| Seniors | Joel Donehue |
| Reserves | Cobey Aynsley |
| Under 18s | Leigh Fletcher |
| Under 15s | Tim Kingma & Brendan Gretgrix |
| Under 12s | Darren Mcllelan |
Joel Donehue: LGFNC is delighted to announce that home grown talent Joel Donehue has been appointed the 2026 Senior Coach. Joel has enjoyed a stellar playing career spending 3 years with the Bendigo Pioneers, debuting as a 15-year-old with the senior team in the CMFL, runner up senior best & fairest at 16, spending 2 seasons with Echuca in the GVFL and highlighting his playing career with being a key member of the 2017 LGFNC Premiership team breaking a 22-year drought.
Joel has steadily progressed his coaching credentials from coaching the Under 17 LGFNC team to back-to-back flags in 2017-18 (a number of these players have progressed into the current senior team). Joel moved into senior assistant coaching and development roles over the past 5 years and shown his ability to strengthen teamwork and build strong connections with the playing group. Joel is a calm under pressure operator and will coach from the sidelines in a non-playing capacity. Player retention has been extremely positive, and Deo will have a mature stable group of locally based players to take to the next level.
With a deep family connection at the the club Joel will be fantastic figure head providing stability and a team first coaching philosophy for our local list as we strive for another tilt at success in season 2026 after 3 consecutive finals series.
Cobey Anysley: LGFNC is pleased to announce the appointment of Cobey Aynsley as the 2026 Reserves Coach.
Cobey has an extensive playing and coaching resume at both the Shepparton East and Stanhope Football Netball clubs. Cobey has played over 150 senior games highlighted by booting over 100 goals in 2016 in the Picola DFNL and representing the league.
Commencing his coaching journey at senior level with Stanhope as assistant in 2018 and progressing to head coach in 2019 Cobey led the team successfully into the final’s series. Cobey realigned with Shepparton East following their move into the Kyabram DFNL and was involved in playing and coaching in the Reserves from 2020-2024. Cobey won the KDFNL Reserves Best & Fairest medal in 2024.
Following a knee injury and taking 2025 as a break from football Cobey is excited to get back involved with community sport at the LGFNC and apply his coaching skills to developing the younger players at the club and developing a strongly competitive reserves team.
Cobey is focussed on team-first style of play which holds up in finals and strong leadership, ensuring players and coaches make a positive contribution both on and off the field. He thrives on the development side of football ensuring players are confident to deliver on game day and enjoyment in sport is paramount. Cobey will be well assisted by popular club figure Josh “Vikta” Edgar who is excited by the opportunity to further develop our young reserves list.
Leigh Fletcher: LGFNC are pleased to announce that Leigh Fletcher has been appointed coach of the Under 18’s for the 2026 season. A strong quality, Leigh has been extremely loyal to the LGFNC from inception after playing with the Gunbower 3rds in the early 90’s. He has played 170 senior matches for a total of 351 games for the club. Leigh will utilise this experience and his previous coaching experience taking the Reserves through to the 2007 Grand Final undefeated and coaching the Under 12 to develop the boys into senior footballers. The ‘Flea” was a competitive and combative player and played a significant role coaching 2025 AFL draftees James Barrat and Oskar Smartt in their formative years. Leigh will be ably supported by Jobee Warde and Billy Hawken who will continue to build on their coaching credentials.
Tim Kingma & Brendan Gretgrix: Exciting news for LG’s junior football pathways!
Strong support was shown from all HDFNL clubs at the recent League meeting to introduce Under 15 football into the league for 2026. This will enhance junior football pathways for all nine clubs and bridge the gap between U/12 and U/18 football substantially. Following this news the LGFNC are very pleased to announce that club stalwarts Tim Kingma and Brendan Gretgrix have been appointed joint coaches for the inaugural Under 15 team in 2026. TK and Yard have both made a strong contribution to the junior program over the past decade with TK successfully coaching the Under 18’s into their last finals campaign in 2022. We extend our congratulations and support to TK and Yard during this exciting new chapter in our clubs’ development.
Darren Mcllelan: The LGFNC Under 12 team are fortunate to obtain the services of Darren “DMAC” McLellan to teach and guide them on the fundamentals of AFL for season 2026. DMAC played his football in Melbourne with Parkside, Macedon, Werribee Centrals and Albert Park in the VAFA from 1992-2005, bestowed with Full Back in the Team of the Decade at Albert Park. His coaching resume included Under 10’s and 12s at Maribyrnong Park coaching the 2008 Under 12 Premiership with future stars such as Touk Miller and Nathan McLellan. DMAC will ensure our local players are developing into good competitors ensuring a smooth transition into the Under 15 program. Parents, please jump onboard and support Darren for training and game day in season 2026, many hands make the job easier and more fun!
| A Grade Netball | Katie Pollock |
| A Reserve Netball | Sarah Quinn |
| B Grade Netball | Phoebe Dye |
| B Reserve Netball | Lindy Leyonhjelm |
| Under 17s Netball | Millie Reed & Meg Dye |
| Under 15s Netball | Laura Angove |
| Under 13s Netball | Cara Pretty |
| Development squad Mini’s | Jenny Keating |
| Net Set Go | Gemma | Lauren | Meg |
Katie Pollock: The Leitchville Gunbower Netball Club is thrilled to announce Katie ‘Dot’ Pollock as our A Grade Coach for the upcoming season!
Katie is a proud LG product, having played all her junior netball at the club, with stints at Pyramid Hill and a few years away from the courts to try her hand at football. Throughout her netball and football journey, Katie has been part of many finals campaigns, bringing valuable experience and leadership.
