Tayla Honey, Sacha McDonald and Jordan Cransberg will all return to the Melbourne Vixens’ squad for 2021 alongside Victorian midcourter, Hannah Mundy, has also been named a training squad member.
Honey has been in the system since 2017 and made her long-awaited Vixens debut in round 2 of the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season earlier this year. Both Honey and McDonald travelled to Brisbane for the 13-week stint in the sporting hub, which ultimately saw them come home with a Premiership Trophy and medal.
While court time was hard to find in a star-studded attacking line -up, Honey says she still walked away with key learnings to take through to next season.
“This year was really special in a lot of ways and we obviously had a really impressive year on court – but that came from a lot of hard work behind the scenes and real strength and unity within our Vixens network, so it was really rewarding to come back to Victoria with a Championship win,” Honey said.
“I was really proud of my efforts when I did get my chances on court and the exposure I gained within the elite environment. But I think it was a year of learnings, and to experience just how resilient we all were as a team throughout such a disjointed season was really fulfilling. "
McDonald spent the year in the Queensland hub side-by-side retired Vixens stalwarts, Tegan Philip, and Caitlin Thwaites, absorbing as much knowledge as she could before they departed after the Championship win.
“For me, I learnt a lot about learning how to cope with challenges and living with other people and all the skills we’re faced with when we’re not at home in a regular season,” McDonald said.
“I learnt plenty of stuff on court, just experiencing training and match day and what we wouldn’t get back in Victoria in other years. I think off court was more important; we learnt a lot about ourselves.”
Having only just been elevated to a squad member earlier this year, 21-year-old midcourter, Jordan Cransberg is yet to get a taste of the elite environment, having spent the year back home in Victoria continuing her training schedule with only a squad of 14 travelling to the Queensland hub.
As a member of the victorious 2019 Victorian Fury side that took out the Deakin University Australian Netball League (DUANL) title last year, the fluid midcourter with a flair in attack has proven she has the skill and mental strength to success at top level. After rupturing her ACL in 2018, Cransberg put the time and effort into her recovery and is back fitter and stronger ahead of the new year.
Fellow 2019 Victorian Fury squad member, Hannah Mundy, also caught the eye of the Vixens coaches after a positive year of dedicated training back home in Victoria. Like Cransberg, Mundy was set to train with the Vixens squad after being named in the inaugural Vixens Academy earlier this year, but has since worked hard to maintain her motivation, skills, and fitness remotely.
The emerging midcourter has just finished the year at the 21/U Australian World Youth Cup squad training camp and will enter the Vixens preseason with plenty of enthusiasm.
Mundy, Cransberg, Honey and McDonald will join the rest of the Vixens squad when they return to training in mid-January.
