The dust has barely settled on the 2025 Ovens and King season, but already there are plans in motion for the future of netball in the region.

The O&K has opened registrations for their 17 and under and 15 and under representative netball trials, set to commence in early October.

There are three trial dates set, and while attendance at two is mandatory, those who are serious about their application should attend all three.

The trials will be run weekly on Sunday, 5 October at North Wangaratta, 12 October at Benalla All Blacks, and 19 October at Whorouly.

Trials for the 15 and under team will run from 9.15am-10.30am, and 17 and under trials are from 11.15am-12.30pm.

O&K operations manager Daniel Saville said it was important for the league to give their up-and-coming netballers every opportunity to develop their game.

“It’s a really exciting addition for the league’s talent, so we’re looking forward to giving our young netballers a chance to shine and a chance to grow within the competition instead of having to look elsewhere for representative opportunities,” he said.

“We’re running the try-outs in October, we know we need to get ahead to compete with the best teams, we want to try and get the best players playing for us.

“In the past they’ve had to look elsewhere for their opportunities to play representative netball, so we want to provide that for our players and give them the stepping stone and the experiences that those junior netballers deserve.

“The league and the board are really excited, hopefully the clubs can jump on board, which we know they will, and promote this experience.”

Coaches are already locked in, with Benalla All Blacks netball coordinator Jaye Miller to lead the 15 and under side, while Goorambat netball coordinator and former A grade coach Amelia Gall will take the reins of the 17 and under side.

Currently, the O&K is looking at competing in three tournaments, held on Sundays during the season beginning with a tournament at Albury on 29 March, 2026, with the possibility of attending more.

Saville said the O&K was committed to improving the league’s netball offerings and giving their players a chance to shine.

“We think it’s a chance not only to retain our players but also potentially attract new players to the league,” he said.

“We know the O&K is a well-renowned netball competition and we want to keep it that way or make it even stronger.

“We want to go up against the leagues around town and see how we go, but it’s not just about the competition, it’s about trying to give our players a chance to join together.

“We’ve got a lot of strong teams in our comp, and we want to make sure our players have a chance to prove themselves and work alongside some of the best coaches as well.”

Registrations for the O&K’s junior representative try-outs close on Thursday, 2 October at 11.59pm – for more information or to register, visit the Ovens & King Football Netball League Facebook page.