Carly Peake joins Hampden league club Warrnambool for 2024 season

Carly Peake will re-join Warrnambool from Merrivale, a stint which included a 2019 A-grade flag as a playing-coach. Peake previously played at Warrnambool in 2013.

The 28-year-old has a long Hampden league history, wining a total of six open flags at Koroit in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 and co-coaching in 2018 with Jess O'Connor.

Peake said the decision to re-join the Hampden league was 12 months in the making.

"I had definitely indicated for 12 months now that I would like to go back and have a go at Hampden league again before I got too old or before I finished up (playing)," she said. "I decided to stay in the district league for another season but got to the end of this year and sort of thought the same.

"It was a now-or-never decision and I got that competitive drive back.

"I'm looking forward to it, just the change and just want to, this next couple months, get my body right and myself fit and give it the best chance I can."

Peake said while Warrnambool's location was a factor in her decision to sign there - with her kids to continue their junior netball at Merrivale - she is also excited to link up with several familiar faces at the Blues.

Newly-appointed Warrnambool open coach Kate Lindsey was Peake's former coach during her previous stint at the Blues in 2023, Sarah Cowling is a past teammate while Amy Wormald is another good friend.

"I'm really good friends with Kate," she said. "And really good friends with Amy, I played a lot of basketball with her and the opportunity to play a bit of netball with her was of good interest too.

"It sort of was a no-brainer to go there, but I didn't want to rule out other options as well."

Peake, who missed most of the 2021-22 seasons due to back-to-back pregnancies, returned to the court in 2023 for the Tigers which culminated in a grand final appearance.

She said it was hard to leave Merrivale, where her sister Cloe plays, but appreciated the support of her and Tigers coach Elisha Sobey, as well as sister Louise at Koroit.

"It was hard to leave Cloe behind but I think deep-down we both probably knew I was going," Peake said. "Both (Cloe and Louise) have been a really good sounding board."

Lindsey, who was announced as Warrnambool's new coach in September, was thrilled to get Peake on board at the Blues.

"Carly's a really well-respected player in both the Hampden and district league as both a coach and player," she said. "She's such an experienced player but still relatively young.

"She was someone we were really keen to have a conversation with and feel really lucky she's chosen the Blues as her home for next season."

Lindsey believed Peake's abilities - she can play across all three midcourt positions and goal attack - offered versatility for the Blues while her on-court leadership and communication would also prove priceless.

While Peake is joining the Blues solely as a player in 2024, Lindsay anticipates her coaching credentials to be invaluable for those around the club.

"I see her having an opportunity to work with our players and blood those next group of young players we've got coming up at the Blues," Lindsey said.

Lindsey said she was hoping to add to the Blues' depth in her first pre-season in charge, which in turn would create some internal competition for spots.

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