Netball Victoria is bringing a suite of community, pre-elite and elite netball events to Traralgon with its Gippsland Showcase on the weekend of 8-9 February 2025, thanks to the support of the Victorian Government and Latrobe City Council.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
This two-day event will feature a range of netball talent from Victorian, interstate, and international programs, offering netball fans a unique opportunity to witness some of the best players in the game, while honing their own skills with a coaching workshop.
The Victorian 17/U and 19/U state teams, and VNL clubs Gippsland Stars, Casey Demons and Peninsula Waves will all feature in exhibition matches across the two days. They will host an interstate and international development team set to be announced in the new year.
Suncorp Super Netball’s newest franchise, the Melbourne Mavericks will also hold an open training followed by a signing session, giving local netball fans the opportunity to engage with some of the nation’s best players.
Netball Victoria’s coaching workshop will be hosted by pathway coach, Adrian Ballantyne providing in-depth analysis and guidance in a match day environment.
Over the last year netball participation in the Gippsland region has increased by 9.3 per cent, illustrating the local community’s passion for the game, demand for netball content and focus on pathway opportunities.
The region’s recent bid for a Victorian Netball League licence was successful, with the Gippsland Stars entering a 23&U team into the league for its inaugural season in 2024. The Stars will introduce a Championship division side to the league in 2025, and netball fans will be able to see the Championship side take to the court for the first time at Netball Victoria’s Gippsland Showcase.
With the support of the Victorian Government’s Significant Sporting Events Program and Latrobe City Council, Netball Victoria’s Gippsland Showcase will be held at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium on Gunaikurnai Country.
Netball Victoria CEO, Andrea Pearman said:
“We’re thrilled to be bringing an array of netball events to one of many of the state’s large netball hubs and fan bases, Traralgon.
“Netball Victoria’s Gippsland Showcase will see athletes, umpires and coaches from right across the Victorian netball pathway, as well as some with experience on the international stage, engaging with die-hard netball fans in regional Victoria.
"We’ve seen record participation levels in Victoria in 2024, and we’re looking forward to growing that passion for the game with unique events like the Gippsland Showcase into the future.”
Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Dale Harriman said:
“Latrobe City Council is proud to host Netball Victoria’s Gippsland Showcase in the new year.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our City as a regional hub for sporting events along with our world-class sporting infrastructure such as the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.
“The Gippsland Showcase will bring a significant amount of investment to our region with netball fans expected from far and wide. We are thankful to both Netball Victoria and the Victorian Government for making the Gippsland Showcase happen in our region.
“The event is part of a partnership between Netball Victoria and Council which will deliver a range of netball development activities such as events, clinics and school visits across our region over the next 18 months.”
Netball Victoria’s Gippsland Showcase is made possible through a landmark three-year investment from the Victorian Government’s Significant Sporting Events Program announced earlier this month.
The Significant Sporting Events Program helps sporting, community and event organisations to deliver significant sporting events in Victoria.
Netball Victoria has delivered numerous successful regional events with the support of the program and in partnership with local government, with recent Suncorp Super Netball pre-season events including the Traralgon Takeover in 2022.
Visit the event page for the full schedule and to purchase tickets.
Victorian 17/U and 19/U teams
The Victorian state teams are selected through state-specific pathway processes and compete at the National Netball Championships each year. In Victoria, athletes are talent identified at Netball Victoria’s Association Championships and State Titles and invited to trial. The selection process narrows the squad from 50 athletes to 25, and then teams of 12 who compete in 17/U and 19/U divisions.
VNL clubs – Gippsland Stars, Casey Demons and Peninsula Waves
The Victorian Netball League is the state’s premier competition, providing a pathway for talented athletes to develop and showcase their abilities in a competitive, pre-elite performance environment. 2024 was the inaugural season for Gippsland Stars who entered a 23&U side into the competition. From 2025, the Stars will have a 23&U and Championship side competing.
Melbourne Mavericks
Melbourne’s newest franchise in the country’s elite competition, Suncorp Super Netball, the Mavericks were introduced to the league in 2024. They are owned by the Sports Entertainment Group and headed up by former England Roses coach Tracey Neville, and Nicole Richardson, assistant coach of the Australian Diamonds.
