Ebonie Salter to coach the first HDFNL senior representative side to play for two years

Harrow-Balmoral coach Ebonie Salter will take the reins of the team in their interleague fixture against Loddon Valley on May 18.

Salter said it was good to see increased interest in playing an interleague game after a lack of numbers forced a hiatus.

"We're trying to freshen up and rejuvenate the interest in the representative side a bit," she said.

"There's been a bit of a decline in the past couple of years with the longer home-and-away season.

"But it's been great that we've already received a few nominations and we'll hopefully lock in a selection date in the next couple of days."

This is the first time Salter will coach the representative team. She has experienced at interleague as a player.

"It's something I hadn't given much thought to previously and this year the opportunity arose and I thought it was probably time for me to give back in a lot of ways," she said. "It's going to be a different challenge and I'm looking forward to it."

Salter said it was a good opportunity for the league's best netballers to connect, on and off the court.

"It will be a bit of fun with girls that a lot of the time you don't really associate with or talk to apart from those Saturday game days," she said.

"It's nice to see how different teams play and bring together a few different ideas."

Salter hopes the side's past successes will return against Loddon Valley.

"It's difficult to put the girls on (the court) after only a few training sessions, but in the past, we've done pretty well and hopefully we can continue it," Salter said.

"Definitely our goal will be playing to win - and that's been pretty clear."

Salter said the significance of playing representative netball should not be forgotten.

"Going back a few years, it was such an honour - and now as I'm getting closer to the end of my career I realise that there's not always going to be those opportunities," she said.

"If you get that opportunity, you should accept it with open arms because it may seem you have a lot of time to play but the years go really quickly."

Harrow-Balmoral premiership coach Nick Pekin is also confirmed to return as coach of the football side, with Pimipinio's Chris Walsh his assistant.