‘I get a lot of joy out of it’: Courtney Simpson commits to the Swans for 2023

Crediting her love and passion for the club, the team and the sport as the reasons for her return, Simpson said she felt privileged to coach the side again.

“I get a lot of joy out of it and I really love the group of girls that we’re building,” Simpson said.

“You’ve always got to take positives out of challenges and while we reflect on last season and think ‘wow that was tough going, we didn’t really have enough players to put on the court’, the best thing was watching the resilience of our group and the ability for us to change and be able to continue to push.”

Missing last year’s GVL finals by one position, and finishing the season with eight wins and 10 losses, the Swans showed plenty of positive signs on the court throughout the campaign.

Aiming to use what was started last season as a launchpad for success this year, Simpson said the club was only aiming to push forward.

“My goals are definitely going to be quite different this year, we are looking to push into September and really want to see where we can take this group,” she said.

“Numbers-wise we are in a very different position to what we were at the end of the year.

“They’re a pretty passionate group of girls who want to play for each other.”

Welcoming former Shepparton United duo Sophie Garner and Tayla Clohesy into the line-up — alongside returning Victorian 17-and-under representative Harriet Gall — things seem to be coming together for the red-and-white side.

“We haven’t really lost anyone except for those that are still injured,” Simpson said.

“And our junior program is starting to flourish and come up through to senior netball.

“We’re really excited for what’s to come in 2023.”