Written by Amelia Barnes
Bendigo Strikers have joined the new-look Victorian Netball League (VNL), adding valuable regional representation to the state’s premier netball competition.
Every player in the club’s inaugural Championship team has a regional Victoria background.
“This is groundbreaking to have a VNL club based out of Bendigo,” said Bendigo Strikers president Melinda Keighran.
“This is so important for the netball community – especially for our up-and-coming netballers in regional Victoria – that there are ways to follow your dreams and have local idols doing it ahead of them.”
The Strikers will host their first home match in Round 8 when they face Boroondara Express at Red Energy Arena in Bendigo.
“Bendigo’s first home game is sure to be a sell out with the corporate and grassroots netball community with the team all the way,” said Keighran.
Championship Athletes
Bendigo Strikers looked at local competitions and 2023 VNL squads to select their first Championship side.
All players come into the team with VNL experience, except for midcourter Milly Wicks who will make her debut in 2024. Wicks brings her own impressive credentials to the court as a Bendigo Football Netball League (BFNL) A-Grade premiership player, and a recent premiership playing basketball with the Bendigo Braves in the NBL1.
Wicks will be joined in the midcourt by her Kangaroo Flat teammate Chelsea Sartori who comes into Bendigo Strikers in great form after winning the 2023 Betty Thompson Medal (fairest and best) in the BFNL A-Grade netball. Sartori won the 2021 VNL Division 1 MVP playing for Boroondara Express, and she played for Geelong Cougars in 2023.
Fellow midcourter (and another previous Betty Thompson Medal winner) Ashley Ryan has also been recruited from Kangaroo Flat, bringing her drive and experience to the team. Ryan made her VNL debut in 2016 with the Sovereigns, before joining Boroondara Express, and making a return to the league this year.
Another well-known player in the BFNL is Meg Williams. This fast and clever midcourter is a four-time A-Grade Sandhurst Football Netball Club premiership player, and has over 100 VNL games for North East Blaze under her belt.
Williams is far from the only Sandhurst representative making the move to Strikers. She’ll be at home feeding Heather Oliver in the goal circle – a former Melbourne University Lightning player who returns to elite netball after having children. Oliver is perhaps best known as a basketballer who played in the WNBL for seven seasons.
“Heather has continually been a lead player in the Bendigo Football Netball League and has the ability to play all positions on court. Her experience and court savviness has delighted many netball spectators,” said Keighran.
Oliver will be looking to form new partnerships in the goal circle, including with tall shooter Amelia Brock. Brock has long been part of the Victorian netball pathway, making the 2017 Victorian Fury team, and playing in several VNL seasons.
Bridgette Furphy, formerly of Geelong Cougars, is another shooter with Victorian Fury experience and two VNL premierships.
Teal Hocking had a standout year in 2023 representing Victoria at the National Netball Championships. She steps up to the VNL Championship level for the first time with Strikers, continuing her rise through the league including being named in the Team of the Year in both 2022 (19/Under) and 2023 (Division 1) with City West Falcons.
Bendigo’s defenders are already a well-oiled machine with all three players hailing from Sandhurst, including sisters Charlotte and Imogen Sexton. Both have VNL experience representing City West Falcons, but this will be their first time playing in the same division.
“We’re very excited to see the Sexton sisters take the court together as a deadly defensive combination,” said Keighran. “This will be the first time at VNL level and is such an exciting prospect for Strikers.”
Younger sister Charlotte Sexton has had a whirlwind last 12 months on the netball court, selected in the Victorian Fury team and 19/U national pathway squads for 2023-24.
Ruby Turner, formerly of North East Blaze, rounds out the defensive end. Another Sandhurst recruit, Turner has been a prominent fixture in the Victorian netball pathway making various state and national squads.
23&Under Athletes
The Strikers’ first 23&Under side features athletes from Gisborne, Castlemaine, Shepparton, Tongala, Moama, Bendigo, Barooga, and Faraday who range from 16 to 23 years of age.
Collectively they represent 10 clubs across five country Victorian leagues, reflecting the depth of talent across the state.
Among the key signings are two Castlemaine juniors who come across from City West Falcons and North East Blaze respectively: shooter Chloe Langley and midcourter Shae Clifford.
Both players are stars of the BFNL, with Clifford finishing as the runner up and Langley finishing fourth in the league’s best and fairest medal count in 2023.
Torie Skrijel is another rising shooter and BFNL standout who helped Gisborne to a premiership in 2023 during her first year of A-Grade netball.
“Torie's development continues to impress, and she’s looking forward to showing her prowess in the goal ring for Strikers in 2024,” said Keighran.
Other players already with VNL experience include Mia McCrann-Peters (Melbourne University Lightning) and Taylah Lloyd (Ariels) who can play in both attack and defence, plus midcourter Mackenzie O'Dwyer (City West Falcons).
O’Dwyer had a huge 2023 at the 17/Under level earning state and Australian pathway program selection, as well as winning the Goulburn Valley League Best and Fairest.
Midcourter/shooter Gall is another young gun who’s currently in the 19/U Victorian State team and 17/U national pathway squad.
Gall will make her VNL debut in 2024 alongside midcourter Grace Hammond, defender Abby Larkin, defender Eloise Rodda, defender Megan Wilson, and versatile athlete Hannah Richards.
Coaches
Experienced coach and former elite player with the Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels Tracey Brereton has been appointed Bendigo Strikers’ head/Championship coach.
Brereton has coached Shepparton Bears in the Goulburn Valley Football Netball League for the past 16 years, in addition to roles in the Netball Victoria pathway across talent identification, Talent Academy, and the 17/Under Victorian State team. In 2023, she was the Victorian Fury assistant coach.
Elite men’s player and coach Jayden Cowling will lead the 23&Under side. As well as playing netball for Australia, Cowling has experience coaching A-Grade at Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club, the Bendigo Football Netball League representative program, and the Netball Victoria Talent Academy.
Strikers have appointed Gisborne premiership coach Tarryn Rymer to her first VNL coaching position as the 23&Under assistant coach.
The club’s athletes will be well supported by former Australian Diamond Caitlin Thwaites who joins as specialist and wellbeing coach. Thwaites’ career started in Bendigo and she is excited to give back to the next generation.
Bendigo Strikers 2024 Squads
Championship
Amelia Brock
Ashley Ryan
Bridgette Furphy
Charlotte Sexton
Chelsea Sartori
Heather Oliver
Imogen Sexton
Meg Williams
Milly Wicks
Ruby Turner
Teal Hocking
Head coach: Tracey Brereton
Specialist and wellbeing coach: Caitlin Thwaites
23&Under
Abby Larkin
Chloe Langley
Eloise Rodda
Grace Hammond
Hannah Richards
Harriet Gall
Mackenzie O'Dwyer
Megan Wilson
Mia McCrann-Peters
Shae Clifford
Taylah Lloyd
Torie Skrijel
Training partners: Ella Flavell, Jorja Clode, Jasmine Gallagher
Head coach: Jayden Cowling
Assistant coach: Tarryn Rymer
Follow @bendigostrikers_netball on Instagram
View the 2024 VNL fixture
