City West Falcons’ star Uneeq Palavi has earned her first full time SSN contract after being elevated by the Melbourne Mavericks.
A training partner the past two years, Palavi has been named as one of 10 contracted athletes for the 2026 season.
After joining the Mavs family during the club’s inaugural year as a training partner, Palavi made her SSN debut with the New South Wales Swifts in 2024, when the team were looking for a shooter as a temporary replacement player.
Palavi returned to Melbourne and the Mavs as a training partner in 2025, and ended up being named in the playing squad of 10 for all 14 Mavs games, as a TRP for injured English international, Eleanor Cardwell.
Palavi officially gained her Mavs wings when she threw her first ball for the Mavs in round one of the 2025 season, and quickly showed the SSN world just what she can do.
The 23-year-old has worked effortlessly to assert herself as a leading athlete in the world’s top netball league, shooting 37 Super Shots across the 13 games she took to the court in the 2025 season – the equal fifth highest tally in the League.
The Melbourne-born Tongan-international is also a force on the world netball circuit, having played 51 Tests for Tonga.
She has been part of the City West Falcons pathway for a number of years. She didn’t play a Victorian Netball League game this season due to SSN commitments.
Palavi said she’s really exciting to solidify her position with the team.
“The girls, the coaches and the fans have absolutely wrapped their arms around me throughout the last season in particular, and it’s been the most welcoming environment to really hone in on my game. I can’t wait to continue to work with the team and see what we can achieve in 2026.”
