Kristen Andrews enjoying her first Ovens and Murray League season with Albury

While it's not uncommon for players to change leagues, there's not many that play their first Ovens and Murray game towards the later stages of their career.

But the four-time Thurgoona premiership player has done just that after joining Albury this season.

"The COVID year made everyone think about things and lots of people were saying to me, 'you don't have many years left of netball, what are you going to do with it?"' Andrews said.

"I thought I better challenge myself a bit.

"I loved every minute of being at Thurgoona, but I just thought I'd have a go at the O and M and see if I'm up to the standard.

"For a lot of women in sport, you often have babies and are coming in and out of teams, so it's hard to move clubs.

"I have three kids and feel like I'm beyond that stage now."

Andrews joined the Tallangatta and District League after relocating to Albury in 2012.

In her time with the Bulldogs she played in four flags and received two club best and fairest awards.

Originally hailing from the Echuca region, Andrews played A-grade for Goulburn Valley League club Rochester as a teenager.

But the Charles Sturt University physiotherapy lecturer has also had time away from the court after living abroad, spending time in the Oman capital Muscat.

"Before coming to Albury we were overseas in the Middle East and there's not a lot of netball over there," she said.

"I was working in a public hospital and my husband was teaching at an international school.

"I learnt a bit of Arabic and really enjoyed it there. It's a such a beautiful place.

"Wherever you go you find a network and at the international school there were lots of Aussies, Kiwis and Canadians."

While there were no local netball competitions for Andrews to join, she was still able to get her sports fix.

"There's an inter-gulf competition that happens where all of the Aussies, Kiwis and Brits form a team for Oman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so we played a couple of tournaments against those guys," she said.

"Soccer is the big sport over there, and there's a bit of basketball."

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After so far meeting Yarrawonga, Wangaratta Rovers and Corowa-Rutherglen for the first time, Andrews said she's enjoying her league transition.

"Not being a local to Albury, a lot of the time I don't really know who I'm playing," she said.

"You hear about some really talented girls and you see a lot of talent on the court, but it's nice in a way not knowing who you're up against."

The midcourt player said the Tigers' coaching staff was a major draw card in her decision to join them this season.

"We're so fortunate to have Tam (Mathews) come across and lend her support," Andrews said.

"She's a guru and she has a great netball brain.

"I knew I was bound to learn new things."

Albury take on Wodonga Bulldogs at the Albury Sportsground for round three this weekend.

Other matches will see Corowa-Rutherglen host North Albury, Myrtleford meet Lavington and Raiders to battle Yarrawonga, while it's an all Wangaratta clash on Sunday between Magpies and Rovers.

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