The club’s season kicks off tomorrow with double-headers in the premier and reserves men’s divisions against Victoria University at the State Volleyball Centre in Melbourne.

The Phantoms will also field teams in men’s division two, women’s reserves and women’s division two.

The premier men’s team has been dealt a big blow by numerous departures.

Brad Mason, Riley Stone, Chris Radford, Matthew Berry and Jimmy Winzar will not don the purple and black this year.

Mason has joined Monash University and will play against the Phantoms in premier division.

Stone has moved to Adelaide, Radford has commitments as a trainer for the North Ballarat Roosters VFL team and Berry is having a year off from the competition.

It leaves the premier side – which almost played finals for the first time last year – depleted.

Phantoms coach David Berry said the players were impossible to replace, but the club remained in good shape overall.

‘‘They are such quality players,’’ he said. ‘‘You can’t replace players like that.

‘‘It’s a shame because if we had been able to maintain the team we had from last year, we would have been right in contention to play finals.

‘‘What it does mean is some of the reserves players from last season will get more opportunities in premier division.’’

Adrian Fox is player set to get more premier exposure, as will Nick Adamson in a pass hitting role.

Bendigo’s Michael Mayes, a former state representative, has joined the team and will slot into the senior line-up.

‘‘We’ve still got good structure, and we’re not having to manufacture players into positions they wouldn’t normally play, which will make the transition easier,’’ Berry said.

‘‘The reserves side is not weakened either because we’ve picked up six new players there.

‘‘Matty Halliwell will return from a knee injury, Jared Borner has returned after 12 months overseas, we’ve picked up four top juniors from Bendigo, and Jayden McQueen will make his reserves debut, which is good for the Murtoa program.’’

The women’s reserves and division two and men’s division two teams will have plenty of depth as well.

Kaylee Schmidt and Ellie Blakeley will step up into the women’s reserves.

Other players have also returned after a year off.

Murtoa players Tom Petering, Aaron Evans and Lachie Wilson will be given plenty of opportunities in men’s division two.

Berry said the Phantoms had been handed a more equitable fixture by Volleyball Victoria after fixturing issues potentially cost two of its teams finals places last year.

The club will play double-headers in Horsham on April 18 to 19 and July 11 to 12.

The team will be in Bendigo on May 16 and 17 and Mildura on June 13 and 14.