Team Named for Ballarat Blitz
The GIANTS are Ballarat bound as they prepare to do battle in two big pre-season clashes as part of the Melbourne Vixen’s annual Ballarat Blitz.
The third stop on their pre-season itinerary following their trip to Tasmania in December and their Riverina Road trip earlier this month, the GIANTS will head to the Central Highlands of Victoria this weekend for two exciting matches against the West Coast Fever and the Adelaide Thunderbirds at Selkirk Stadium.
Taking place in regional Victoria, the annual pre-season tournament will showcase the world’s best national netball competition ahead of the much-anticipated 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season.
The GIANTS will open the weekend taking on historic rivals the West Coast Fever on Saturday afternoon before they take on the two-time reigning premiers, the Adelaide Thunderbird, on Sunday afternoon.
The GIANTS will travel with a strong squad of 12 which will again feature a mix of established GIANTS star as well as some of the club’s next wave of exciting young talent.
Sophie Dywer, Jo Harten, and Matisse Letherbarrow will feature in a star-studded shooting circle as they look to sharpen their skills ahead of the upcoming Suncorp Super Netball season.
Reigning back-to-back GIANTS MVP Jamie-Lee Price will lead from the front in the middle alongside a fit and firing Maddie Hay, newcomer Hope White and last year’s Players’ Player, Amy Sligar.
Star defender Jodi-Ann Ward will also feature in Ballarat alongside emerging youngster Erin O’Brien.
Also set to get a taste of the elite action are GIANTS training partners Kelea Iongi and Millie Tonkin, as well as GIANTS Academy young gun Jamie Podmore-Taylor.
The Ballarat Blitz will be Iongi’s first trip with the team this pre-season following her return to the orange and charcoal.
Tilly McDonell won’t travel with the team as she manages ongoing knee soreness.
GIANTS Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald said she was looking forward to the trip to Ballarat.
“This is another fantastic opportunity to get away as a team and test ourselves against some high-quality opposition,” Fitzgerald said.
“Every pre-season is an opportunity for growth and to try different things and we’re really looking forward to playing in Ballarat and fine-tuning some areas of our game.
“Following our trips to Tasmania and the Riverina, it’s great to be able to add Ballarat to our pre-season program as we really start to ramp things up ahead of the season.
“As a club we are really big on community and it’s great to be able to play in a regional area like Ballarat and showcase elite netball to aspiring young netballers.”
All games from the Ballarat Blitz will be live streamed on the Melbourne Vixens Facebook and YouTube.
Travelling Squad:
Sophie Dwyer
Jo Harten
Maddie Hay
Kelea Iongi*
Matisse Letherbarrow
Erin O’Brien
Jamie Podmore-Taylor**
Jamie-Lee Price
Amy Sligar
Millie Tonkin*
Jodi-Ann Ward
Hope White
*Denotes training partner
**Denotes GIANTS Academy
Match Details:
Match 1: West Coast Fever v GIANTS
Saturday, March 1 at 3pm
Selkirk Stadium
Match 2: Adelaide Thunderbirds v GIANTS
Sunday, March 2 at 1pm
Selkirk Stadium