The Melbourne Vixens were strong contenders throughout the 2023 season. They experienced it all from breathtakingly close wins to heartbreaking losses.
The Vixens’ rollercoaster of a season fell short of their achievements in 2022 with the side losing the minor semi final to rivals the West Coast Fever.
The Vixens finished the home-and-away season in fourth place with eight wins and six losses. The side convincingly made finals two matches clear of the fifth placed Sunshine Coast Lightning, however, struggled to consistently find their best form throughout the season.
BEST WIN
The Vixens had a handful of close wins throughout the year and enjoyed a 21-goal win over eventual premiers the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
However, it was their Round 8 victory against the Fever that held the most weight. It was the win that had escaped them and been in the back of Vixens’ fan’s minds since the 2022 Grand Final loss.
The Vixens learned their lessons from earlier clashes with the Fever and spurred on by a home crowd came out firing to win the first quarter by two goals.
The Vixens put some of their best netball on show in Round 8.Kate Eddy was a rock through the midcourt, shutting down Fever’s attacking plays and disrupting their flow with three gains throughout the match.
However, it was Kiera Austin who remained calm and collected after the Fever surged neck-and-neck with the Vixens. Austin slotted the match-winning two-point shot in the game’s final moments sending John Cain Arena into a frenzy.
GAMECHANGER
The Melbourne Vixens are stacked with players all capable of being gamechangers on any given day, however, it was Kiera Austin who stood tall throughout the season.
Not only did she slot the match-winner against the Fever in Round 8 but she nailed it again in Round 9 against the Lightning.
She was a playmaker weaving her way around the court to draw opponents and leave Mwai Kumwenda free in the goal circle throughout the season.
With the skills to also play wing attack, Austin’s movements on the court kept defenders guessing.
Speaking of defence Austin tallied 22 gains throughout the season to showcase her all round skillset.
FOCUS AREA
The Vixens will need to improve their consistency if they want to play finals again next season. They had moments of brilliance but relied on the Super Shot to close out matches.
The Vixens will need to find more consistency in season 2024.The midcourt leadership of Kate Moloney and Liz Watson is strong with the duo’s connection continuing to get stronger each season. Assuming they stick together for 2024 the Vixens might look to make a change in their defensive or shooting end.
Sophie Garbin would be a strong option as a shooter, her partnership with Kiera Austin shining throughout the Netball World Cup with Garbin slotting the most goals of any Australian shooter in Cape Town. The partnership has plenty of potential to grow so why not take advantage of that in a Suncorp Super Netball environment and keep Garbin in Melbourne?
On the flipside a shake up to the defensive end could be interesting for the Vixens. None of the Vixens defenders were among 2023’s top five for intercepts, rebounds or deflections, highlighting a lack of x-factor in their defensive set up.
Swifts defender Sarah Klau could be a good target for the team with her connection to Jo Weston in an Origin Diamonds environment. Klau also ranks third highest for deflections and fifth for rebounds in the Suncorp Super Netball League.
Alternatively, the Vixens could look to try and poach international talent. Young English Rose Funmi Fadoju would be a good target for many clubs, however, the 21-year-old might want to further develop her craft at home before committing to a big move.
