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McKenzie plays in Golden City\u2019s grade 6 development squad with Ruby Kelly, who said Bendigo hosting the netball is a big deal for the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it will be a big achievement for Bendigo itself just to have something so big,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be really cool to see netballers that have been successful playing where I play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Players in the team will be 15 and 16 years old when the Commonwealth Games roll into town, and coach Rachel Thompson said it\u2019s important to be able to see pathways in the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cA Comm Games coming regional is really something for the kids to get up close and personal,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really does raise the level of participation; I think it\u2019s an opportunity to do that. They get to see who they follow, and the Aussie Diamonds, play right here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bendigo has a history of producing netball talent, including Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Melbourne Vixen premiership player Caitlin Thwaites.<\/p>\n
Red Energy Arena, formally known as Bendigo Stadium, hosted a Super Netball game between Collingwood Magpies and West Coast Fever in 2019 and a spokesperson for the stadium said the facility is well prepared to host the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had some awesome netball games in the past and we\u2019re keen to host more in our arena,\u201d the spokesperson said. \u201cHopefully we\u2019ll have a few more events like that in the pipeline.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IN just under four years, the Australian Diamonds will be in Bendigo defending their recently won Commonwealth Games gold medal. Netball is one of seven sports that will be contested in the Bendigo hub for the 2026 Games, alongside lawn balls, T20 cricket, para powerlifting, weightlifting, squash, and cycling. Red Energy Arena will play host […]<\/p>\n