Written by Amelia Barnes
The Australian Netball Championships (ANC) are back from August 21 to 27 with a new-look Victorian Fury team set to represent the state.
ANC is the open age week-long annual tournament that replaced the Australian Netball League, which ran from 2008 to 2019, and is separate to the annual National Netball Championships (NNC) contested by each state’s 17/U and 19/U teams in April.
Appearing at the 2023 ANC are all eight of SSN’s reserve teams (including a team from the recently dissolved Collingwood Magpies), plus Tasmania Wild, Capital Darters (ACT), and newcomers Territory Storm (Northern Territory).
Athletes who have played less than 420 minutes across the home and away SSN season are eligible to compete.
Get to know the Victorian Fury defenders as they prepare for the 2023 tournament.
Maggie Caris
Positions: GK/GD
Age: 20
Height: 189cm (6’2”)
VNL club: Melbourne University Lightning
Melbourne Vixens training partner Maggie Caris returns to the Victorian Fury after officially debuting for the team in 2022 (following two years of cancelled national events due to COVID-19).
Caris played GS growing up in Quantong in western Victoria until being selected in the Victorian 17/U team in 2018 and switching to defence. She subsequently made the national 17/U squad in 2018 and 2019, Victorian 19/U squad in 2020, and national 19/U squad in 2020 and 2021.
Caris is also an accomplished Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the AFLW for three seasons.
The 20-year-old is one of four 2022 Victorian Fury players returning to the squad in 2023. Caris is looking forward to showcasing her growth as an athlete after making finals with Melbourne University Lightning in the 2023 Victorian Netball League (VNL) season and spending a second year as a Melbourne Vixens training partner.
“It's been so good to be working with Emily Mannix, Jo Weston and Liv Lewis as well as Sharni Norder who's been coaching us with Simone [McKinnis] and Di [Honey],” said Caris.
“To pick their brains has been a really crucial part of the year and has really enabled me to take my game to the next level.”
Gabby Coffey
Positions: GD/GK/WD
Age: 23
Height: 186cm (6’1”)
VNL club: Melbourne University Lightning
SSN fans are likely familiar with Wiradjuri woman Gabby Coffey who has been a Melbourne Vixens training partner since 2021.
The 23-year-old made her SSN debut in 2022 for the Collingwood Magpies (as a nominated athlete under the league's COVID-19 Contingency Framework) and her Melbourne Vixens debut in 2023 becoming Vixen #61.
Coffey is a versatile defender known for her agility and ability to quickly connect with different defensive partners.
“Her pressure up the court and in the circle, and her ability to mix with our other defenders, is really great,” said teammate Maggie Caris of Coffey. “Her communication and leadership really stand out for her as well.”
Caris and Coffey have been building their defensive partnership for three years playing for Melbourne University Lightning in the VNL.
“I feel like we really are able to work off each other and know what we need to do,” said Caris. “Hopefully as we head into ANC we are able to show off all the work we've been doing this year.”
Charlotte Sexton
Positions: GK/GD
Age: 19
Height: 191cm (6’3”)
VNL club: City West Falcons
Bendigo defender Charlotte Sexton has swiftly risen through the Victorian netball pathway over the past 12 months.
She comes into the 2023 Victorian Fury squad after just her first season in the VNL – playing in the 19&Under division – and making her first Victorian and national teams (both 19/U) earlier this year.
“It’s really nice to see some other regional athletes in the team,” said Caris of Sexton who joins athletes Claudia Mawson from Echuca, Zara Walters from Colac, and Taylah Brown from Leongatha in the Fury squad.
Sexton has shone in the VNL, helping the 19/U City West Falcons team to a grand final appearance with her tight one-on-one defence and strong rebounds.
“Charlotte has got such a great jump and her ability to read the ball and come out to compete is also a really good aspect of her game. She's a bit of an underdog … the attackers don't see her coming,” said Caris.
Sussu Liai
Positions: WD/GD
Age: 19
Height: 179cm (5’10”)
VNL club: Peninsula Waves
Sussu Liai comes into the Victorian Fury side with five years’ experience playing in the VNL for Peninsula Waves.
The WD/GD was first talent identified in 2017. She’s since been selected in the 17/U and 19/U state and national teams, as well as the Melbourne Vixens Academy in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Liai brings impressive athleticism and tenacity to the court, and provides constant pressure and spark across the centre and goal thirds.
“Sussu’s ability to attack the ball in the midcourt and take intercepts down the court is really helpful for creating pressure,” said Caris. “Her ability to read the ball is also great, and when taking the ball out of defence she has a strong drive that helps open up the court.”
Fury will compete at the 2023 Australian Netball Championships at the Morayfield Sports and Events Centre on Kabi Kabi Country in Morayfield, Queensland from August 21-27.
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See the full 2023 ANC fixture and team lists
