Vixens to exploit home comforts in netball grand final
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis is urging her side to stay hungry as they prepare to take on a formidable West Coast outfit on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena.
The Vixens booked their spot in the decider with a stirring comeback over the NSW Swifts, turning around a 10-goal deficit at the final change to win by one in the dying seconds.
West Coast finished on top of the table but McKinnis's side avoid the RAC Arena fortress thanks to Super Netball's controversial policy of selling hosting rights for the decider.
A hostile environment at RAC Arena went a long way towards helping West Coast undermine top-two side NSW, with the Fever pulling off a 77-45 semi-final mauling.
McKinnis won't let her side become too carried away, given the Vixens' season almost ended when the Swifts powered to a 51-41 lead at three quarter-time.
"We lacked a bit of dynamic movement and punch and attack at times," McKinnis said.
"When changing in the defensive structures, we didn't adapt well all the time.
"We've got to take what we have to out of this because up against a Fever, you don't get a second chance or a look.
"They don't give you much chance."
Vixens captain Kate Moloney, who played in the club's 2020 grand final win at Brisbane venue Nissan Arena during COVID-19, can only imagine the bonus of creating a fortress for a decider.
"It hasn't quite sunk in. That game, just the fight that we showed, I'm pretty exhausted right now," Moloney said.
"It's amazing that we get to have (a grand final) at home.
"The last grand final that we won was in a hub, and we didn't get to share that with our Melbourne Vixens fans.
"They've been with us this whole time. They've sold out John Cain Arena each week.
"It's an amazing reward for them as well, that we get to go home and we get the opportunity to hopefully go all the way."
The NSW Swifts were left lamenting what could've been after suffering straight-sets finals exits.
"We probably just looked a bit too far ahead today," Swifts co-captain Maddy Turner said.
"We probably saw ourselves already like, that foot in the grand final at three-quarter time, so again, another learning."
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Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
From finals longshots to champions: Why Vixens' win was a triumph for Australian netball
'You'd be hard pressed to beat it,' McMahon said. Melbourne finished fourth on the ladder and were underdog finalists, but they pipped the red-hot favourites 59-58 in front of a boisterous and energetic crowd of 15,013. It was also the farewell moment for Vixens coach Simone McKinnis, who had already announced her resignation after 13 years at the helm. On Sunday morning at the spiritual home of netball in Melbourne, Royal Park, the Vixens, slightly bleary-eyed, happily signed autographs and posed for photos with their loyal fans. It was a far cry from earlier in the season, when their campaign was in peril with a 2-4 win-loss record. Vixens captain Kate Moloney knew the odds were stacked against them, but they never gave up. 'I got told there was a stat that it was a 14 per cent chance we could finish fourth at that stage after around six,' Moloney said on Sunday. 'Pretty incredible that we're able to get on a good run and got ourselves in the top four. And once you're there, anything's possible. 'The group just fought every week. We had challenges week in, week out, to make sure that we could get to this grand final. But I think it really match-hardened us.' The magnitude of what the Vixens achieved took a moment to dawn on McKinnis. 'I think maybe I was in a little bit of shock because you know it's there in the distance … and you know that that's what you're after, but you're never really thinking about it,' McKinnis said on Sunday. McMahon, who led the Vixens to the 2009 title, and now serves as netball's high-performance chief in Victoria, said: 'I'm just incredibly proud of this team and what they've been able to achieve this year. 'To have a start like we had, backs against the wall, and be able to fight our way out of that situation and find ourselves holding up the trophy at the end of the season is a great testament to their resilience and just their drive and passion.' The drama of the finals series and the sold-out grand final crowd was a landmark moment for a sport that was dogged by an ugly pay dispute in 2023, which was eventually resolved when a collective agreement was signed that included players sharing revenue with Netball Australia for the first time. Loading And only two months ago, Netball Australia announced it had entered a three-year broadcast deal with Whoopi Goldberg's All Women's Sports Network (AWSN) that will expose Australian netball to more than 65 countries. 'There's been a lot of work done behind the scenes over the last 18 months to two years,' Ellis said. 'I think a lot of the credit has to go to our CEO Stacey West, who came in at a particularly difficult moment for the sport, and she steadied the ship. 'We've got a great story to tell. The story that was told a couple of years ago ... probably wasn't great. That's not to say that everything's perfect [now, but] there is an awful lot of work going on behind the scenes. 'I keep saying to everyone 'let's not carried away, there's still plenty to do in the next 18 months to make sure that we put our game on the best footing possible for the next 10 years'. 'Certainly, it would be nice to ... look at last night and put the line in the sand, and say, 'right now, all eyes towards the future, we are telling a story of optimism and growth and excitement'.'
