Written by Amelia Barnes
Gippsland Stars joined the VNL in 2024 with their 23&Under team, and will field their first Championship side in 2025.
With a focus on continuing to build the club’s culture, Stars have recruited a mix of VNL-experienced and talented Gippsland athletes to their Championship team, including the Victorian Fury-experienced Ramayer Gourley who joins as a player and coach.
With a year in the VNL now under their belts, and most of the inaugural roster re-signing, expect Stars’ 23&Under team to step up in 2025 by closing out competitive games.
Gippsland Stars will host a home match in Round 5 against Peninsula Waves at Warragul Leisure Centre.
Championship athletes
Gippsland Stars were required to enter a VNL Championship team by 2027 but decided 2025 was the right time after one year in the 23&Under division.
“Our coaches and players were very keen to bring this in as soon as possible and we had a number of internal goals met which was able to see us commit for this season which is exciting for our club and region,” said Gippsland Stars CEO Daniel Heathcote.
Stars Championship player and assistant coach Stacie Gardiner added, “We believe that waiting until 2027 would have been too far away and it would have been detrimental for us as a club.
“We have athletes from the Gippsland area who were in our 23&Under team who aged out, and they also deserve the opportunity to continue to play and challenge themselves at the elite level.
“Starting in 2025 will give us the opportunity to showcase who we are as a club and build on what was already a successful inaugural season.”
In recruiting this inaugural side, the club’s strong preference was to find a core group of players linked to Gippsland.
“We have found a great mix of Gippsland players, and players from outside the region, with VNL and state league experience,” said Heathcote.
“Gippsland club netballers have such a strong representation in the VNL Championship division, however, with a number of those players established at other clubs, our focus was to bring in Championship level players that are committed to our culture.”
Among the local talent signings is Ramayer Gourley (GK/GS/GD), who is a star player and coach in the Gippsland League with the rare ability to play across shooting and defence at an equally proficient level.
She has played multiple seasons for Melbourne University Lightning in the VNL, as well as representing Collingwood Magpies at the Australian Netball Championships (2022), and Victorian Fury (open level state team) in 2017-2018.
“Ramayer is one of the most decorated players from Gippsland and has moved into coaching in the past few seasons where she has led Moe to the Gippsland League premierships in 2023 and 2024,” said Heathcote.
Gourley joins as both a player in the Championship side, and specialist coach for the 23&Under team.
Goaler Stacie Gardiner will be an integral part of Stars’ Championship side this season as both a player and assistant/team coach (after being assistant coach of the 23&Under side in 2024).
This season will mark Gardiner’s return to the VNL court after last playing for Peninsula Waves in 2022.
“I was inspired to get back on court to mentor the up-and-coming talent and help ensure we have a successful transition into the Championship VNL division,” said Gardiner.
Heathcote described Gardiner as one of the best competitors in the game. “Her drive will hopefully lead the group for a competitive year one.”
Gardiner will play in goals with Daisy Hill — a local Gippsland talent with previous VNL experience at Hawks Netball and in the 19/U Australian squad.
“Daisy has multiple Gippsland League A grade premierships. She is accurate and has the great ability to change from a holding to moving goaler with ease,” said Gardiner.
Alarna Arnason provides another strong and accurate holding GS option, who can also play out in GA as required.
Goaler Sophie Lecchino moves up from Stars’ 23&Under team to the Championship side in a training partner role.
Current 23&Under shooter Myah Healey will also train with the Championship team this season.
The midcourt features Shannon Blackman (C/WA/WD), who comes across from Melbourne University Lightning. “Shannon brings experience, explosive speed and the ability to get the ball to circle edge,” said Gardiner. “She can switch seamlessly through all three midcourt positions.”
Stars have signed 2023 Casey Demons player and 2024 NSW Premier League premiership athlete Hannah Kuhar (C/WA/WD) to their first Championship team. “She is super fit and competitive and she looks set for a big impact in her first full season in VNL Championship,” said Heathcote.
Katie Fone joins from Peninsula Waves and can also play across all three midcourt positions. “Like Hannah she is super fit and hopefully will develop in our program to be a key player at Championship level,” said Heathcote.
Local Gippsland talent Taylah Wallace (WA/C) has signed as a training partner who brings speed, work rate, and accurate passing into the circle.
Gippslander Sally Deller (GD/GK) provides experience in the defence end as a former Hawks Netball player.
Fellow defender Karli Foster is also returning to the VNL this season with Stars. She will help guide this side as a former captain of Casey Demons’ Championship team.
