There is a real City West Falcons flavour to the Collingwood Magpies team for the Australian Netball Championships.
The championships, which replace Australian Netball League, will see teams from across Australia compete for the title in August in Traralgon, after the Victorian Netball League season is over.
It’s the first time the Magpies will have a standalone team having formerly been in a partnership with Tasmania. The competition hasn’t been played since 2019, due to COVID-19.
The teams comprise of players who were part of Suncorp Super Netball sides, SSN training partners along with emerging talent.
Former SSN Maggie Lind will be back in Magpies colours as part of the ANC. The City West Falcons gun was part of the SSN squad for 2022, but hasn’t received a new contract.
Fellow Falcons Zoe Davies and Montana Holmes, who were Collingwood training partners this year, are part of the ANC squad with the rest of the training partners.
Falcons coach Marg Lind will coach the Collingwood side at the ANC.
Falcons shooters Jane Cook and Uneeq Palavi, who both played in the old ANL competition, are also part of the Magpies squad.
Three more Falcons, Maddie Gray, Achel Yout and Sarah Szczykulski, have been named training partners for the squad.
Lind said she is impressed by the talent secured for the inaugural ANC event.
“The Magpies ANC squad is a high energy, diverse group of athletes,” she said. “There is a good blend of youth and experience, and some strong connections already formed.
“This should provide a great foundation for a competitive Magpies team in the Australian Netball Championships.”
Victorian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association (VMMNA) head coach Guy Keane will provide a valuable addition to the group, stepping in as assistant coach.
Collingwood will help host the tournament that is played across one week, unlike the weekly format it was under the old ANL.
