General News
18 December, 2025
Exell and Thorogood to lead Thunder next season
Lachie Exell has been announced as the coach of the Southern Mallee Thunder for next season, a promotion from managing the side the past couple of years.
Lachie Exell has been announced as the coach of the Southern Mallee Thunder for next season, a promotion from managing the side the past couple of years.Player Sydney Thorogood will support Exell as the assistant coach.
Thorogood said she accepted the position because she wanted to challenge herself and take on something new.
"I found my feet the last couple of years and wanted to do something different," she explained.
"Lachie was expressing his interest, and we thought we would work well together, considering we took on Tuesday training last year together and worked well.
"We thought together we could provide a good 2026 season."
Thorogood said the coach and assistant coach are often on the same page when it comes to netball.
"We might see things from a different lens, then come together, meet in the middle, and then it's the best of both worlds," she said.
"Obviously, me being on court, and Lachie having his eyes on the side as well, with his knowledge, it's a bit of a superpower."
The Thunder finished fourth in the regular season this year, with 10 wins and 6 losses, on equal points but with a higher percentage than Ararat.
Ararat and the Thunder then went head-to-head in the elimination final, and, controversially, Southern Mallee were awarded the win after overtime, 62-55.
Advancing through to the first semi, Dimboola were waiting for the Thunder, and ended Southern Mallee's finals plight - 40 to 38.
Reflecting on this year, assistant coach Thorogood said the side was pleased to make the finals, which is always a goal each season.
"We obviously had a bit of a controversial final, which was unfortunate, but as a club, I felt like we handled it well and were able to move forward from that," she said.
"Our end goal (next season) will be making it to the Grand Final; hopefully that is on the cards.
"But we were proud of last season, because the one previous we missed out on finals, so it was nice to get a touch of finals."
To make finals next season, Thorogood said it's going to be all about conditioning.
"Jodie and Steph from the last couple of years built the foundation, and we just want to keep going," she said.
"Really getting into the nitty-gritty; drills, fitness, plays, strength, really developing and being flexible with movements within the team and player positioning.
"We need to be fit and strong and give it 110 per cent."
Thorogood said there will be new faces in the lineup next season, including Kierra Schumann.
From Jeparit, Schumann moved to Renmark in 2014, but now returns to the Wimmera.
"She's fit, young, and ready to go, and what more could you want?" laughed Thorogood.
"We've still got a good majority of girls from last year, so we are going to attempt to hold what we have got, add some new players, and we are also keen to run some juniors through and allow them to come up."
The Thunder will begin their 2026 netball campaign against Nhill on Saturday, April 11, 2026.