Alison Dwyer provides further defence cover as a training partner after a strong season in the club’s 23&Under team.
23&Under athletes
Gippsland Stars have signed seven new players to their 23&Under squad for their second VNL season.
The team secured two wins in 2024 and built a supportive environment for Gippsland’s young talent to improve and thrive.
“We were incredibly proud of our first year playing in the VNL,” said Gardiner.
“Providing our local Gippsland athletes an opportunity to train and play in an elite environment has been our goal for many years. Our athletes showed that with exposure to playing against the best in Victoria each enables you to grow and develop as players.”
Several of the new athletes have been elevated from Stars’ 2024 19U team who made the grand final in the 19/U State Super Series hosted by Waverley Night Netball Association and Altona Netball Association.
Among them is Anna Mooney who captained the 19U side and has previously played in the VNL with Casey Demons. Predominately a goal attack, Mooney can also move into the midcourt.
Tall Gippsland goaler Grace Van Tilburg has joined Stars after a debut VNL season with Casey Demons. She is preparing a return to court following a knee injury late last season.
Another shooting option from Gippsland, Chelsea Bowman has signed as a training partner. “She plays at either goal keeper or goal shooter where she shot over 400 goals in Gippsland League A Grade in 2024,” said Heathcote.
These new shooters will link up with re-signed young goaler Charlize Traumanis, and the dominant Myah Healey.
“She shot over 500 goals last season and will be a key figure again,” said Heathcote of Healey. “With a more experienced front court around her, she should get more opportunities this season.”
Defender Annabel Sheppard steps up to Stars’ 23&Under side after being named MVP of their 2024 19U team.
Local talent Mackenzie Fort is another new signing who can play across defence and the midcourt. “She’s another athletic option our coaches can use in 2025,” said Heathcote.
Re-signed defenders Anna Solomon (captain of Victoria's inaugural First Nations team), Jayde Parsons, and Lucy McKellar will provide composure while building on their connections formed last season.
In the midcourt, Chloe Radford will lead the way after being named the team’s best and fairest in 2024.
Hollie Bugeja will again provide strong defensive midcourt pressure alongside Gippsland talent Paris Dunkley.
Kate Montgomery is an athletic new midcourter who comes across after a rookie VNL season with Peninsula Waves.
Ruby Brosnan has signed as a training partner after impressing in Stars’ 19U team last year.
Coaches
Karen Meredith has been selected as Gippsland Stars’ first Championship head coach who will oversee match day coaching and the club's wider VNL programs.
Meredith has been a coach for many years for Pakenahm in the Outer East Football Netball league and also has Talent Academy and VNL development coaching experience.
“She was a great fit with her development background for our new program and to assist Stacie and Ramayer in their coaching development, as well as our young playing group,” said Heathcote.
Stacie Gardiner has moved from assistant/team coach of the 23&Under team to Championship, where she’ll also be playing. “Her role will lead the team,” said Heathcote.
Gippsland Sports Academy coach Jo Ballinger continues as Stars 23&Under coach after establishing the club’s supportive culture last season. She will also work closely with the Championship side.
The new 23&Under assistant coach is Rachael Patterson who has coached Morwell to two Gippsland League premierships.
“Her knowledge and relationship building with the players made her a key person to appoint,” Heathcote said.
Ramayer Gourley, who co-coached Moe to a premiership as a dual player-coach in the 2024 Gippsland League, will serve as a specialist coach in addition to playing in the Championship side.
Gippsland Stars 2025 squads
Championship
Akayla Peterson
Alarna Arnason
Daisy Hill
Hannah Kuhar
Karli Foster
Katie Fone
Ramayer Gourley
Sally Deller
Shannon Blackman
Stacie Gardiner
Alison Dwyer (training partner)
Sophie Lecchino (training partner)
Taylah Wallace (training partner)
Head coach: Karen Meredith
Assistant/team coach: Stacie Gardiner
23&Under
Anna Mooney
Anna Solomon
Annabel Sheppard
Charlize Traumanis
Chloe Radford
Grace Van Tilburg
Hollie Bugeja
Jayde Parsons
Kate Montgomery
Lucy McKellar
Mackenzie Fort
Myah Healey
Paris Dunkley
Chelsea Bowman (training partner)
Ruby Brosnan (training partner)
Head coach: Jo Ballinger
Assistant coach: Rachael Patterson
Specialist coach: Ramayer Gourley
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