The 2012 National Water Polo League is just around the corner and the Victorian Tigers women's team will head into this year's season with added confidence after recruiting three of Australia's leading players.

Queensland duo Bronwen Knox and Sophie Smith, and South Australia's Isobel Bishop, have all made the transfer to Melbourne in the hope of boosting their chances for London Olympic selection.

Knox, who blamed a lack of opportunity in her customary centre back and centre forward position at the KFC Breakers, said the switch was designed to create consistency while being away from the national squad.

"The idea for this year is to produce the same level of performance in the National League as I do with the Aussie Stingers," Knox said.

"Being with the Tigers will hopefully allow me to achieve this and having five other Stingers' girls in the line-up will definitely make everything a lot easier.

"It's also a new beginning in Melbourne. I love the city and I'm looking forward to the next three months and progressing through to the finals."

For accomplished Tigers' star, Rowie Webster, the high profile arrivals have signalled the possibility of a new reign in the women's competition.

The Tigers', who missed out to the all-conquering Brisbane Barracudas in 2011, ended up with the bronze and Webster said the team would be looking for revenge when the two clubs clash on February 2.

"The three girls are definitely great additions. We have gained a centre forward and centre back in Bronwen, a centre back and right sided player in Sophie, and a left-hander in Isobel, which we didn't have before," Webster said.

"I guess on the flip side there's more pressure and expectation on us, but we're looking forward to the big clashes and hopefully we can bring the goods and go two better this year.

"The battles with the Brisbane girls are also going to be great. They just beat us last year, and that was without Victoria Brown in goals. With Victoria back plus the three new girls, who knows what we can achieve."

Head coach Dalibor Maslan agreed, saying the excitement surrounding the recruits had lifted the team immensely and that the girls were progressing well ahead of their four-game Perth road trip.

"We met up for the first time yesterday, and then again today and everything seems to be going well," Maslan said.

"We have a tough few opening games in the west and these are important to cement ourselves in the top six.

"Overall we want to aim higher than just the top six, we want to be in the top two, but we have to start somewhere and get our consistency going.

"These new players will definitely help with all that and we're excited and looking forward to playing well as a unit."

The NWPL season kicks off on Australia Day with the Tigers opening their account with a hard first up match against the Longmont Fremantle Marlins. The Tigers' men's team will also start their campaign against Fremantle when the teams clash later in the afternoon.

Victoria Brown will notch her 150th NWPL game for the club on Saturday, when the two teams clash in their second of two opening series games.

Other marquee round one match-ups include Brisbane Barracudas versus Sydney Uni Lions and Cronulla Sharks against the Hunter Hurricanes.

For the full 2012 NWPL schedule