Strikers hoping for happy homecoming

THE stakes could not be much higher as the Bendigo Strikers return to Red Energy Arena for their third and final home game of the 2025 VNL season on Sunday.

Eyeing off a top four spot ahead of finals, the Strikers can ill-afford to drop any of their four remaining games, starting with a tough test against North East Blaze.

While they will not play any of the current top four teams in the run to finals, coach Tracey Brereton knows there are more than just a few rivals intent on spoiling the Strikers’ best-laid plans in the meantime – the Blaze included.

“We’ve got four games left until finals and we really want to finish in the top four. That’s the goal,” she said.

“Top four would be a two-position improvement from last year, after finishing equal sixth.

“But obviously the first thing is to make finals, and number two is to finish as high as you can.

“I think the top six is nearly settled, it’s just the positioning of it.”

 

With ambitions of their own to make an impression come finals time, the Blaze will be an extremely tough test, according to Brereton.

The Strikers’ four-goal victory in round five was their first against the Blaze in their two seasons in the state’s premier netball competition and a breakthrough performance.

“Blaze have been playing some really good netball – they nearly knocked off the Express the other week, so they will be really hungry,” Brereton said.

“They’re always a team you need to be wary of and I’m sure they will be wanting to build some momentum ahead of finals.”

The Strikers will be coming off a 12-goal win over Peninsula Waves, achieved without star defender and reigning championship best and fairest Charlotte Sexton.

Her absence left the Strikers a little short in defence.

Now that the Super Netball Reserves season has finished, the Strikers can look forward to having Sexton, Ruby Turner, vice-captain Zoe Davies, Emma Walters and Teal Hocking back in the lineup on a more permanent basis.

Davies, Walters and Hocking, along with Strikers 23-and-under midcourter Mackenzie O’Dwyer, were part of the Mavs team, which played off in last Sunday’s grand final against West Coast Fever.

Brereton was pleased with most aspects of last week’s win over the Waves.

“While we were a bit short on height in the defensive circle, I’ve loved the way we have risen to the challenge,” she said.

 

“It’s obviously been tough for us with the Super Netball reserves program on.

“Not all the girls are at training and then you have a few injuries and people go away, so it’s been real challenging the last four or five weeks.

“But what I do love is we get there every Wednesday night, try and connect again and off we go.

“We had another blistering start against Waves and pushed the lead out to 20 at one stage.

“The only disappointing thing was we didn’t really continue on with it – we let them back in a bit.

“But I do continue to be impressed by the coachability of the girls. You give them something and they go and have a crack at it.”

A welcome presence the last three games following a month overseas, Gabe Richards was unstoppable under the post in a 54-goal performance at 92 per cent accuracy.

The Strikers will be aiming to shore up their record at Red Energy Arena, where they have won three of five matches over the last two seasons.

This season’s ledger stands at 1-1, courtesy of a convincing win over the Waves in round one, but with a loss to Hawks in round nine when missing plenty of key personnel.

“You’ve got to love playing at home. The girls get a real buzz out of it,” Brereton said.

“I know they’ll be keen to impress in front of their home supporters.”

In the curtain-raiser, the Strikers’ 23-and-unders will be looking to bounce back after a rare loss against the Waves. The Strikers kept their hold on third spot at 10-3-1, but will need a win to stave off the fourth-placed Hawks.

Standing in their way will be the top-of-the-ladder Blaze, who are undefeated, and beat the Strikers by 13 goals in round five.

Strikers v Blaze match times 23-and-under: 1.30pm Championship: 3pm