After exciting growth across all VNL and Development teams, the Wilson Storage Southern Saints are thrilled to announce their Open and 19 & Under playing groups for the 2020 season.
A hard-working brand of netball became the Saints standard in 2019. This focus has continued into the new year, strengthening their shared commitment to enhancing their game and striving to bring out each player’s strengths to grow success both on and off the court in 2020.
With outstanding retention of players in the Championship team, the Saints will see the court connections consolidated, with some added flare out there in the red, white and black each week. Elly Randall will return to the Saints after playing in Division 1 for Ariels last year, and is ready to step up to Champ, while Lorna Clark has been rewarded for her remarkable year in Division 1, earning both the title as Best & Fairest and now a spot in the Champ squad. The Champ side will be eyeing off a top four finish after finishing one game shy of finals in 2019, and will be hoping new recruits Alesina Toleafoa from the Casey Demons and Georgie Whittle from Ariels bring something new to the table.
Leading the Open squad as Championship Coach is Kate Gray. Kate moves into the role after a year as Assistant Coach which she balanced with her Australian Schoolgirls commitments. The Saints are also thrilled to announce the return of two Saints legends Meagan Dell and Leah Percy who join the Championship coaching team in 2020. Both Meagan and Leah are decorated Saints players amassing more than 150 Championship games between them, both exceptional leaders and outstanding coaches as Head Coach at Seaford FNC and Edithvale-Aspendale FNC respectively.
The Saints Division 1 team will see some key players return, fresh faces stepping up from 19/U and talented additions from the broader Saints netball family. Moving into the Division 1 Coach role is Matthew Cooke. He won the Outstanding Saints Clubperson of the Year award, after a sensational season taking the Saints 19/U team to the finals. Matt will be brilliantly supported by Saints player turned coach, Jackie Carroll, who will continue to provide voice, motivation and direction for Division 1 players.
The 19 & Under team will return positive in 2020 after a successful campaign in 2019, finishing fourth before bowing out by only five goals in the semi-final to Geelong Cougars. Further depth will be added to the squad with Holly Garac moving from Peninsula Waves, Matisse Stynes from Boroondara Express and Grace Valele from Geelong Cougars.
It seems it could be the year of 50 game milestones for 19/U Saints, Caitlin Cooke (42 games) and Alana McGurgan (32 games), while Division One’s Sarah Matthews (33 games) will be hoping to hit 50 by the end of the season too.
The Saints aligned with St Kilda Football Club as an official Community Partner midway through 2019 and will continue the partnership throughout 2020. St Kilda highlighted community engagement was a key part of their plan in Melbourne’s southern region, are were delighted to present 50 players with St Kilda memberships.
The Saints will face Ariels in their Round 1 home game on Friday 27 March at Mentone Grammar.
