TNL: New leader, new look Cavs as young guns step up

A number of the Cavs’ young guns are getting elite opportunities, and their new skipper is looking forward to guiding them through a first senior season.

Cavaliers players Hailey McDougall, Lily Case and Lucy McArthur. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

New Cavaliers skipper Hayley McDougall believes some of the TNL’s best players getting elite opportunities is proof the league can be a breeding ground for talent.

With former skipper Shelby Miller taking on a playing assistant coach role this year, shooter McDougall has been handed the captaincy.

Looking to snare their first title since 2021, and end the three-flag run of fellow Launceston outfit the Hawks, the Cavs have ushered in young guns Sophie Blackberry and Sophie Brewer into their permanent senior squad.

Shooter Brewer won’t feature in the season-opening double header at the Silverdome this weekend as she will line up for the First Nations Black Swans in the PacificAus Sports Netball Series in Brisbane.

Select games will be live streamed and available on this masthead’s website HERE, starting this Saturday.

Brewer, Blackberry and under-21 Australian squad representative Paige O’Neill all trained with Adelaide Thunderbirds recently as part of the state’s partnership with the Super Netball champions.

McDougall will form a potent shooting partnership with Brewer.

TNL players Lucy McArthur (Cavaliers), Lily Case (Cavaliers), Erin Quillerat (Devon), Hayley McDougall (Cavaliers) and Dani Laugher (Hawks) at the Silverdome on Thursday. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

“I feel like it’s a really exciting year. We’ve got a lot of young players coming up from under 19s (who won last years’ premiership),” McDougall said.

“It’s exciting for them to have that opportunity, all those girls have worked extremely hard to get to the positions they are.

“It’s awesome for them to go over to Adelaide and experience that, to come back and share the knowledge they have over there.”

Devon shooter Erin Quillerat said former teammate Charlotte Walker picking up a training partner chance with the Thunderbirds is an inspiration as they look to improve on last year’s fifth place finish.

“It’s massive and we’re all so excited for her. It’s exciting to see the opportunity is there for us,” Quillerat said.

“We definitely miss having her there in general. On court it’s a massive gap we have to fill. The girls are doing well building up to the season.

“I reckon it will be a good learning curve for us all with new combinations and everything, but we’re looking pretty strong at training so we’re excited for what’s ahead.”