Her passion for developing players and commitment to team culture make her an excellent fit to lead our A Grade side in 2026.
Welcome back, Dot — we can’t wait to see what the season ahead holds under your guidance!
Sarah Quinn: We’re excited to welcome Sarah Quinn as our A Reserve Coach for Season 2026.
Sarah joined Leitchville Gunbower in 2025, initially stepping in to fill in and supporting her step daughter Pearl. However that fill in role quickly turned into playing almost every week and we couldn’t be happier that it did.
Sarah describes Leitchville Gunbower as one of the most welcoming and enjoyable netball communities she’s ever been apart of. With her wealth of knowledge, playing experience and passion for the game, Sarah brings a great energy both on and off the court.
Having previously played with Mount Pleasant and Maiden Gully, Sarah now embarks on an exciting new journey into senior coaching, working alongside Katie Pollock.
We’re thrilled to support Sarah as she takes this new challenge on and cannot wait to see what Season 2026 brings!
Phoebe Dye: We’re thrilled to welcome Phoebe back to the Leitchville Gunbower Football Netball Club, along with her partner Justin and their two boys Lewi and Coop.
Phoebe returns to the club after several years away and will be taking on the role of B Grade coach this season 2026. Having grown up playing her junior and senior netball here, as well as coaching at a senior level Phoebe brings a wealth of experience, passion and a strong connection to our club.
We looking forward to seeing what Phoebe can do with the B grade girls!
Lindy Leyonjhelm: We welcome Lindy as our B Reserve coach.
Lindy has loved netball since she was about nine years old and has been lucky enough to stay connected to the game in different ways over the years. Lindy first played with Leitchville Gunbower about 25 years ago when her then-husband was coaching there, before moving to LBU where she played in both A Res and B Grade teams — even picking up league Best & Fairest for B Grade as a Goal Keeper.
Lindy later coached the B Grade side as a playing coach before stepping back from the court. Lindy has since watched her step-daughter and daughter play through their junior years and have stepped in to coach for school events and special competitions.
Lindy’s passion for the game has been reignited watching her daughter play with LGFNC this year. What Lindy loves most about this club is the community, kindness, and country spirit that surrounds it. It’s such an honour to be part of that again — and while Lindy does have a bit of white-line fever at times, she can’t wait to see what this season brings!
Millie Reed & Meg Dye: Season 2026 marks Millie’s second year at the club. After assisting with the 15s during the season, she now steps into the role of coaching the 17s alongside Meg.
Millie is eager to continue developing the girls’ skills, teamwork, and leadership both on and off the court.
Millie played all her junior years and began her senior career at Swan Hill before moving to Echuca, where she also coached the 13s and 13 Reserves. She has a strong passion for supporting the growth and development of young players and their love for netball.
Known for her positivity and encouragement, Millie strives to create a supportive environment for her players. She takes great pride in watching their improvement and performance shine through on game day.
Meg lives and breathes netball. She is passionate, committed, and fiercely competitive.
Over the years, Meg has coached both junior and senior grades at Leitchville Gunbower, bringing out the best in players at every level. A Premier Coach in 2010, she also led the 17s to a Grand Final appearance in 2016. More recently, Meg coached the A and A Reserve teams at Cohuna in 2022 and 2023.
Meg is now looking forward to continuing her coaching journey alongside Millie by fostering the growth and development of our junior players, the future of our club.
Laura Angove:
With a strong foundation in both representative and league netball, Laura brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for developing young athletes. Over the past two years, Laura coached in the EDNA Representative squads, leading large squads through intensive skill development, strategic gameplay, and individual mentoring.
In previous years Laura has also contributed to LGFNC as an assistant coach for the B/res team as well as a player in 2025. Currently Laura is the 15/U assistant coach of the North Central Netball Region 2026 State Titles campaign and will bring a wealth of knowledge to our club.
What drives Laura most is the opportunity to support junior netball pathways and foster a positive, high-performing environment.
Coaching at LGFNC is especially meaningful to Laura, not only because of the club’s strong family and community spirit but also because she has seen firsthand the growth and camaraderie of clubs such as these nurture in young players.
Laura is committed to contributing to the club’s continued success in 2026 and to helping our athletes thrive both on and off the netball court.
Cara Pretty: Cara Pretty returns for her second year coaching the U13s, bringing a strategic approach and a strong passion for player development. Her focus this season is on further enhancing individual skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship, while creating a positive and competitive environment where athletes can thrive. Cara is committed to building confidence and performance both on and off the court, helping each player reach their full potential.
In addition to her U13 role, Cara will also step into an assistant coaching position with Ares, where she will continue to develop her coaching at a senior level under the guidance of Katie Pollock.
Jenny Keating: We’re thrilled to welcome Jenny Keating as our Mini’s coach for season 2026.
Although Jenny is new to the coaching journey, she brings great enthusiasm and a strong willingness to guide our mini players.
Jenny will have great support from the netball coaching and management team.
From the moment Jenny and her family joined LGFNC, they have felt so welcomed and have absolutely loved the family vibe around the club. Jenny’s daughters Chloe, Sophie and Jazz have been supported in both netball and football. They’re excited to see what 2026 brings!
Lauren | Gem | Meg: Gem, Meg and Loz are experienced LGFNC players and coaches who are excited to share their passion and knowledge with the next generation of Bombers netballers. They took on the NetSetGo role this year and look forward to another fun filled season in 2026!
Copyright © 2022 | Leitchville Gunbower
Built by
