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A key in the club’s VNL reserves line-up and a training partner with the 23-and-unders, she made her 23-and-debut in the team’s 18-goal win over Gippsland Stars in round eight.<\/p>\n
She scored five goals in limited court time.<\/p>\n
McGee made BFNL grand final day her own in 2024, playing in two premierships for the Dragons, including 17-and-under, and was the best on court medallist in the B-reserve triumph over Gisborne.<\/p>\n
One of only a sprinkling of players in both junior squads without VNL ties, Strathfieldsaye’s Fennell’s selection capped an amazing 12 months of development with her elevation to the top 50.<\/p>\n
The Storm youngster, who is adept at playing at either end of the court, was a key member of the BFNL’s 17-and-under representative team that qualified for this season’s Association Championships in Melbourne.<\/p>\n
She has appeared for the Storm’s 17-and-under, A-reserve and A-grade teams this season.<\/p>\n
A talented dual-code athlete, Fennell represented Victoria Country at last year’s national basketball championships, held in Bendigo.<\/p>\n
She represented the Bendigo Braves in this year’s Victorian Youth League season.<\/p>\n
Affiliated with the Parkville Netball Centre, Gisborne goal shooter Phoebe Priest is another first-time top 50 state squad selection.<\/p>\n
A member of the Melbourne University Lightning Academy this season, she has been in sparkling form for the Bulldogs’ 17-and-under team in 2025.<\/p>\n
In a further boost for the region, McGee and Whiteacre are joined in the 19-and-under squad by their Bendigo Strikers-VNL clubmates Jorja Clode and Rose Byrne.<\/p>\n
Clode, who plays her country league netball with Wimmera league club Horsham Saints, was one of the keys behind the Strikers’ rise to 23-and-under division finalists this season.<\/p>\n
The 17-year-old goal shooter was the standout player in the Strikers’ elimination final loss to Geelong, scoring 42 of her team’s 52 goals, with just two misses on the night.<\/p>\n
Byrne, from Goulburn Valley league club Echuca, was a member of the Strikers’ emerging squad this season and also made her debut in the club’s VNL reserves team.<\/p>\n
She also captained the GV league’s 17-and-under interleague team this season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE strength of the BFNL’s netball competition has again been highlighted by the selection of four players in the top 100 of Victoria’s best netballers in the 17-and-under and 19-and-under age groups. Sandhurst’s 17-and-under premiership duo from last season Claire McGee and Harriett Whiteacre have been named in the final 50 players in the state […]<\/p>\n