Seth Oliver and Jaxson Foley, both 13, will play in the North Central Region under-17s side as bottom-age prospects and among the youngest players in the squad.
The state titles, held this year at the State Netball Centre in Parkville, are seen as the premier opportunity for more than 600 promising young netballers to showcase themselves for potential talent identification.
The boys’ coach, Vanessa Saunders, who also coaches at the state level, said bottom-age players usually didn’t see as much court time, but she often found they could step up and play larger roles if required.
“We've taken in these two boys because they show potential, and we're hoping they can stick with this program and then take up any opportunities that come to them,” Saunders said.
The duo started out by simply playing socially, often while tagging along to netball on Saturdays to watch their sisters play, before progressing to more serious competitive play in a short space of time.
“The improvement in these two boys, especially from when we started in November to now, is amazing,” Saunders said.
“They’ve taken on board everything that the assistant coach and myself have told them, and they're really keen.
“They ask questions, and then they wait and they get the clarification, and you can see them processing and then they come out and they apply it.”
Both Seth and Jaxson are dual position players, Seth operating at centre and goal defence and Jaxson at centre and goal keeper, with the duo expected to feature in the mid-court at the more physical under-17 level.
The boys are products of what has been an active effort to boost male netball participation in the region, with Saunders crediting EDNA vice president and coach Betty McCoomb for her work in this space.
Seth and Jaxson were a part of the first ever all-male team EDNA fielded in Saturday competitions.
“Both Castlemaine Association and Echuca Association are the only ones that went, ‘Okay, we'll run with a couple of teams of all boys to get them out there,’ and that creates the pathways for the next generation,” Saunders said.
“The last couple of years I've had Echuca boys who only played mixed as part of this state program.
“Some of them have aged out, but it has created a pathway in that these younger two boys are like, ‘Okay, I can do it.’”
The boys will feature in an U17s side that has performed progressively better each year since its first state titles in 2023.
Saunders is facing challenges, with a couple of late injuries to key players and the prospect of facing teams fielding former state players and some she coaches in the state development team, but there is confidence in a competitive showing.
“We may be in the middle range, but that is still really good and is where we finished most years anyway,” Saunders said.
“I don't think we will shame ourselves, and I think they will shock themselves in some of the games.“
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