City West Falcons head coach Marg Lind shares behind the scenes of the club’s third consecutive VNL Championship premiership.
By Amelia Barnes
Best on ground
Winning a third consecutive Championship division VNL title was a group effort for City West Falcons, who played an experienced but ever-changing starting lineup through the 2024 season.
The side featured multiple athletes who have played at the elite level, particularly in the shooting circle headlined by Jamaican Sunshine Girl Shimona Jok, Melbourne Mavericks training partner Uneeq Palavi, and former Adelaide Thunderbirds athlete Jane Cook.
When Falcons signed Jok in the off-season, the former Collingwood Magpies goaler was without a professional netball contract, but Falcons head coach Marg Lind was quietly confident she would soon return to Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) and therefore play little of the VNL season.
Lind’s instincts were correct (Jok was publicly announced as the Melbourne Mavericks’ 11th player just days before the start of the SSN season) but the Falcons team didn't miss a beat due to Cook and Palavi, who assumed their tried and true shooting partnership.
Jok still made VNL appearances when available, proving invaluable in the Round 6 win over Geelong Cougars.
Olivia Cameron was another integral Falcons goaler who came into the team on 11 occasions to provide goal attack cover, particularly when Palavi was representing Tonga at the Pacific Aus Sports Series, and later the NSW Swifts as an injury replacement player in SSN.
Despite it being a decade since Cameron last regularly played in the VNL, she looked completely at home on court with her speed and agility. The 35-year-old’s style of play provided a point of difference for the team, which proved vital at times, especially in the grand final where Cameron and Palavi shared the goal attack position.
“So it worked out beautifully. She fits in well, she's got lots of experience, and she’s really good with Maggie [Lind] on the line,” said Lind of Cameron.
“She was a good cover for Uneeq, too – a different cover. I think teams in the second half of the season found that difficult, as they had to match up on Uneeq in the first half and then on Olivia, who's totally different, in the second half.”
Vice captain and goal shooter Cook was as dependable as ever in goals, winning the league’s Championship Hot Shot award for a second consecutive season by shooting 1007 goals in the regular season. Her standout performance was in Round 18, when she slotted an astounding 86 goals at 100% accuracy.
“I thought she was sensational and really consistent and a great target,” said Lind of Cook’s 2024 performance. “Our midcourt had a lot of confidence in her, and because she rewarded that confidence, they just let the ball go.”
Team captain and wing attack Maggie Lind steered the ship in the Falcons’ midcourt, providing composure and smarts enhanced during her time as a contracted athlete for the Collingwood Magpies in 2022.
She connected well with centre Montana Holmes, who had a standout season winning the grand final MVP for the second year in a row, signing as a training partner with the Melbourne Mavericks, and making her SSN debut.
“She's just got a massive tank – she can run all day,” said Lind of Holmes. “Her and Maggie get along well – they're very straight down the line and sometimes it's a bit fiery on the court because they're so competitive, but I think that works for us.”
Defensive midcourter Soli Ropati also had a great VNL season, pushing for MVP honours in the grand final.
It was a massive year for Falcons’ defenders, starting with Sophie Hanrahan who tied for the VNL’s Championship MVP award.
She polled just one MVP point in the first seven rounds of the season, but Hanrahan stormed home to claim votes in 10 of the remaining 15 rounds and help secure the Falcons premiership.
Another of Falcons’ star 2024 defenders was Sussu Liai, described by Lind as one of the VNL’s most underrated players.
“Sussu was an awesome addition for us… She moved from Peninsula [Waves] to us, and she was dynamite. She fitted into the culture beautifully, was very committed, and very dedicated.”
Melissa Oloamanu also had an impressive return to the VNL and international netball following an ACL injury.
Falcons finished the VNL Championship season with only one loss and a 64-53 win over Boroondara Express in the grand final.
Coaching masterstrokes
City West Falcons were the team to beat in 2024, but achieving their third premiership title in a row wasn’t a given for coaches Lind, Jacinta Todd, and Alexia McConnell who operate as a cohesive panel on game day.
“There were times where we thought all the wheels were going to fall off, I'll be honest. It was all very hectic from a coaching point of view and tricky,” said Lind.
Lind identified early on that having an experienced side was going to be both a blessing and a curse.
In addition to Jok, Palavi, and Holmes being elevated to SSN throughout the season, the Pacific Aus Sports Series was held in June that saw Ropati and Oloamanu away to represent Samoa, and Lucia Fauonuku and Palavi represent Tonga.
Falcons prepared for these absences by signing a number of highly versatile athletes ahead of the 2024 VNL season.
“We had good cover. We had Chelsea [Imanisani] who could cover C/WA/WD; we had Soli who could cover C/WA/WD; and we had Sussu who could cover GD/WD/C,” said Lind.
“So at the start of the season, on paper, I thought, ‘What are we doing?’... but Toddy, Alexia and I sat down and talked it through and said, ‘You know what? I think this is the year we’ve got to take a risk.’ It's against normal policy, but it really worked for us…
“They were a very connected team and when we had issues, someone would step up for someone else.”
The coaches balanced athlete loads to ensure peak performance, particularly for Hanrahan, who travels three hours from Rutherglen to attend training and matches in Melbourne.
“It's really important to be tuned into their habits and make sure that they get a rest when it's required,” said Lind.
“[Hanrahan] doesn't need to prove anything by driving down. The drive is going to be more detrimental than the attendance… It’s just being smart about managing those players, and I think we do that really well.
“In the past, I did it terribly – I had that real elite pathway mentality where you've got to be at everything – but when you're in a club situation, and it's week in, week out, you've got to be smart.”
Lind said Falcons’ ongoing success comes down to their high standards and model that sees its Under 19s, 23&Under, and Championship sides all train together.
“Having them train with us as a club is paramount… but there’s no magic formula. We train hard. We train harder than everyone,” she said.
The club also has strong links to Altona Netball Association, ensuring a streamlined pathway from grassroots through to VNL.
Behind the scenes, Falcons have a great team of support staff who keep the club in order including Jarrod Mills in social welfare, and club manager Jannelle Graham.
“Jannelle’s pretty much been at the club since the outset. She's a very consistent, competitive, and organised person, too. She's like the icing on top of the cake for us. I think she's really kept us together,” Lind said.
“It's the total package for us. It's not just about one person, it's about the whole team.”
Next season
It will be a nearly identical Falcons team that lines up for the 2025 VNL season, minus Shimona Jok.
Goaler Madelyn Romios (née Gray) will also return to court following the birth of her first child.
Cameron is also expected to play a similar role in the 2025 by coming into the match squad as required.
See all 2025 team lists.
