The VNL will celebrate its annual Pride Round this week thanks to the support of RACV. With all ten teams returning to the State Netball Centre to promote inclusion and diversity in netball, it’s set to be a memorable night!
FIXTURE
Wednesday 17 May – State Netball Centre
- Peninsula Waves vs Wilson Storage Southern Saints (Livestream – Kommunity TV)
- Hawks Netball vs Geelong Cougars
- Ariels vs Melbourne University Lightning
- Casey Demons vs City West Falcons
- North East Blaze vs Boroondara Express (Livestream – Netball Victoria Facebook Page)
BROADCAST GUIDE
Netball Victoria Facebook
North East Blaze vs Boroondara Express
7pm – Championship | 8.20pm – 19&U | 9.40pm – Division 1
KommunityTV
Peninsula Waves vs Wilson Storage Southern Saints
7pm – Division 1 | 8.20pm – Championship | 9.40pm – 19&U
ONES TO WATCH
Championship
Fourth-placed North East Blaze will be hoping to bounce back from last week’s loss to Cougars when they take on Boroondara Express who are in red-hot form and sit second on the ladder. Blaze shooters Georgia Moody and Sam Silvester will face Boroondara defenders Sarah Szczykulski and Sophie Shoebridge, who are building a strong partnership.
Wilson Storage Southern Saints will also be eager to rejoin the winners list as they face Peninsula Waves. Waves’ Gretta Hankinson will have her hands full in defence up against in-form shooter and Vixens squad member Emily Andrew. Elsewhere Maggie Lind will come up against Tayla Honey in a midcourt battle to watch when City West Falcons tackle Casey Demons, and Geelong’s Zara Walters will go head to head with Hawks Netball’s Jasmine Ferguson in the midcourt.
Division 1
Round 9 will see a top of the table clash between Hawks Netball and Geelong Cougars. The Cougars remain the only undefeated team in the league, while the second-placed Hawks come into the match off the back of two strong wins. The Cougars have been hard to fault and go in as favourites, but their in-form opponents could prove a challenge; Kaila Swindell was a standout for the Hawks on Sunday and will be critical as her side looks to end Geelong’s run, while her teammate Olivia Barnett will have her hands full in defence trying to stop Georgina Cuthbertson in the circle.
When the Falcons and Demons clash, Chloe Langley and Steph McKay will face off after strong performances in Round 8, and sharpshooters Claire Oakley and Emmalia Blake will each need to continue their form – for Lightning and Ariels respectively – to help their team across the line when they meet.
19/Under
The 19&U division will be treated to top four battle between City West Falcons and Casey Demons. Sitting third and fourth and both coming off Round 8 wins, it’s set to be an entertaining matchup with Demon Lainey Bidwell and Falcon Kahlan Tanoi fighting it out in the midcourt.
Melbourne University Lightning will be looking to make it four in a row when they take on Ariels this week; defenders Tepaea Hobson and Shaid Sasalu will need to be on their game as they look to shut down Ariels goalers Annecy Lyon and Molly Argoon. As the competition tightens towards the top of the ladder, second-placed Lightning will be hoping cement their spot with another win.
In the other matches keep an eye on Charlize Gabel Joseph who will need to continue her strong form in the circle for Waves when she comes up against the Saints’ Annabel Sheppard, who performed strongly in Round 8, and Express defender Xara Burge who will come up against strong Blaze shooter Helen Aumua.
