FIXTURE
Wednesday 8 May
State Netball Centre, Parkville
- WS Southern Saints vs City West Falcons
- Casey Demons vs North East Blaze
- Hawks Netball vs Bendigo Strikers
- Western Warriors vs Gippsland Stars (23&U only; Warriors Championship BYE)
- MU Lightning vs Boroondara Express
- Geelong Cougars vs Peninsula Waves
BROADCAST
Wednesday 8 May
Netball Victoria Facebook
Geelong Cougars vs Peninsula Waves
7pm – Championship
8.30pm – 23&U
KommunityTV
WS Southern Saints vs City West Falcons
7pm – Championship
8.30pm – 23&U
Subscription required (access is free for existing Herald Sun subscribers).
ROUND HIGHLIGHTS
Championship
- The gap between the top three and the rest of the competition is widening, with third-placed Blaze three wins ahead of the Cougars in fourth.
- The Bendigo Strikers will face a test when they come up against the Hawks if they want to remain in finals contention. The biggest challenge will be the near-unstoppable Hawks goaling duo of Kaylia Stanton and Annabelle Gorman.
- A stacked attack line of Jane Cook, Uneeq Palavi and Shimona Jok has City West Falcons sitting on a healthy percentage. The Saints’ ladder position may not reflect their capability; with talent including Melbourne Vixens squad members Emily Andrew and Lily Graham in attack and Melbourne Mavericks defender Jessie Grenvold on their list, Saints can bring plenty of excitement at both ends.
23&Under
- Round 10 will be a good test for Peninsula Waves as they come up against Geelong Cougars, most of whom played in last year’s Division 1 premiership. Charlotte Sengstock and Kelsie Wilson have been establishing a formidable partnership in Waves' defence with consistent minutes all season, and will need to shut down Cougars' speed on transition with Mimi Lockwood, Ava Hellyer and Monique Parker offering exciting pace and vision.
- MU Lightning has been utilising their whole squad to good effect, with versatility and changes across the court. Boroondara Express coach Stacey Gannon has plenty of talent at her disposal, and will need to get creative to combat Lightning’s court craft.
ONE TO WATCH
Geelong Cougars’ Charlotte Morey is a young gun to watch, having been elevated from Division 1 to Champ this season. Morey stepped into the void left by new Vixen Zara Walters, making the WA bib her own. She represented Victoria in the 19/U team at the recent National Netball Championships and was selected in the Vixens' recently named squad for the pilot Super Netball Reserves competition.
