Down to business: Amy Parmenter

By Stephanie Smarrelli 
 
2024 was always going to be a challenge for the Melbourne Mavericks. 
 
As the new kids on the block, they only had a few months to create the club, put together a team, hire staff, build their values alongside the team’s connections on and off the court. 

Each player knew what they were signing up for when they chose to be trailblazers for Melbourne’s newest team, but they never could have predicted just how challenging it would be. 

The team was rocked by two shattering injury blows before the season began with Sasha Glasgow suffering a horrific leg fracture during a preseason game before Lauren Parkinson (nee Moore) did her ACL on the eve of the season. 
 
“2024 was built on a lot of resilience and winging it,” said Amy Parmenter.  
 
The Mavericks inaugural captain reflected on the side’s first season, able to find the positives from the ‘rollercoaster’ of a year. 
 
“I was proud of the netball we put out considering everything we went through,” she said. 

“It sets us up for success in the future because I don't know if it can get much tougher than last season.” 

The 27-year-old praised her teammates for continuing to roll with the punches. 
 
“Losing Loz and Sash was devastating especially when it was such a new group,” she said. 
 
“One of the good things about the bunch of girls we have is that none of us have just walked through our careers. 
 
“There was already a lot of resilience amongst the girls, and while Sasha and Lauren couldn't play this year they brought so much to the group off the court and are a reason why we were able to have some success on the court.” 

While it would’ve been easy for the Mavericks to take their foot off the accelerator before the season even began, one key figure squashed all excuses from the team. 

"Tracey did not accept adversity and how tough it was as a reason we lost,” Parmenter said of head coach Tracey Neville. 
 
“She expected so much of us and wasn't willing to let the challenges be an excuse. 

“Tracey believed in every single person who was on the court, they had a job to do and that really helped to not let everything get on top of us, it really kept us pushing to be a successful club.” 

Neville has been open about her meticulous approach to recruiting players, a vision Parmenter has seen come to life over the past year. 

"She has a very clear vision of the type of netball she wants the Mavericks to play, and she has tons of players who will do that,” Parmenter said.  

“It's the same with Richo (Nicole Richardson, Mavericks assistant coach) in the defence end, she really wants to play a dynamic connected style that relies on flying and feeling so they've picked a set of defenders who are extremely athletic and super agile.” 
 
There was one Maverick defender who stood out the most for Parmenter in 2024, racking up 20 intercepts and 53 deflections. 
 
“I've grown up playing with Kim Jenner and I've always believed she is an incredible defender,” she said. 
 
“To see her grow week in, week out and have the confidence to play 60 minutes after coming from Fever in more of an impact role she owned the goal defence bib and every week she got better and was thriving under Richo’s coaching. 
 
"Coming back into preseason, I have seen such growth in her confidence. I would keep an eye on her over the next few years because she has much more to grow and give.”  

Touching on her injured teammates, Parmenter is excited to see them return to the court in 2025. 
 
“Sasha’s career has been filled with such highs and lows, I don't know anyone as resilient as her,” she said. 

“Sasha’s going through this rehab with so much positivity, she's putting in the work to get out there and I can tell all she wants to do is to be playing netball. 

“She’s looking good, she’s back on court starting to get into netball specific drills and she’ll be training with the team very soon and Loz isn’t too far behind. 

“For both making the move to the Mavericks was huge, it was a scary decision to leave clubs where they were getting consistent court time, and in their happy place in terms of where they were living. For them to then have these injuries happen and have that opportunity to be a part of the inaugural team on court go away was really devastating for everyone, but especially for those two. 

“When they finally get their Mavericks debut, it's going to be emotional.” 
 
The Mavericks’ goal for 2025 is a simple one. 

“Growing on what we started to develop last year,” Parmenter said. 

“We barely had a name, a team or a uniform at this point last year, we already feel we're miles ahead from 12 months ago.” 
 
The captain is confident the Mavs’ have the side to go all the way. 

“Shimona’s in the team, we've got versatility, especially in attack,” she said. 
 
“We’re building on connections, relationships and playing a style of netball that's super dynamic, different and unpredictable.  

"Our sights are on finals and pushing far into that Final Series, we want a premiership.”  

And with the 2025 Grand Final in Melbourne, the Mavericks have an extra reason to fight. 

"Playing the Grand Final in Melbourne would be huge to help us achieve our goal of growing the Mavs’ fan base,” Parmenter said. 
 
With the Mavericks fighting against the more established Vixens for fans in Melbourne, Parmenter believes the cross-town rivals are their biggest competition. 
 
“We really want to beat the Vixens,” she said. 

“It's always an exciting game, they’re such a talented group of athletes and that's a big goal of ours. 
 
“But with such limited spots and so much talent in Australia, every team is a challenge and the way the teams have recruited for 2025 is only going to increase the challenge.”  

Parmenter's key focus going forwards is to win a premiership with the Mavs but there’s one thing she wants to do above all else. 

"I want to continue building a club that is true to its values and super successful,” she said. 

“I have had a huge year of learning under Richo and Tracey’s coaching and there was a lot of things that took a bit of a back foot that I'm ready to step up into again and to try to bring together all the parts of my netball on and off the court.”