Colac midcourter lands Vixens contract

COLAC will attempt to achieve its third-straight Geelong Netball League (GNL) premiership in 2024 without one of its elite midcourters.

Tigers gun Zara Walters was announced in December as the final member of this year’s Melbourne Vixens line-up as part of the coming Suncorp Super Netball season.

A product of the Victorian pathway and a Victorian Fury debutant at the Australian Netball Championships last August, the 20-year-old has been a key cog in Colac’s GNL dominance over the past two seasons.

“I am extremely grateful and excited to be a part of the Vixens in 2024,” Walters said.

“It’s a dream come true to be mentored by some of the best netballers in the world and play alongside them.

“I can’t wait to make the most of this opportunity and am looking forward to a successful year with the Vixens.”

Walters impressed at last year’s national championships, leading the competition for feeds, and earning selection in the Australian Under 21 squad.

She has also been a member of the Geelong Cougars’, the region’s representative squad, since 2019.

“Zara’s contract with Vixens is great recognition for her hard work and improvement in VNL this year, and also her outstanding performance at ANC,” Cougars head coach Gerard Murphy said.

“She will slot in well to the Vixens’ hard work ethic and culture.”

Fellow Cougars coach and Geelong Amateur head coach in the Bellarine Netball League Mel Savage agreed.

“The growth and maturity in her game over these past 12 months has been exceptional,” Savage said.

“She leads by example with her work ethic at training and fierce competitive nature on court.

“An extraordinary person on and off the court, we are all incredibly proud of Zara’s achievements.”

Walters’ first chance to take the Super Netball court will be Round 1 on April 14 against the league’s newest side Melbourne Mavericks at John Cain Arena.