Experienced Wagga netballer Jemima Norbury is looking forward to a fresh challenge at Hume League club Lockhart.
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After six seasons at Collingullie-Glenfield Park, Norbury has made the difficult decision to leave for an exciting opportunity in the Hume League.
Norbury has been appointed Lockhart's new A grade coach.
The 30-year-old has coached Collingullie-GP for five of the last six seasons and is looking forward to a new experience at Lockhart.
"One of the ladies I used to work with is affiliated out there and she's been trying to get me out there for a few years," Norbury said.
"I've never played in the Hume League and I think I was ready for a bit of a freshen up from a coaching and playing perspective.
"I want to check out another competition, especially when you know most of the players and teams you come up against each week. It's rare that there is a player you don't know or haven't heard of in the Riverina and Farrer Leagues. If I haven't played against them, I've played with them or coached them.
"I had a look at the team line-ups in the Hume League this year and I didn't recognise any names so it's going to be a new challenge. It's exciting."
Norbury established herself as one of the best defenders in the Riverina League since her move from The Rock-Yerong Creek.
She helped Collingullie-GP to five straight A grade minor premierships and four grand final appearances.
A goal defence, Norbury won the Riverina League A grade best and fairest in 2013 and also the same award in the Wagga association in 2011.
She said it was a difficult decision to leave Collingullie-GP.
"It was really tough and tougher than I thought, even after signing," Norbury said.
"I signed just before finals but didn't tell anyone because I didn't want our finals to be overshadowed or I didn't want the girls thinking I wasn't committed to the team going into finals. But even after the grand final, I didn't know and was asking myself is this the right thing or isn't it?
"My Mum was an advocate for my change, she said if I didn't do it now, I probably wouldn't."
After playing off in a grand final in 2018, Lockhart missed Hume League finals this year and finished in eighth spot.
Norbury is keen to lead Lockhart back up the ladder.
"I'm really looking forward to going out there and seeing what they've got available," she said.
"I've heard they've got a lot of young up-and-coming talent, unharnessed, which is really exciting.
"I'll be putting in some structures. That's one thing that was important at 'Gullie and a key to our success was having really good structures in place throughout the club."
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