Nirranda premiership defender Katie Ryan retires after standout final season

Goalie Chelsea Quinn will also depart with Victoria Netball League commitments.

Blues A grade coach Lisa Arundell, who returns for her second year at the helm of the Warrnambool and District league club, said it was pleasing to retain the majority of her premiership squad and while she tried to convince Ryan to play on, the defender was "rightly so going out on a high."

"She had a fantastic season, probably had one of the best seasons of her career but she's decided it's time to hang up the boots," Arundell said.

Warrnambool defender Montana Wallace will also return to Nirranda while Cloe Marr, a two-time league best and fairest winner, has been earmarked to fill Ryan's shoes in defence after she steadily built up playing time this season following a serious foot injury.

"She took some really pivotal intercepts for us in that (September) grand final," Arundell said of Marr. "She was just starting to peak at the end of the season."

The Blues, who ran a three-pronged goaling attack in 2022, will look to consolidate a shooting partnership between Steph Townsend and Amanda Gilbert following Quinn's departure.

"There is still some fine-tuning we can do there and in our midcourt," Arundell said.

Completing an unrivalled undefeated campaign in 2022, culminating in its six-goal grand final victory over Merrivale, the Blues will look to go back-to-back in 2023.

Despite the obvious target on their backs, Arundell said her team would approach next season with a clean slate.

"A new season is a new season and we'll take it similar to what we did last season, one week at a time," she said.

Nirranda begins pre-season fitness sessions next week.

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