Jo Briskey (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

A 10-goal deficit, a vocal away crowd and history stand between the Melbourne Vixens and their place in this weekend's Super Netball grand final. Last Sunday, we witnessed a stunning fourth-quarter comeback as the Vixens put on a clinical performance to defeat the New South Wales Swifts by a single goal in the preliminary final. Not since 2018 has a team finished fourth on the ladder and progressed to the Super Netball grand final. Despite the odds, the Vixens came out on top. It should not have come as a surprise. The Vixens have won three of the past five preliminary finals, each by a goal, and will now face off in their fourth grand final.

Despite the rise of other sporting codes, netball remains the most popular female sport in Victoria, and the Vixens are one of the many jewels in our state's sporting crown. Since their establishment in 2007, the Vixens have competed in two competitions, making the finals in 12 out of 17 seasons, and have featured 22 Australian Diamonds, with five currently on their list. They are the standard-bearers for sporting excellence and are an inspiration to young girls and women in my electorate of Maribyrnong and the wider Victorian community.

This weekend, I, like so many Victorians, will be proudly cheering on the Vixens to lift the cup for the first time since 2020. Go, Vixens!

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