Michelle captained Australia to two world championship wins and was registered to play with the Bulldogs team from SA while Jocelyn is coming with East Keilor Jetset after
she could not play, but coached the team, in 2006 when she was pregnant with twins Faith and Thomas. Jocelyn loved the Games so much she was returning with her family, husband Nick is playing Golf, but had an anterior cruciate and medial ligament operation in May.

But there are still a couple of notables in the team with Trudy Barker and Sheridan Evans having played for Ravens in the national league and represented SA at the senior level.
Most of the other seven players in the team have experience in the SA state league and are playing in the Barossa and Light Association.
Trudy, who was the assistant SA coach to Michelle this year and took charge for a couple of games, said the team was looking forward to coming and Michelle was disappointed she could not come. “We are looking forward to the enjoyment of the week and playing some good netball,” Trudy said. “The team is from all over the place Fun is netballers main goal at the Games so we have only been able to have a couple of practices and they were a couple of months apart.” The other two teams in the grade also have not been able to get together much before assembling in Alice Springs for the Games.

WA Jillaroos is similar to the team that won the silver medal in 2002, with five members from that team returning, and coming from the rural area have not trained. But team organiser Judy Jefferys said the players had played together over the years including in the state league. “Most are still playing and want to be competitive,” she said. “We have nine players but there are already a couple on injuries so we might be calling on a fill in from the Basketball side.”

The Volcanic Crusaders from SA’s Mid South East is the third side in the 35+ competitive grade and while they all come from three clubs in the association they have not been able to train as they often have to travel 150km to play on Saturdays. A keen rivalry has developed between the Mid South East and Barossa & Light associations through the SA Country Championships. Organiser Linda Boylan, who won her club’s best and fairest award ahead of her daughter this year, said the team came together after hearing about how well organised the Alice Springs Masters Games Netball was. ”We are looking forward to the whole atmosphere of the week and making new friends,” Linda said. “Like all people who play sport we have a competitive streak in us but we will also find time to do some sightseeing as most of us have not been to Alice Springs before. “We have lots of great reports about Alice Springs and the Games.”

Some of the comments have come from Necia Evans who is driving to Alice Springs to umpire. Her first Games were in 2000 and she loves coming back. “I have played a few times and umpired but I only umpired last time,” the 64-year-old said. “It is great to meet so many people and everyone is so friendly. “The Games are good fun and I really enjoy the event. You would be a fool if you didn’t.” Another international making another appearance at the Games is umpire Maureen Stevenson. She has been to the Alice Springs Masters Games every year since the second event in 1988 is adding her experience to all the umpiring for the week.

Netball is the biggest single-sex sport, although men are involved on the sidelines in the Games with 360 participants in 34 teams – 26 coming from outside Alice Springs, seven from town and one mixed team. The Netball opening ceremony is at 5pm and will be followed of the launch of the new Burnnard’s Bar and Barbecue before the first games at 6pm. The meals, snacks and drinks that have been popular at the Netball in past Games are back on the menu again this year but with a permanent structure.