Victoria had a total of seven athletes and coaches represent the Australian Sonix at the World Men’s Invitational competition in New Zealand last month.
The Australian’s dominated the competition from the outset, defeating New Zealand 66-37 in the Grand Final.
Six of the 12 players in the squad hail from Victoria; Andrew Simons, Daniel Cooke, Guy Keane, Tim Walker, Timothy Malmo and Will Jamison. Head Coach Christina Puopolo and Team Manager Karen Wild round out the strong Victorian representation.
“We had a really successful week in that we had quite convincing wins and the whole team performed really well and it was a good opportunity to have everyone on court which was great,” Jamison said.
“It is always good to come up against New Zealand in New Zealand where they are probably at their strongest, but by having quite convincing wins it is a testament to everything we have done in the lead up.”
After co-captaining the Victorian Opens team the past two years, Jamison enjoyed the challenge of stepping up to co-captain the national team in New Zealand.
“It was obviously a really humbling experience, particularly doing it for the first time with a team of really natural leaders,” Jamison said.
Jamison believes that Victoria’s depth in men’s netball can be attributed to the work and passion of their Coach, Christina Puopolo.
“I think it is a testament to our Coach who has been at the helm of men’s netball in Victoria for quite a while.”
“She has always been of the approach that for us to be successful we really need to treat ourselves as an elite team.”
“Christina has a real sense of not only showcasing but also elevating the men’s game and making sure that it is taken seriously.”
Jamison has now shifted his focus to playing for the Bayside Braves in the Men’s State League where the finals are fast approaching.
