Written by Amelia Barnes
Casey Demons are looking to improve on their last VNL season with a core group of returning athletes and a rejigged coaching lineup.
Their Championship side includes multiple players with Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) and Netball Super League (NSL) experience, and two players who proved their worth playing with the winning Collingwood Magpies at the Australian Netball Championships (ANC) in 2023.
Casey’s already solid shooting lineup has been boosted by the return of Sacha McDonald from the NSL.
“We've got high expectations of that group, not only on the court but also off the court to lead our Under 23s as well just to set that bar of what we expect as a club,” said Casey Demons President Rebekah Bogos of the accomplished Championship side.
“We are not the new club anymore, so we really want to be up there being competitive week in week out, and we want to see finals success.”
The 23&Under team features majority athletes who played in Casey as juniors, with a mix of ages and experience levels represented.
Casey is excited to host community home games at Casey Stadium, and the first VNL match at Olive Road Sporting Complex (Round 18) during the 2024 season.
Championship Athletes
Casey Demons have a wealth of experience across their Championship squad, starting with the team’s captain Sharni Lambden.
Lambden applies relentless pressure across WD/C, with the ability to move into the goal circle if required. An ever-reliable player, she made her SSN debut in 2022 with the Melbourne Vixens as a temporary replacement player and was previously a Collingwood Magpies training partner. Lambden also captained the Victorian Fury for the past two years playing at ANC.
Lamden will again team up in the midcourt with Tayla Honey who brings her own experience from playing in SSN and NSL, and the versatile Chaise Vassallo.
This established group will help spearhead new partnerships in the absence of Emma Thompson, who has moved to New Zealand to play in the ANZ Premiership with Robinhood Stars.
Ashleigh Gill joins the club from Ariels, and zippy Sarah McCabe moves up after playing Division 1 in 2023.
“She’s a great club person and full of resilience coming back from an ACL last year,” said Casey Demons President Rebekah Bogos of McCabe.
There’s also plenty of star power in Demons’ shooting end. The club’s most capped player and former Melbourne Vixen Emma Ryde is always a strong target, and she’ll be well supported by Sacha McDonald who returns to the VNL after playing in the NSL with the London Pulse for the last two years.
“Tayla Honey and Sacha have played with Emma through the Victorian pathway and certainly have a good understanding on how to present that ball to her,” said Bogos.
There’s plenty of GA options, with Poppy Douglass and Sinead Lumsden both re-signing. Douglass impressed playing with the Collingwood Magpies at ANC, earning more court time throughout the tournament for her accuracy and court smarts.
Bouncy and tenacious Stephanie McNay will provide athleticism and leadership in the defence, alongside Shannon Freeman who also played with Magpies at ANC.
“Shannon's a hungry defender and that Collingwood experience was great for her,” said Bogos.
Gabrielle Dwyer (GD/GK) played her junior netball at Casey and has signed with the club after 10 years playing with Peninsula Waves.
23&Under Athletes
For their first 23&Under VNL side, Casey Demons have assembled a balanced team featuring plenty of homegrown young talent.
The team is built around one of the youngest in Piuti Laban, who was named in the VNL’s 2023 19&Under Team of the Year and recently made the Victorian 17/U State team for a second consecutive year.
“She's so humble, really well supported by her family, and a really grounded athlete. She's always looking at what she can do to be better and is really supportive of her teammates as well,” said Bogos of Laban.
“She's showing her flexibility now by exploring some midcourt options to add to her high goaling accuracy and beautiful moves in there too.”
Laban will build on her established partnership with accurate shooter Holly Stephens after a successful year playing together in the 19&Under division.
Joining them in the goal circle is Kaylah Loulanting, who comes across from North East Blaze and was part of the VNL’s 2022 Division 1 Team of the Year.
Malia Seumanutafa is another new goaler to Demons that’s already proven herself at the VNL level, being named in 2022 19&Under Team of the Year playing for Wilson Storage Southern Saints.
Grace Van Tilburg is another crafty shooter who has been signed to her first VNL team.
Demons will benefit from the established partnership of Seumanutafa and Charlize Buskermolen who previously played together in goals for Wilson Storage Southern Saints’ 2022 19&Under team. Buskermolen is a versatile and creative player who often moves into the midcourt.
Also in the midcourt are four VNL-experienced athletes each with something different to offer: up and comer Mollie Helmot previously of Hawks Netball; Mikayla Phillips who joins from Peninsula Waves; Olivia Hamilton who returns to the VNL after a break from pre-elite netball; and Selene Chadrawy who has been retained from the 2023 Division 1 team.
Chadrawy came through the NSW pathway, including the GIANTS Netball Academy, before moving to Victoria in 2023.
Demon’s 23&Under defence end will be led by Lupe Fonua and Ellie Brasser who have both been in the club’s pathway since under 11s. Brasser is rehabilitating from an ACL rupture but is on track to return early in the season.
Ella Rees is another player who’ll provide great leadership and skills learned playing in the Championship division in 2023.
GK Abbey Whitaker is a new face to both the VNL and Demons and is one to watch in 2024.
Coaches
Steve Murray has stepped up from assistant to head coach of the Casey Demons’ Championship side for 2024.
“He puts the responsibility on the athletes to bring their best to each week,” said Bogos. “Enjoying their netball is the focus.”
Murray will be supported by two assistants and long-time Demons in former player Meagan Dell and Donna Marsh.
The 23&Under team will be coached by Travis Pretty who joined the club last year.
“He’s very organised, professional, and loves to analyse videos of lots of games so he’s very well prepared,” said Bogos.
Erin Bell, former Australian Diamond, re-joins the Demons coaching team as a specialist to refine the skills and shooting techniques of players.
Harry Bell also returns as athlete and wellbeing manager ensuring players are nurtured on and off the court.
Michelle Mashado is the coach in charge of pathways, and athletes will benefit from strength and conditioning coaches Rachel Brewster and Ana Anastopolous.
Casey Demons 2024 Squads
Championship
Ashleigh Gill
Chaise Vassallo
Emma Ryde
Erin Bell
Gabrielle Dwyer
Georgia Vines
Poppy Douglass
Sacha McDonald
Sarah McCabe
Shannon Freeman
Sharni Lambden
Sinead Lumsden
Stephanie McNay
Tayla Honey
Head coach: Steve Murray
Assistant coaches: Meagan Dell and Donna Marsh
23&Under
Abbey Whitaker
Charlize Buskermolen
Ella Rees
Ellie Brasser
Grace Van Tilburg
Holly Stephens
Illiseva Sovau
Kaylah Loulanting
Lupe Fonua
Malia Seumanutafa
Mikayla Phillips
Mollie Helmot
Olivia Hamilton
Piuti Laban
Selene Chadrawy
Head coach: Travis Pretty
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View the 2024 VNL fixture
