Written by Amelia Barnes
There’s been minimal change across both of Geelong Cougars’ VNL teams during the off-season as they prepare for a bigger and better campaign in 2025.
Despite missing finals for the first time in six years, head coach Gerard Murphy was impressed with the Championship team’s form towards the end of the season, and he is backing them to do it again this year.
The 23&Under side has a similar core of players with an injection of youth in the shooting circle.
Championship athletes
The majority of Cougars’ Championship division squad is back for 2025, minus longtime player Zanna Woods who has moved to Boroondara Express.
The team had a slow start last year, but stormed home in the final rounds to claim wins against three of the top teams, only just missing finals for the first time in six years.
There were still plenty of positives to take away from Cougars’ previous season. Most impressively, the team had fewest goals scored against them in the league — a testament to their established defensive lineup led by Brooke Allan (GK/GD).
Juggling a spot as a Melbourne Mavericks training partner in 2024, Allan had a great VNL season, earning her a spot in the VNL Championship Team of the Year, and tying for her team’s MVP.
“Brooke continues to grow, she has a high defender IQ now and is able to adapt and change,” said Geelong Cougars head coach Gerard Murphy. “She averaged eight gains a game in 2024.”
Allan’s combination with Indya Forde proved hard to overcome for attackers in 2024.
Forde also had a standout individual season, including selection in the Melbourne Vixens Super Netball Reserves team and the Victoria Open Mixed team. “Indya is competitive, shows great intensity, and is able to play as a dynamic tall or tagging defender,” said Murphy.
Allan and Forde gelled well with Charli Nicol who joined Cougars last year. Nicol is an experienced athlete in the state pathway, and in 2024 made the Melbourne Vixens Super Netball (SN) Reserves team.
“Charli worked her way into the season, improving each week and getting comfortable with the increased intensity and speed of Championship,” said Murphy. “She had a major impact in some critical games towards the second part of the season and is looking to improve from that.”
Olivia Taylor (GD/WD) has been promoted from the 23&Under side to join this defensive lineup in 2025. “She’s a strong leader who is dynamic, adaptable, competitive and brings a different style to the existing circle defenders,” said Murphy.
The midcourt features its own star players, including Ally O'Connor (WD/C) who made her second consecutive VNL Championship Team of the Year in 2024. Outside of the VNL, O'Connor is a star of the Hampden Football Netball League where she’s won the Dot Jenkins Medal (league MVP) for three out of the past four years.
“Ally really developed her centre game in 2024, where she played most games, and demonstrated she’s improved and can match with the best in the competition in centre as well as wing defence,” said Murphy. “She’s built her fitness and control in her attacking game.”
Charlotte Morey was Cougars’ third representative in the 2024 Melbourne Vixens SN Reserves team. The attacking midcourter missed much of her first VNL Championship season with a back injury, so Murphy is excited to see what she can do in 2025. “She can play left and right-handed with ease and has a high work ethic,” he said.
Morey has played for many years with Kiahna Fallon (WD/C), who has re-signed for her second season at this VNL level.
The team’s new midcourter is local athlete Alahria Smith, who comes across from Boroondara Express after playing with Cougars as a junior. Smith is experienced and can cover all three midcourt positions.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Alahria bring her experience and consistency to our attacking midcourt which will complement Ally, Charlotte and Kiahna well,” said Murphy. “She’s really worked hard in her fitness and her game and I’m excited to push her more to find her next level.”
Training partner Elli Leydin will provide further midcourt after replacing Morey mid 2024 season. Leydin was named in the 2024 Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL) Coaches Team of the Year alongside Allan, Forde, and Fallon.
Emma Buwalda will lead Cougars’ shooting end after tying for the team’s MVP honours in 2024. “Emma has transitioned well now to GA and has been working hard to be a consistent performer at Championship level in 2025,” said Murphy.
Buwalda will again pair up with 192cm-tall shooter Daisy O’Kane who is likely to play a bigger role this season.
“Daisy O’Kane was critical for us in 2024 — she performed well against all top opposition defenders and showed a lot of versatility in her game as a 21-year-old,” said Murphy. “She has great accuracy and movement.”
The highly versatile Ashlee Smith is the Cougars' other re-signed shooter. “She can also run midcourt or circle defence but will be focusing on GA,” said Murphy.
The team has welcomed 21-year-old Elisa Hall who moves up from the 23&Under side. Standing at 190cm tall, Hall provides another holding shooter option who can also play a moving circle. “She’s ready for the new challenge. She performed well when filling in for Championship in 2024 and has a good vertical jump,” said Murphy.
