KEY MOMENTS
Championship
- Geelong Cougars have suffered a heart-breaking end to their season after missing finals by 0.64 of a percentage point. In one of the strongest end-of-season campaigns by a VNL team, the Cougars defeated three of the top four teams in the final four matches, including last night’s 11-goal win over Hawks Netball which landed them on equal points to the Hawks and North East Blaze. Cougars goalers Daisy O’Kane (24 goals, at 92% accuracy) and Emma Buwalda (29 goals, 76%) combined effortlessly to share the scoring load, while Brooke Allan was rock solid in shutting down the impact of Hawks shooter Kaylia Stanton (26 goals, 79%).
- North East Blaze held on to their finals position by a whisker, despite going down by a goal to Boroondara Express. Blaze shot out to a five-goal lead in the first quarter, before the match entered a tug-of-war with momentum swinging to Express in the third quarter. Blaze’s Sam Silvester (43 goals, 90%) led the shootout in the final 15 minutes, but it was a goal from Isabelle Hodgson in the dying seconds that sealed the deal for Express.
- Vixens’ goaler Lily Graham (34 goals, 94%) took the court for the Wilson Storage Southern Saints alongside fellow squad member Emily Andrew (12 goals, 67%) to deliver the side one final win over the Western Warriors.
- NSW Swifts’ goaler Uneeq Palavi (16 goals, 94%) returned to the victorious City West Falcons after her impressive Suncorp Super Netball stint. The Falcons (first), Boroondara Express (second), Hawks Netball (third) and North East Blaze (fourth) will face off in finals next week.
23&Under
- City West Falcons have snapped their losing streak to cement their finals position in fourth, after 25-goal win over the Casey Demons. Goal shooter Holly Adams-Alcock spearheaded the attack with 41 goals at 95% accuracy and was well fed by midcourters Fionnuala McKeagney-Stubbs and Isabelle Grapsas. The Falcons used their huge margin to test their combinations and rotate their entire roster ahead of finals.
- The 23&Under competition’s top four teams all posted wins to cement their finals positions, leaving no room for Peninsula Waves, who were victorious over the Gippsland Stars. The Stars team finish their inaugural season with two wins and 20 losses.
- Hawks Netball, who have lost just one match in 2024, finish atop the ladder, ahead of the in-form Melbourne University Lightning, North East Blaze and City West Falcons.
RESULTS
Championship
Boroondara Express (57) vs (56) North East Blaze
Bendigo Strikers (53) vs (45) MU Lightning
Geelong Cougars (53) vs (42) Hawks Netball
Casey Demons (59) vs (86) City West Falcons
Western Warriors (53) vs (55) WS Southern Saints
*Peninsula Waves BYE
23&Under
Boroondara Express (53) vs (60) North East Blaze
Bendigo Strikers (37) vs (67) MU Lightning
Geelong Cougars (46) vs (52) Hawks Netball
Casey Demons (43) vs (68) City West Falcons
Western Warriors (56) vs (43) WS Southern Saints
Gippsland Stars (42) vs (54) Peninsula Waves (23&U only – Championship BYE)
HOT SHOT LEADERBOARDS
Will remain undisclosed for the final four rounds
NEXT UP – FINALS
Wednesday 24 July
State Netball Centre, Parkville
7.00pm - 23&U
Hawks Netball vs Melbourne University Lightning*
North East Blaze vs City West Falcons**
8.45pm - Championship
Hawks Netball vs North East Blaze*
City West Falcons vs Boroondara Express**
* games broadcast live on Netball Victoria’s Facebook page.
** games broadcast live on Kommunity TV (access is free for existing Herald Sun subscribers).
VNL finals tickets can be purchased at the venue, with adult tickets $5 and $2 for children (16 & under).