The Age
7 hours ago
- The Age
From finals longshots to champions: Why Vixens' win was a triumph for Australian netball
'You'd be hard pressed to beat it,' McMahon said. Melbourne finished fourth on the ladder and were underdog finalists, but they pipped the red-hot favourites 59-58 in front of a boisterous and energetic crowd of 15,013. It was also the farewell moment for Vixens coach Simone McKinnis, who had already announced her resignation after 13 years at the helm. On Sunday morning at the spiritual home of netball in Melbourne, Royal Park, the Vixens, slightly bleary-eyed, happily signed autographs and posed for photos with their loyal fans. It was a far cry from earlier in the season, when their campaign was in peril with a 2-4 win-loss record. Vixens captain Kate Moloney knew the odds were stacked against them, but they never gave up. 'I got told there was a stat that it was a 14 per cent chance we could finish fourth at that stage after around six,' Moloney said on Sunday. 'Pretty incredible that we're able to get on a good run and got ourselves in the top four. And once you're there, anything's possible. 'The group just fought every week. We had challenges week in, week out, to make sure that we could get to this grand final. But I think it really match-hardened us.' The magnitude of what the Vixens achieved took a moment to dawn on McKinnis. 'I think maybe I was in a little bit of shock because you know it's there in the distance … and you know that that's what you're after, but you're never really thinking about it,' McKinnis said on Sunday. McMahon, who led the Vixens to the 2009 title, and now serves as netball's high-performance chief in Victoria, said: 'I'm just incredibly proud of this team and what they've been able to achieve this year. 'To have a start like we had, backs against the wall, and be able to fight our way out of that situation and find ourselves holding up the trophy at the end of the season is a great testament to their resilience and just their drive and passion.' The drama of the finals series and the sold-out grand final crowd was a landmark moment for a sport that was dogged by an ugly pay dispute in 2023, which was eventually resolved when a collective agreement was signed that included players sharing revenue with Netball Australia for the first time. Loading And only two months ago, Netball Australia announced it had entered a three-year broadcast deal with Whoopi Goldberg's All Women's Sports Network (AWSN) that will expose Australian netball to more than 65 countries. 'There's been a lot of work done behind the scenes over the last 18 months to two years,' Ellis said. 'I think a lot of the credit has to go to our CEO Stacey West, who came in at a particularly difficult moment for the sport, and she steadied the ship. 'We've got a great story to tell. The story that was told a couple of years ago ... probably wasn't great. That's not to say that everything's perfect [now, but] there is an awful lot of work going on behind the scenes. 'I keep saying to everyone 'let's not carried away, there's still plenty to do in the next 18 months to make sure that we put our game on the best footing possible for the next 10 years'. 'Certainly, it would be nice to ... look at last night and put the line in the sand, and say, 'right now, all eyes towards the future, we are telling a story of optimism and growth and excitement'.'
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- The Advertiser
From mancave to masterpiece: writer honours cricket's golden age
Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield. But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out. "A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said. Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper. Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name. "It really captured my imagination," he said. "It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual." When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing. "When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said. "I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s." Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars. "He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said. "After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety." Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket. "If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said. "I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost." With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project. "Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said. "I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot." Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield. But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out. "A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said. Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper. Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name. "It really captured my imagination," he said. "It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual." When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing. "When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said. "I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s." Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars. "He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said. "After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety." Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket. "If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said. "I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost." With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project. "Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said. "I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot." Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield. But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out. "A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said. Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper. Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name. "It really captured my imagination," he said. "It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual." When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing. "When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said. "I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s." Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars. "He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said. "After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety." Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket. "If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said. "I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost." With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project. "Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said. "I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot." Everyone remembers Bodyline. But fewer people remember the man who caught Harold Larwood's short-pitched delivery right in the skull: Bert Oldfield. But, a former journalist and police officer from Surf Beach on the NSW south coast, Gavin Gleeson, thinks his name should ring out. "A lot of lesser cricketers, with all respect to them, have books written about them, but I found that Oldfield's story was quite exceptional and it had never really been touched," he said. Taking up that challenge, Gavin wrote Bodyline Casualty, a new book from Ginninderra that uncovers the almost-forgotten history of an extraordinary wicket-keeper. Gavin's fascination with the Bodyline saga during Britain's 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia was triggered by the ABC's series of the same name. "It really captured my imagination," he said. "It sparked an off-field conflict and even diplomatic issues between Australia and England, but what interested me was the dramatic flashpoint of what happened, and I just wanted to focus in on the individual." When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, Gavin retreated to his man-cave, where, surrounded by stacks of cricket memorabilia, he began typing. "When you've got that Microsoft Word document open and there's nothing there, you can do anything from that point on," Gavin said. "I was writing a thousand words a day, for 12 hours a day, listening to Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, and I was back in the 1930s." Besides his sterling cricket career (Oldfield still retains the record for most stumpings), Oldfield also served in both World Wars. "He only played two first-grade matches and then the First World War happened, so he, as soon as he was able to at the age of 21, enlisted and was deployed overseas," Gavin said. "After he retired from cricket, he re-enlisted for the Second World War and was in it for the entirety." Part of Gavin's appreciation of Oldfield comes down to his reverence for what he sees as the golden age of cricket. "If you love current cricket, the worst thing you can do is write a historical book on cricket," he said. "I still watch cricket, but my love for the modern game is not like it was because you can see how much we've lost." With Bodyline Casualty out now, Gavin's already thinking about his next project. "Jack Gregory retired to Narooma, and he was a very interesting guy. He didn't wear gloves, didn't wear a groin protector, and he was a modern-style all-rounder," he said. "I'm thinking because I'm down the South Coast and I love it, I might do that because, you know, I'm in the right spot."
