Alissa Donaldson can draw parallels between joining a new club, and starting a new job.
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Especially when you're new to a league.
The former Wodonga Raider has joined Kiewa-Sandy Creek this season, after close to six years in the Ovens and Murray competition.
After making her Tallangatta League debut in round five to step in to fill the role of injured defender Ellen Cook, Donaldson admitted she felt some pressure.
"It's more the pressure I put on myself," she said.
"Coming from the Ovens and Murray, some people have a few expectations of you and you wonder whether you will gel into the team.
"It's like having a new job and going into a new environment.
"I was quite nervous to take the court in the first game and not live up to what people expected me to do.
"It's a bit of a change, but everyone's been lovely and has made it quite an easy change."
Starting a new job as a recently graduated nurse almost saw Donaldson take the season off, before she was persuaded by Hawks' coach Kath Evans.
"I thought I would have the year off because I was starting my grad year and thought I'd focus on my work side of life more than netball," she said.
"Ellen Cook did her knee and Kath gave me a few more phone calls asking if I was keen.
"We had a chat, and my partner (Jack Haugen) decided he was going to play footy there.
"I said I wouldn't be able to commit 100 per cent to every training session and game because of work, but she was still happy to have me on board."
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While she relished her time with Wodonga Raiders, Donaldson said it was just time for a change.
"The Ovens and Murray is a great league, but it just wasn't for me anymore," she said.
But she still feels right at home in defence.
"I feel very comfortable there," she said.
"It's similar in the sense of playing styles to some degree between the leagues."
It's been a Talllangatta League season like never before, with all clubs experiencing uncertainty from week to week due to COVID restrictions.
Donaldson admitted it's taken its toll on clubs.
"The big break makes it hard to have your body ready for contact sport after not having that weekly continuation," she said.
"You often don't know what's going to happen until the Thursday."
With Victoria now plunged into it's sixth lockdown since the start of the pandemic, the league has now fallen into further disarray.
The Hawks were supposed to take on Chiltern this weekend after missing the last three rounds.
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