After finishing fourth at last year’s First Nations Tournament, the Victorian First Nations State Team returned in 2026 ready for another big week of netball, connection and competition.
Across the tournament, the Victorian netball community got behind the team, bringing plenty of energy and support to the State Netball Centre as Victoria represented the state with pride. The Victorian First Nations State Team is proudly supported by Netball Victoria’s inclusion partner, RACV.
The tournament marked a special milestone for four Victorian players, with Allirah Kerr, Djura Weston, Tylah McCleish and Keely Kinsey making their First Nations Tournament debuts.
Assistant coach Rachael Paterson also made her First Nations Tournament debut, joining head coach Lee Bevan, who returned for another year after guiding the team to a fourth-place finish in 2025.
Holly Stephens was named in the First Nations Team of the Tournament following an impressive campaign. Stephens has continued to make her mark throughout her netball journey, including being named in the 2026 Black Swans team.
Victoria opened its tournament campaign on Wednesday with a strong 58–17 victory over the ACT before backing it up with another win against Lutruwita (Tasmania), 42–21.
Thursday brought another challenging day for the Vics, starting with an intensely competitive contest against New South Wales. Victoria fell just one goal short, going down 37–36 in a game that saw the team push one of the tournament’s strongest sides all the way.
The Vics then faced Western Australia in round four, with WA bringing strong defensive pressure throughout the contest. Victoria continued to fight hard but was ultimately defeated 35–26.
Friday saw the Vics take on Queensland, who would go on to win the tournament. Victoria continued to bring its all against the eventual champions, going down 42–34 after another competitive contest.
Saturday brought two more games for Victoria, beginning with a 37–33 loss to Yakanarna (South Australia) before the Vics bounced back later in the day with a 32–25 victory over the Northern Territory.
Heading into finals day, Victoria had one final opportunity to finish its tournament campaign on a high, taking on Lutruwita in the fifth versus sixth playoff.
The Vics saved one of their strongest performances for last, running away with a convincing 49–24 victory to finish the tournament on a high and put together a performance that reflected the determination they had shown throughout the week.
While the results told one part of the story, the 2026 First Nations Tournament was about so much more than the scoreboard. From the opening game through to the final siren, the Victorian First Nations State Team represented Victoria with pride, built connections and embraced every opportunity to compete on the national stage.
With the Victorian netball community behind them, the Vics showed plenty of heart, resilience and togetherness throughout the week, finishing their campaign with plenty to be proud of.
Congratulations to the entire Victorian First Nations State Team on a memorable 2026 tournament.
