins, five losses and three draws.<\/p>\n
It was those draws which provided as costly as any loss.<\/p>\n
“We were down early in the game, but fought back and were up by five or so at one stage in the last quarter,” Richards said.<\/p>\n
“A few unforced errors and rushes of blood with ball handling and we let them back in and they went through to finals.<\/p>\n
“Three draws over the course of the season leaves you open to missing finals.<\/p>\n
“But we had a good season, just some really tight games that we couldn’t quite close out and they were the ones that cost us.”<\/p>\n
The previous week’s win over Hawks, which kept their season alive going into the final round, was highlighted by a stunning 18-goal final quarter.<\/p>\n
Encouragingly, the team’s 16 matches extracted an expansive mix of best players from week-to-week, with the club’s best and fairest voting tipped to be a wide-open affair.<\/p>\n
“That’s reflective of a talented group. There’s a lot of girls who will feature heavily and will probably be taking votes away from each other,” Richards said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In another positive, three players were promoted to the 23-and-under team during the season, with defender Gabby Moore now having played three games and staying on with the Strikers’ middle-tier team as they head towards finals.<\/p>\n Goaler Rose Byrne debuted in the 23-and-under’s round 5 match against Southern Saints and played two games, while Bridie Kelly played one game early in the season against Boroondara Express.<\/p>\n A win-win for both teams and the individuals, a handful of 23s players dropped back into the Reserves team at various stages of the season, contributing to their own development and that of those around them.<\/p>\n Among them, goal shooter Claire McGee was a key in the round 17 win over Hawks.<\/p>\n Three years in, Richards is in no doubt the club’s Reserves program is fulfilling its purpose.<\/p>\n “It’s such an important thing for the Bendigo region to have a VNL club,” she said.<\/p>\n “I love working with the athletes. They are a fantastic group and such a better team this year with how they bonded and interacted.<\/p>\n “We got the balance of personalities right, which goes a long way.<\/p>\n “I’m hoping to see some of them step up to 23s next year. I can see where some of them would fit in nicely.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NOT even the heartache of missing finals by percentage could take anything away from a wonderful season for Bendigo Strikers’ VNL Reserves team. The youngest Strikers team’s season came to a frustrating end with a 52-52 draw against North East Blaze on 23 June. Combined with Peninsula Waves’ 61-52 win over Hawks, the tie left […]<\/p>\n![\"Kyla](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/07\/731834651_1651615235_55190_tn_w600.jpg\")