The Victorian Netball League (VNL) is a state netball league featuring teams from Victoria, Australia. The league is organised by Netball Victoria, with the modern league beginning in 2009. It replaced an earlier state league as the top level netball competition in Victoria. On a national level, the VNL is effectively a third-tier league, below Suncorp Super Netball and the Australian Netball Championships.
From 2009-2011, due to sponsorship and naming rights arrangements, the VNL was known as the Holden Cruze Cup. Between 2018-2020, the league was sponsored by Bupa and was known as the Bupa Victorian Netball League.
A change at the end of the 2023 season saw three divisions (Championship, Division 1 and 19 & Under) become two - with Division 1 and 19 & Under replaced with a 23 & Under division. It also saw the inclusion of new clubs Bendigo Strikers, Gippsland Stars and Western Warriors. The Stars will initially field a 23 & Under team, before entering the Championship division by 2027.
Nine existing clubs (Boroondara, Casey, City West, Geelong, Hawks, Lightning, Blaze, Waves and Saints) had their licenses renewed, with foundation club Ariels a casualty of the restructure.
The league's most successful team, City West Falcons (originally known as Hume City Falcons), have won seven Championship titles and 17 premierships in total, to the end of 2023.
History Foundation The modern league began in 2009, replacing an earlier Netball Victoria state league as the top level netball competition in Victoria. The earlier league featured eighteen teams but, after restructuring, the number was reduced to ten. The founding ten members of the new league were Ballarat Pride, Boroondara Genesis, Geelong Cougars, Hume City Falcons, Monash University Central, North East Blaze, Peninsula Waves, Southern Saints, VU Western Lightning and Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels. The league featured three divisions – Championship, Division 1 and 19 & Under. The ten teams entered a team in each of the three divisions. The new structure was designed to encourage player development.
City West Falcons The league's most successful team has been City West Falcons, who have won seven Championship titles and 17 premierships in total, across three divisions. As Hume City Falcons, they won the inaugural Championship in 2009 and claimed it again the following year With a team that included Kathleen Knott, they won their first Championship as City West Falcons in 2012 and again in 2013. In 2018, Falcons won their fifth Championship title. Falcons won their sixth Championship title in 2022, also winning the 19 & Under Grand Final.
Victorian Fury The Australian Netball League team Victorian Fury is effectively the representative team of the VNL. In turn, Fury is the reserve team of Melbourne Vixens.
Teams 2023 teams Team Home venue/base Home city/town/suburbDebut seasonBoroondara ExpressBoroondara Sports ComplexBoroondara2009Casey DemonsCasey StadiumCity of Casey2019City West FalconsMaribyrnong CollegeMaribyrnong2009 (as Hume City Falcons)Geelong Cougars -Geelong2009Hawks Netball --2009 (as Monash Storm)Melbourne University LightningParkville Campus University of Melbourne2009 (as VU Western Lightning)North East BlazeCommunity Bank StadiumDiamond Creek2009Peninsula Waves -Mornington Peninsula2009Wilson Storage Southern Saints -City of Bayside2009Bendigo StrikersRed Energy StadiumBendigo2024Gippsland Stars - -2024Western Warriors - -2024
Notes Ariels VCNA previously played as Yarra Valley Grammar Ariels. Boroondara Express previously played as Boroondara Genesis. Casey Demons are affiliated to both the VFL Casey Demons and Melbourne Football Club. City West Falcons previously played as Hume City Falcons. Hawks Netball previously played as Melbourne Central, Monash University Central, Monash University Storm. In 2018 they adopted their current name after forming a partnership with Hawthorn Football Club. Between 2009 and 2014, Melbourne University Lightning had a partnership with Victoria University and played as VU-Western Lightning.
Former teams Team Home city/town/suburb Debut season Final season Ballarat PrideBallarat20092014 ACU SovereignsBallarat20152018ArielsMaroondah Nets20092023
Championship Grand Finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2009Hume City Falcons47–44Boroondara GenesisSNHC2010Hume City Falcons SNHC2011Monash University Storm Boroondara Express SNHC2012City West Falcons42–37VU-Western LightningSNHC2013City West Falcons44–41Peninsula WavesSNHC 2014Southern Saints48–42City West FalconsSNHC2015 Boroondara Express50–44City West FalconsSNHC2016Melbourne University Lightning53–52City West FalconsSNHC 2017North East Blaze49–46Melbourne University LightningSNHC2018City West Falcons56–48Geelong CougarsSNHC2019Geelong Cougars69–55Casey DemonsSNHC2020No competition due to COVID-19 pandemic2021No finals series played2022City West Falcons49–47Geelong CougarsParkville2023City West Falcons60-54Boroondara ExpressParkville2024City West Falcons64-53Boroondara ExpressParkville2025City West Falcons60-58HawksParkville
Notable players The VNL is effectively a feeder league for the Suncorp Super Netball teams Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies. VNL players have also played for the Australia national netball team and other international teams.
Internationals
Erin Bell Kelsey Browne Tegan Caldwell Julie Corletto Renae Ingles Wendy Jones Cynna Kydd Sharni Layton Kate Moloney Caitlyn Nevins Elizabeth Watson Jo Weston
Mwai Kumwenda
Fiona Themann
Tharjini Sivalingam
Melbourne Vixens Karyn Bailey Kelsey Browne Julie Corletto Lara Dunkley Shannon Eagland Kate Eddy Erin Hoare Ashlee Howard Renae Ingles Wendy Jones Kathleen Knott Sharni Layton Kara Richards Alice Teague-Neeld Brooke Thompson Elizabeth Watson Jo Weston Micaela Wilson
Collingwood Magpies Melissa Bragg Kelsey Browne Matilda Garrett Molly Jovic Maggie Lind Kelsie Rainbow Gabrielle Sinclair Micaela Wilson
Award winners Margaret Caldow Trophy The Championship MVP award is named after Margaret Caldow. Season Player Team2009Brooke ThompsonVU Western Lightning2010 2011 Melinda CranstonBoroondara Genesis2012Caitlyn Strachan Yarra Valley Grammar ArielsMwai KumwendaPeninsula WavesHelen BarclayMonash University Central 2013Caitlyn StrachanYarra Valley Grammar Ariels Brooke ThompsonVU Western Lightning 2014Chloe WatsonCity West Falcons 2015Kathleen KnottCity West Falcons 2016Maggie LindCity West Falcons 2017Micaela WilsonNorth East Blaze 2018 2019 Julia WoolleyGeelong Cougars2020Not awarded2021Julia Woolley Geelong CougarsMaggie LindCity West Falcons 2022Nyah AllenNorth East Blaze
Notes 2012 award was shared. 2013 award was shared. 2021 award was shared.
Player of the Championship Grand Final Season Player Team2009Ashlee HowardBoroondara Genesis2010 2011 2012Christie BarnesCity West Falcons2013Elizabeth WatsonCity West Falcons 2014Leah PercySouthern Saints2015Sarah YuleBoroondara Express 2016Dani StewartMelbourne University Lightning 2017Micaela WilsonNorth East Blaze 2018 2019Vanessa AugustiniGeelong Cougars2022 Zoe DaviesCity West Falcons
Main sponsors Years Holden Cruze2009–2011Devine Homes2012–2013Bupa2018–2020No sponsor2021-current
References