Written by Amelia Barnes
City West Falcons is the team to beat in the Championship division of the 2025 Victorian Netball League. They’ve re-signed almost their entire side, including their Suncorp Super Netball-experienced players (Jane Cook, Maggie Lind, Montana Holmes, and Uneeq Palavi) plus the league’s 2024 co-MVP Sophie Hanrahan in the quest of a fourth straight title.
A core group of athletes have returned to the club’s 23&Under side who are aiming for another finals appearance after an impressive 2024 season. The addition of new midcourters will boost the team’s ability to run out competitive games.
Championship athletes
A near identical lineup will represent City West Falcons’ Championship side in 2025 as they vie for another premiership.
The key changes are the loss of Jamaican and Melbourne Mavericks goal shooter Shimona Jok — who has officially returned to SSN on a permanent contract — and the addition of Charity Nasalio.
Charity will be an exciting addition with her aggression and ability to intercept and chase ball,” said City West Falcons head coach Marg Lind. “She’s a defender who has made the move from New Zealand and fits in perfectly with our game style.”
Lind said the signing of Nasalio was particularly important to cover potential absences throughout the year — a strategy that proved critical to Falcons’ VNL success in 2024.
Both Montana Holmes and Uneeq Palavi (GS/GA) are Melbourne Mavericks training partners who made their national debuts last year and may be called on again during the SSN season. Palavi also has commitments playing for Tonga internationally alongside Lucia Fauonuku, while Soli Ropati and Melissa Oloamanu represent Samoa.
The ever-dependable Jane Cook will once again don the goal shooter bib in 2025 after winning the league’s Hot Shot award (for shooting the most goals throughout the season) for a second consecutive year.
Palavi can play GS and GA, alongside Olivia Cameron who played an important role across 11 games last season, and longtime player Madelyn Romios who returns to the side post-maternity leave.
“The goaling end will be equally as diverse with Maddy coming back in,” said Lind.
In the defence end, Lind counts 2023 Victorian Fury representative Sussu Liai as one to watch. “I think Sussu in her second year with us will go from strength to strength,” she said.
Liai will continue building under the guidance of experienced defenders Lucia Fauonuku, Melissa Oloamanu, and Sophie Hanrahan.
Hanrahan in particular had a standout 2024 season, tying for the Championship division’s Most Valuable Player award. The athletic and strategic defender travels three hours each way to training and games yet consistently performs on match day.
An unchanged midcourt will steer the ship headlined by former Collingwood Magpies wing attack Maggie Lind and C/WD Montana Holmes.
Fellow midcourters Soli Ropati and Chelsea Imanisani have also re-signed after showing their versatility in 2024. Ropati performed a key role in the grand final win, while Imanisani rose to the occasion playing her first year in the Championship division.
Coach Lind said anything is possible for this team in 2025.
“The team is a well-connected unit. Other clubs have certainly increased their lists, and we have a tough draw, so it will be a difficult task [to defend the title], but we will give it our best.”
23&Under athletes
More midcourt cover and time together will put Falcons in good stead for a second finals consecutive appearance in the 23&Under VNL division.
“We had a super young team in 2024 that will only get better now that we know what the standard looks like and they have experienced VNL,” said Lind.
“They probably exceeded expectations making finals, and only narrowly losing their first final.
“We want to increase our ability to run out games… and we want to increase our consistency across games.”
Among the new midcourters is Amelia Holland and Olivia Powell, who both spent time in the club’s affiliated Altona junior development program growing up. A predominant centre, Powell was listed in the Western Warriors side in 2024.
“So while both midcourt players are new to the group, they have invested worthwhile time in the Falcons’ environment,” said Lind. “Both are hard workers with good conditioning behind them.”
Elisa Butterworth-Gonebale has been officially elevated to the side after playing games with the team throughout 2024. The (WA/C) has been rising up the Victorian netball pathway as a state representative and member of Victoria's inaugural First Nations team.
The final recruit is shooter Matilda McIntyre who also has been permanently elevated from the club’s development side after competing in 2024 VNL games, including at the Championship level.
McIntyre will join Falcons’ returning shooters Beyonce Palavi, Isabelle Grapsas (who both cover wing attack also), and young star Amalani Fauonuku who is in the 2025 17/U state team.
Holly Adams-Alcock has also re-signed following a breakout year including her first official year in the VNL, making her National Netball Championships debut, and being selected in the 19/U state team for 2025.
Coach Lind is looking forward to seeing what Fauonuku and Adams-Alcock can do in their second VNL seasons. “They bring great team spirit and flair to the side and are valuable members of our team.”
The team’s defence end of Achel Yout, Maddison Mckiernan, and Mikaela Minns remains unchanged.
“Achel, Mikaela, and Maddison have been working hard in the off season developing the defensive end,” said Lind. “They should step up again with a year behind them.”
Coaches
Marg Lind continues as Falcons head coach, who works collaboratively with Alexia McConnell and Jacinta Todd to lead the Championship side.
Lind has been head coach at the club since 2007, and was previously head coach of the Melbourne Kestrels in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy from 1998-2003.
Hayley Cran and Josh Smith have re-signed as the 23&Under coaches with the addition of Jarrod Mills, who has previously focused on social welfare at the club.
“Jarrod will be retaining his role as social welfare at the club, however, he is also stepping up into a coaching role with the 23s,” said Lind.
“Jarrod is an intelligent and organised coach who comes from a background with the Victorian men's program and will add strategic knowledge and great people skills to the group.”
City West Falcons 2025 squads
Championship
Charity Nasalio
Chelsea Imanisani
Jane Cook
Lucia Fauonuku
Madelyn Romios
Maggie Lind
Melissa Oloamanu
Montana Holmes
Olivia Cameron
Soli Ropati
Sophie Hanrahan
Sussu Liai
Uneeq Palavi
Head coach: Marg Lind
Coaching panel: Marg Lind, Alexia McConnell and Jacinta Todd
23&Under
Achel Yout
Amalani Fauonuku
Amelia Holland
Beyonce Palavi
Elisa Butterworth-Gonebale
Holly Adams-Alcock
Isabelle Grapsas
Maddison Mckiernan
Matilda McIntyre
Mikaela Minns
Olivia Powell
Head coach: Marg Lind
Coaching panel: Hayley Cran, Jarrod Mills, and Josh Smith
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