From underage national championships to the national netball league, it is always a strong contest.
The Melbourne Vixens and NSW Swifts rivalry will reignite this Sunday afternoon, as they play for one hand on the Sargeant-McKinnis Cup.
The Sargeant-McKinnis Cup is named after netball legends Anne Sargeant and Simone McKinnis OAM. Anne Sargeant is a stalwart of New South Wales and Australian netball – she represented Australia between 1978 and 1988, including captaining Australia for six years. Melbourne Vixens head coach Simone McKinnis garnered 63 caps for Australia and has been at the helm of the Vixens since 2012.
First introduced in 2004 during the National Netball League, the Sydney Swifts, Hunter Jaegers, Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels competed for the trophy, with NSW taking home the silverware from 2004 to 2006 and Victoria winning in 2007.
The trophy is decided by the aggregate winner of the two NSW Swifts versus Melbourne Vixens regular matches during the Trans-Tasman Netball League and Suncorp Super Netball.
Vixens vice-captain Tegan Philip said the cup has a special meaning for her team. “I remember when I first started how the girls would talk about the rivalry against Swifts, how every time we came up against them it was a really tough battle.
“In my first few years they were winning consistently. It was always one of the hardest games that we as Vixens had to come up against.
“I think that we have come a long way from there, and we can definitely take it to the Swifts.
“The fact that the cup is named after our coach, it’s a little bit more important to us now. We need to make sure we keep it down in Melbourne,” Philip said.
Both teams registered thrilling one-goal wins in the opening round and will be looking to continue their strong form. The Vixens will go into the match prepared for a plucky Swifts side.
“The Swifts will be up and about and ready to go,” said Philip. “We have to be prepared for that. I think that they will come out firing. They have showed that they have a variety of players that they can put onto court and perform successfully.
“It will certainly be a tough match and we’ll have to come with our A-game.”
The NSW Swifts have taken home the trophy in seven out of ten years.
Sargeant-McKinnis Cup History
2017 – Vixens win
2016 – Swifts win
2015 – Swifts win
2014 – Vixens win
2013 – Swifts win
2012 – Swifts win
2011 – Swifts win
2010 – Swifts win
2009 – Vixens win
2008 – Swifts win
