The club has announced Laura Irvine and Hannah Symes as co-coaches for 2021.

The Pigeon premiership players take the reins from Ovens and Murray Hall of Fame inductee Tracy Gillies, who was set to make her coaching return this season before the competition was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Irvine said Gillies will still support the duo where she can.

The new leaders have taken to the court together for years and hope to be playing coaches.

"Hannah and I have played at the club for a while now and we've played together a fair bit," Irvine said.

"She's a defender and I'm more in the attack end, so we thought we would add our notes together and go from there."

After spending time in the UK, Symes had planned to make her return to the club this season, but instead experienced her first year without netball.

She last coached the club's B-grade side in 2017.

"This is the biggest break I've had in my career, so I'm hoping my body will be very fresh," Symes said.

"I've been away for the last three years but I heard there was some really good momentum at the club.

"I'm really looking forward to carrying that on.

"We've got a talented bunch of girls who are very experienced."

ALSO IN SPORT:

The Pigeons hope to retain majority of the players that were set to represent the club this year.

Ovens and Murray star goal shooters Bridget Cassar and Sarah Senini are set to play after both having babies.

Senini is yet to make her debut as a Pigeon after crossing over from Lavington at the end of the 2019 season.

"We're stoked to have her and I'll certainly be looking to her knowledge," Symes said.

"We have a lot of new players that I'm looking forward to getting to know.

"It's a really solid team, so hopefully that will follow through to be quite strong in four grades."

Both coaches admitted players had felt the absence of the lost season, including the social aspect that comes with the game.

"After a year off I think everyone's pretty keen to come back and get into it again," Irvine said.

Irvine's last A-grade coaching role was alongside her sister, Kaitlyn Cummins.

The midcourt player was forced onto the sidelines last season after suffering a broken toe and elbow.

She was also among the Pigeon's who welcomed a newborn this year.

Irvine took out the league's Toni Wilson Medal in 2015, with defender Symes claiming it the following year.

The pair have played in five premierships together at the club.