FIXTURE
Wednesday 25 June
- City West Falcons vs Casey Demons
- Peninsula Waves vs Geelong Cougars
- Melbourne University Lightning vs Boroondara Express
- Western Warriors vs Gippsland Stars
Friday 27 June
- Wilson Storage Southern Saints vs Hawks Netball
Sunday 29 June
- Bendigo Strikers vs North East Blaze
BROADCAST
Netball Victoria Facebook
Western Warriors vs Gippsland Stars
7pm – Championship
8.30pm – 23&U
KommunityTV
Melbourne University Lightning vs Boroondara Express
7pm – Championship
8.30pm – 23&U
**Access is free for existing Herald Sun subscribers
ROUND HIGHLIGHTS
Championship
- It’s the battle of the tall timbers with City West Falcons and Casey Demons going head to head. In a guaranteed scoring frenzy, this game will have the current leading and runners up Hot Shot leaders in Jane Cook for the Falcons and Emma Ryde for the Demons. Not only are their shooters dominant, but each midcourt is the engine room that keeps the score ticking over. City West’s Montana Holmes and Casey’s Sacha McDonald have great eyes for the circle and sight their shooters early. Both Holmes and McDonald are confident feeding the ball into the circle far off circle edge. It’ll be more of who’s safer with the ball and the precision of the placement.
- Last time the Southern Saints and Hawks Netball met, the Hawks held off a late surge from the Saints to come out one-goal victors. The Hawks will look for a consistent performance this week after nearly letting last week’s game slip away. Sienna Green will be key in their attack to get the ball swiftly into Ashlea Mawer who goes to the post with confidence and accuracy. Alex Moody will determine the fluidity of the Saints attack with her change of direction to free herself of her defender a highlight of her game.
- The Bendigo Strikers will host North East Blaze in an important 5 vs 6 clash. Blaze is riding on some momentum leading into the backend of the season, and the Strikers need this win to give them confidence heading into finals. Only four goals separated the sides in Round 5 with Ruby Turner causing headaches in Blaze’s attack. It’ll be a fierce battle in the circle with Strikers shooter Gabe Richards and Blaze defender Georgia Bowkett up for a tough game. Richards’ influence at the post is immense and Bowkett will be tasked to minimise her impact.
23&Under
- An important game for the Peninsula Waves and Geelong Cougars will dictate how finals will look in the coming weeks. The Waves are knocking on the door of the top six, while the Cougars cling to fifth place after back-to-back losses. Peninsula will come in with confidence following their win last round, and they’ll be eager to carry that momentum into this must-win encounter. All eyes will be on Indi O’Connor, whose sharp movement and chemistry with fellow shooter Eliza Dunnell will be key to unlocking the Cougars' attack end. For the Waves, defensive duo Kelsie Wilson and Abbey Whitaker must combine effectively to generate critical turnovers, with the ever-reliable shooting circle ready to capitalise at the other end.
- Melbourne University Lightning will take on a Boroondara Express side eager to end their losing streak. The two teams met in Round 1, where the Lightning powered to a convincing 13-goal win. Express shooter Sahara Ball will be looking to take on the post with confidence, as improved accuracy in the circle could be the spark Boroondara needs to turn their form around. Montaya Sardi remains a key figure for the Lightning, applying relentless pressure around the pockets and circle edge, with her aerial ability and demanding presence on the circle being vital to the team’s success.
- The Western Warriors will come out wanting redemption this week against the Gippsland Stars after a one-goal defeat in Round 14. While the Warriors claimed the win the last time these sides met, the Stars have since found their rhythm, continuing to their connections, and will pose a serious challenge. Defence is set to be the deciding factor in this clash. Grace Hay has been a standout for the Warriors in recent weeks, with her sharp footwork and ability to read the play proving crucial to their success. On the other side, Stars defender Anna Soloman faces a massive task in limiting the impact of Ella Closter - a high-volume shooter with the potential to score 40 goals in a game with high accuracy.
ONE TO WATCH
Rahni Samason is a seasoned campaigner and one of the most experienced VNL athletes for the Southern Saints. The long-range shooter is a former Melbourne Vixen, having spent time in the Suncorp Super Netball side from 2021 to 2023. She moved to Auckland to spend a season with the Northern Stars, but Samason has since moved back to Victoria to play in the Victorian Netball League. Samason was the 2018 MVP in the formerly known Australian Netball League (ANL) while representing the Victorian Fury in her four years in the ANL.
