Grand finalists every year since 2016, the Hawks have won the State League just the once over that stretch in 2018 that sparked co-coach Ruth Tuohy to change up the place albeit more so of a tweak.

This philosophical change comes ahead of the side's first two matches against AYC Friends-Arrows before facing Kingston to start off the year in Hobart over the weekend.

"We've retained the core amount of our team. We have represented well in finals for the last four or five years and, yeah, we've had success, but we've also had moments that we just haven't quite rounded out things," Tuohy said.

"It's about how we continue to perform at a level that we see us make finals again.

"Then it's what are our next steps to make us take it up a level and make sure we are still a competitive team."

The Launceston club has lost its premiership skipper Ashton Whiley to retirement and also Zoe Claridge but to crosstown rivals Cavaliers.

The blow to the coach's ambitions has not appeared to hurt the relationship with Claridge returning back to her initial State League club.

"Zoe had our full support in regards to her wanting to change camps," Tuohy said.

"She came in and spoke to us - and we fully supported that she needed to do what she wanted for her netball.

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"Kellie [Woolnough] and I have given her as much as we could as coaches and we always want our players to do what's best for them, enjoy their netball and get their most from it. So it wasn't an easy decision for Zoe, but it's one that she's made though."

The shock move could be for the best after the coaches were forced to find a spot for Claridge soon after returning from ANL duties with the Tasmanian Magpies between a loaded goal circle with Ash Mawer and Danni Pickett.

The abundance of genuine midcourters, which includes a permanent return of Chelsea Mawer, will get a better run in Whiley's absence.

Positions could have been complicated even more over the new inclusion of Hannah Lenthall, now a permanent member of the opens squad after featuring for the Hawks several times late last year.

"Danni came out into wing attack last year because that offered us another option, but depending on what the match-ups are against the others, I think we've still got flexibility there," Tuohy said.

"So Hannah joining more the defensive end gives us an opportunity to move Jamie Symons off defence because she's that little bit shorter to run her through the middle more by replacing Ashton.

"I think potentially we are getting our players back to the positions they were playing and should be playing, but we still have versatility."

A hole between matches in April is also set to be another challenge added to the list.

"I think the first few weeks will be us finding our feet into that new dynamic of netball and then we'll have a chance to reflect on that, have a bit of a break and regroup if we need to run out the rest of the season," Tuohy said.

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