Melbourne Vixens

History

ANZ Championship

Between 2008 and 2016, Vixens played in the ANZ Championship. Vixens were formed in late 2007 when Netball Victoria merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels, in order to enter a single team in the 2008 ANZ Championship. During the ANZ Championship era, Vixens won two premierships, in 2009 and 2014. In 2009, with a team co-captained by Bianca Chatfield and Sharelle McMahon, Vixens won 12 of their 13 matches during the regular season and finished as minor premiers. Vixens subsequently defeated Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 58–43 in the major semi-final and Adelaide Thunderbirds 54–46 in the grand final to finish as overall champions.

In 2012, with a team captained by Bianca Chatfield, and featuring Madison Browne, Julie Corletto and Geva Mentor, Vixens finished the season as minor premiers. In the major semi-final they defeated Northern Mystics 56–50. This was the first ever netball match held at Rod Laver Arena. However they lost the grand final 41–38 to Magic and finished the season as runners-up.

In 2014, with a team coached by Simone McKinnis, captained by Bianca Chatfield and also featuring Tegan Caldwell, Geva Mentor, Madison Browne and the veteran Catherine Cox, Vixens won both the minor premiership and the overall championship. Vixens defeated Queensland Firebirds in both the major semi-final and the grand final as they won their second premiership.

;Season results

Super Netball

Since 2017, Vixens have represented Netball Victoria in Super Netball. With a team coached by Simone McKinnis and captained by Kate Moloney, Vixens finished the inaugural season as minor premiers. However they subsequently lost both the major semi-final and preliminary final during the Finals Series and finished third overall. Four Vixens players – Mwai Kumwenda, Tegan Philip, Liz Watson and Jo Weston were named in the 2017 Team of the Year.

In 2020, with a team coached again by Simone McKinnis and co-captained by Kate Moloney and Liz Watson, Vixens finished the season as both minor premiers and overall champions. In the Grand Final they defeated West Coast Fever 66–64.

Following its championship win in 2020, the Vixens struggled in 2021, finishing last and claiming the wooden spoon for the first time in club history.

Vixens dominated the 2022 regular season before a shock defeat in the major semi-final by the West Coast Fever forced them to reach the Grand Final by winning the preliminary final, winning against GIANTS Netball 55-54. The club was unable to beat the Fever in the Grand Final, losing 70-59 and walking away runners-up.

Vixens began the 2023 season well, sitting in 2nd position on the ladder after Round 10 with a 7-3 record. They then lost 3 of their next 4 matches to finish the regular season with an 8-6 record, qualifying for the finals series as the 4th seed. They lost the minor semi-final to the West Coast Fever 57-64, eliminating them from the finals.

The Vixens sat inside the top 2 of the Suncorp Super Netball ladder for the majority of the 2024 regular season, spending a few weeks as the number 1 seed before finishing the season with an 11-3 record, in second place. They lost the major semi-final to the Adelaide Thunderbirds by 25 goals, 43-68, in what was the second largest defeat for a team in a major semi-final. Vixens then beat the Fever 73-72 in the preliminary final, advancing to the Grand Final. The club was unable to beat the Thunderbirds in the Grand Final, losing 57-59 and walking away as the runners up for the second time in three seasons.

The Vixens had a slow start to the 2025 season, sitting in 6th position with a 2-4 record at the conclusion of their Round 6 match against the Sunshine Coast Lightning, where they lost 50-62. After this match, coach Simone McKinnis announced she would be stepping down as coach of the Vixens at the conclusion of the season. When asked how her side could turn their season around, McKinnis famously stated in her post-match press conference that the Vixens needed to "go to the pub". After this remark, the Vixens went on a 6-2 run to finish the season, including a five match winning streak, to qualify for the finals series as the 4th seed, with an 8-6 record. They beat the Thunderbirds 58-56 in Adelaide, breaking a streak of 5 consecutive losses against the Thunderbirds in Adelaide. They then beat the 2nd placed New South Wales Swifts 66-65 in Sydney, erasing a 10 point deficit at three quarter time to advance to the Grand Final at Rod Laver Arena. In the Grand Final, the Vixens defeated the West Coast Fever 59-58, in front of a record crowd of 15,013 spectators. The Vixens claimed their second Suncorp Super Netball premiership and their 4th national league title overall, becoming only the second team to win a SSN premiership from 4th on the ladder.

;Season results

Grand finals

;ANZ Championship

;Super Netball

Home venues

Vixens main home venue has been John Cain Arena. Between 2008 and 2011 they also played some home games at the State Netball Hockey Centre. Since 2015, Margaret Court Arena has replaced the SNHC as Vixens secondary venue.

;Notes

• Previously known as Vodafone Arena, Hisense Arena and Melbourne Arena

Current and notable players

2026 squad

Internationals

;

;

• Karyn Bailey
• Johannah Curran
• Carla Dziwoki
• Amy Steel
• Hannah Mundy ;
• Ama Agbeze
• Geva Mentor
• Abby Sargent ;
• Kadie-Ann Dehaney ;
• Mwai Kumwenda ;
• Ine-Marí Venter

Captains

Award winners

Australian Netball Awards

;Liz Ellis Diamond

Source:

;Australian ANZ Championship Player of the Year

Super Netball

;SSN Grand Final MVP

;SSN Team of the Year

ANZ Championship

;ANZ Championship MVP

;Notes

• In 2016 Madison Browne was the MVP player in the Australian Conference and Jhaniele Fowler was the MVP player in the New Zealand Conference.

;ANZ Championship Grand Final MVP

Source:

;ANZ Championship All Stars

Vixens Awards

;Sharelle McMahon Medal Since 2014 the Vixens' most valuable player of season award has been known as the Sharelle McMahon Medal.

Source: ;Coaches' Award

Source: ;Player of the Finals ;

; Source: ;Rookie of the Year

Source: ;Excellence in Sport and Life Award

Source:

Head coaches

Netball Australia Joyce Browne Coach of the Year Award

Team song

Source:

Victorian Fury

Main article: Victorian Fury

Victorian Fury are the reserve team of Melbourne Vixens. They play in the Australian Netball League. Fury are the most successful team in the ANL, winning their eighth premiership in 2019.

Premierships

• Super Netball
  • Winners: 2020, 2025
  • Runners Up: 2022, 2024
  • Minor Premierships: 2017, 2020, 2022
• ANZ Championship
  • Winners: 2009, 2014
  • Runners Up: 2012
  • Minor Premierships: 2009, 2012, 2014

References

References

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