Dual basketball-netball player Carly Sanders is another shooter who joins Cougars as a training partner this season. Sanders previously played college basketball in the U.S. and impressed this season in the Bellarine Football Netball League making the league’s team of the year. “She’s keen to learn and grow as a player and make the most of any opportunity she gets,” said Murphy.
With a relatively established lineup, Murphy is confident this side can perform in 2025.
“The main gap in 2024 was consistency and experience. We have a really young line up with half the team under 21, and the oldest player only 26. We also had a few injuries and absences that resulted in lost games during the season,” he said.
“With a consistent lineup and as the season ticked over, the combinations built, and we showed how much of a threat we were.
“For 2025, we’ve increased our list to a full team of 12 with training partners and fill-ins to increase competition for spots and also create more consistency and confidence in the combinations and strategies.”
23&Under athletes
Cougars’ 23&Under team are looking to improve on a sixth place 2024 finish with more depth and combinations this season.
The core of the team has been re-signed, but without Tully Bethune (2025 Black Swans and Victorian First Nations state team athlete) and Kaitlin Gladman (2024 team MVP runner up) who are both taking a year off from the VNL.
Plenty of talent remains, starting in the defence end featuring Victorian 19U state team athletes Mia Aitken and Charli Hoey. “They are both really talented, with great skills and versatility. Both are fast off the mark, have good closing speed, and are able to execute different game plans,” said Murphy.
Hoey was named in the VNL 2024 23&Under Team of the Year, and Aitken in the 2024 Australian 17/U squad.
Defender Keeley Smith has also re-signed following a strong first year in the VNL, while Georgia Howell has been elevated from Cougars’ development side after representing Northern Territory at the 2024 19/U National Netball Championships.
Training partner Makeely Rogers provides another circle defender option who can also swing into wing defence. She was named best & fairest in Geelong Cougars’ Development team 2024.
The midcourt features retained talent Louise Shaw (2024 Bellarine Football Netball League Rising Star winner), the versatile Mimi Lockwood, and the defensive-minded Zoey Shaw.
Tall and versatile midcourt option Maddie Mickovski will return to court this year following a shoulder injury.
Training partner Kiralee Collings, who joins from Western Warriors, provides further attacking cover.
In the shooting end, Cougars have signed a rising star of the game in Indi O'Connor — who turns 16 this year — and is in the 17/U state team. “She plays more GA but also GS,” said Murphy of O'Connor. “She’s a silky mover and has great court awareness.”
17/U state team training partner Charlize Bellette (GS/GA) has been signed to fill the shoes of Bethune. “Another young gun… She has a good hold. She is over 6 feet, but also moves very well,” said Murphy.
Eliza Dunnell (GS/GA) has earned a spot in the team after being a replacement player in 2024. “She really stepped up,” said Murphy. “I’m excited to see her perform this year. She has also been working on her GA game.”
Hollie Phillips has also been signed as a training partner.
Re-signed athlete Monique Parker will help guide this young shooting lineup. Parker can usually be found in goal attack but can cover wing attack and centre.
Coaches
Gerard Murphy and Melanie Savage will continue as head coach of the Cougars’ Championship and 23&Under sides respectively.
They will be assisted by a panel of coaches, most of whom also sit across the club’s development teams.
The assistant coaching panel features Kayla Young (Victoria 23&Under Men assistant coach); Will Jamison (Talent Academy coach and former national men’s player); experienced GNFL coach Tracy Dunstan; player turned coach Tyra Fallon; and Guy McCleish (Victoria Open Mixed assistant coach).
Geelong Cougars 2025 Squads
Championship
Alahria Smith
Ally O'Connor
Ashlee Smith
Brooke Allan
Charli Nicol
Charlotte Morey
Daisy O'Kane
Elisa Hall
Emma Buwalda
Indya Forde
Kiahna Fallon
Olivia Taylor
Elli Leydin (training partner)
Carly Sanders (training partner)
Head coach: Gerard Murphy
23&Under
Charli Hoey
Charlize Bellette
Eliza Dunell
Georgia Howell
Indi O'Connor
Keeley Smith
Louise Shaw
Maddie Mickovski
Mia Aitken
Mimi Lockwood
Monique Parker
Zoey Shaw
Hollie Phillips (training partner)
Makeely Rogers (training partner)
Kiralee Collings (training partner)
Head coach: Mel Savage
