Tara Murray
The City West Falcons are throwing the combinations around as they look to prepare for all situations in the Victorian Netball League championship season.
Last season’s premiers have kept a large chunk of the premiership team, but have added some key pieces and will have a new look defence.
Throw in some uncertainty about whether any of their shooters will get called up to fill two Suncorp Super Netball vacancies, it’s been a busy few weeks for the Falcons.
Falcons coach Marg Lind said there was still a lot of unknown about this season, which has a new-look competition.
“We’ve been pretty busy with match play and getting a bit more structure,” she said.
“It’s hard to say [where we’re at], it’s different to see so many new faces.
“I thought we were well prepared.”
The biggest unknown for the Falcons at the moment, is whether any of their shooters will get call ups to the top competition.
The Melbourne Vixens have a shooting spot open with Mwai Kumwenda announcing her pregnancy, while Mavericks goaler Sasha Glasgow, broke her leg in a practice match.
Falcons recruit Shimona Jok [nee Nelson] and Uneeq Palavi are both training partners for the new Mavericks Super Netball side.
Jok spent five seasons with the former Collingwood side and was one of the Super Netball’s top shooters.
Lind said they and the players were unsure what was happening at the moment and whether they would get the opportunity to step up.
“We signed an extra shooter in Genna Ogier as we new Maddy Gray was pregnant last year,” she said.
“In hindsight it’s a really good decision.”
Lind said Jok had fitted in really well and was enjoying the opportunity to play some goal attack out the front of Jane Cook.
Defensively it will be a slightly different looking defence.
Sui Sui ? has joined the club while Melissa? Has returned after 12 months off with a knee injury.
“We’ve got options with Achel Yout in the under-23s who has been doing some match play, we’re keeping an options open
“Sussu Liai has been a good pick up and Melissa Oloamanu and Lucia Fauonuku are a tried combination. Sophie Hanrahan has a bit more confidence after last year.”
Lind said they had been trying Fauonuku in goal defence not just in the midcourt with Chelsea Imanisani stepping up, while Maggie Lind had been playing a bit more centre in the pre-season.
Lind said their under-23 side would be an unknown quantity, with that age group playing for the first time this season.
Lind said they would get a better idea of where they sit with both sides the first month of the season.
“We generally don’t start well,” she said. “As a club we didn’t perform until round four or five. We normally don’t do as much match play, so we fire at the right time of the season.
“We have some tough ones first up. We’ll have to start better than last year.”
