Brooke Wilson reflects on first Ovens and Murray season with Lavington

After making a name for herself in the Hume League as a Crows' back-to-back premiership player, the 24-year-old is relishing a fresh challenge in the Ovens and Murray League with Lavington this season.

"I just threw myself in the deep end and thought, why not?" Brooke said.

"Challenges are good for self improvement, both as a person and as a netballer.

"I was ready to have another crack after being away on uni placement for so long and not really being able to commit to netball.

"The timing was finally right."

A fellow Hume League export has taken Wilson under her wing since joining the Panthers.

"I knew Steph Clancy, she used to coach me in the Southern Sports Academy as a 15-year-old," Wilson said.

"Everyone was really welcoming and I felt really comfortable right from the start. She (Clancy) has been really supportive."

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Lavington coach Linda Charlton has praised Wilson for her versatility this season, shifting from the midcourt into goals.

"Initially the plan was to be a midcourter, which is what I was when I was at the Crows, but I've also had previous experience in goal attack as a junior," she said.

"I don't mind the change up, it keeps my brain working and offers a different combination.

"With Chris (Christine Oguche), as long as we can feed really well and work around the ring, we can combine nicely."

Wilson played her junior netball years with CDHBU and has one season of Ovens and Murray netball under her belt after representing Corowa-Rutherglen in the under-17s as a teenager.

She went on to play a crucial role in Billabong Crows' 2018 and 2019 premiership campaigns.

"It's hard to beat those back-to-back premierships," she said.

"The whole crew still catches up and we chat about how good of a time it was at the club."

The Panthers are anticipating an exciting clash against the Raiders this weekend. The Wodonga side took the win by just one goal in the dying seconds last time the sides met.

"The last few weeks have been really instrumental for us and we feel like we don't really have anything to lose at the moment," Wilson said.

"It would be really great to get the two chances heading into finals, but if we don't, we also feel like we're gelling together at the right time of the season."

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