A connection, a dash of luck and perfect timing has culminated in the arrival of two Torquay recruits to Myrtleford.
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Maddy Martin and Daisy O'Kane will don Saints' colours next season, sliding into the midcourt and goals.
O'Kane has been playing with the Geelong Cougars in the Victorian Netball League Championship Division and arrives with state level experience.
Martin has also represented the Cougars and has been a regular in Torquay's A-grade side, while also holding a coaching position with incoming VNL club Western Warriors.
Some may have already had a sneak peak of Martin on court, as she lined-up in a one-off appearance for the Saints this season.
"Maddy has been in the pipeline for a while," Saints' coach Olivia La Spina said.
"Her partner Max (Rampling) is a Myrt local and past player and Mads is in our social circles.
"I gave her a call at the end of the season to see if she would want to commit to us full-time and she jumped at the opportunity straight away."
With defender Sophie Hanrahan departing Myrtleford to return to Corowa-Rutherglen as the club's A-grade coach, the Saints were looking to add some height- cue O'Kane.
"Mads said she had a friend who played in the VNL and Torquay who had visited the area earlier in the year and loved it," La Spina said.
"I gave Daisy a call on Sunday, and by the Tuesday, she text me and said 'yeah, I'm all in.'
"That's how it all came about."
La Spina believes 25-year-old Martin and 21-year-old O'Kane will be role models for the club's up-and-coming juniors.
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"Our values and philosophies are definitely really strong with junior and local development, but I think sometimes being in a small town, you can be sheltered from the pathways that are available to you," she said.
"I think having these two girls coming in will be great for our seniors sides, but will also give those junior girls someone to watch and look up to and see that's how they can follow the netball pathway.
"I think having Soph at the club this year, it was awesome for the junior girls to see that she's from a smaller town than Myrtleford and has made it as far as she has.
"Their talent is amazing, but their presence around the club will be really great for the juniors."
Myrtleford has retained most of its senior list and has almost completed its junior trials.
"We've probably had the healthiest numbers ever, which has been amazing," La Spina said.
Myrtleford's preseason will commence next Wednesday, November 15.
"We'll hit the ground running with a few sessions before Christmas, before we really get into the swing of things in the new year," La Spina added.
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