IN the wake of the 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) season finishing, we have taken a look back at how each team fared. We continue the 11-team countdown with the eighth placed Strathclyde Sirens, who just squeezed into eighth on goal difference, but were also only two wins off fifth.

KEY NUMBERS

Position: 8th
Wins: 7
Losses: 13
Goals For: 970 (9th)
Goals Against: 1033 (5th)
Goal Difference: -63 (6th)
Points: 21

SEASON IN A NUTSHELL

Strathclyde Sirens fans had a really up and down season, with a win against Wasp Netball in Round 2 in between four consecutive losses to start the season. It was hard to judge them though, taking on last year’s grand finalists in Manchester Thunder and Loughborough Lightning in that streak, as well as the ever-strong Team Bath.

They rolled Surrey Storm and Celtic Dragons either side of losses to Saracens Mavericks and London Pulse, before suffering heavy defeats to Bath, Thunder and Lightning around a win over Leeds Rhinos. Heartbreaking losses to Surrey Storm (three goals) and Severn Stars (five) sealed the Sirens fate, and it looked very likely they would finish in the bottom three. Luckily, the Scottish team picked up wins over the Mavericks, Dragons and in the final round, Severn Stars to sneak into eighth and qualify for the Fast5 Championship.

BEST WIN

After a couple of near misses and a shock loss to cellar dwellers Severn Stars in the lead-up, the Sirens’ seven-goal victory over Saracens Mavericks in Round 17 was a memorable one. The Sirens fell two goals behind at quarter time, but quickly made that up and lead by two goals themselves at the main break. A dominant 17-10 third term set up the win, and while the Mavericks hit back to cut the deficit to seven, the Sirens enjoyed a 57-50 victory in front of home fans. Bethan Goodwin shot 35 goals from 40 attempts, while it was Bethany Dix (26 feeds) who made it all happen up front, with Towera Vinkhumbo (five intercepts, five deflections, two rebounds and eight turnovers) and Emily Nicholl (four intercepts, one deflection and five turnovers) getting it done at the back.

STAR PLAYER

Producing another ridiculous season in goal keeper, Vinkhumbo was strong throughout the entire year, picking up a massive 60 intercepts (second in the league) and 106 turnovers (second), only behind Layla Guscoth in those statistical areas. She managed the 53 deflections and 18 rebounds as well, even having to sub into the attacking end at one point, taking a shot but missing.

ONE TO WATCH

There are a trio of young guns to watch with Taylor McKevitt and Dix also in this category, but the one who looms as a genuine elite star of international netball in the future is deadeye Niamh McCall. Shooting at 81.2 per cent efficiency – quite often from long-range – McCall had a real breakout season, putting up 336 goals from 414 shots, while feeding the ball 134 times to her shooting partner. She also managed eight rebounds, two intercepts, seven deflections and three turnovers, and has such potential as a shooter with her movement and consistency off her hands.

NEXT SEASON?

Strathclyde Sirens were predicted to go a little better than they did this season, considering how well Scotland fared in the international series prior to the season. In saying that, they missed Emma Barrie for quite a long period of time at the start, and with the likes of the young trio mentioned above really getting going, and an elite defence and the experience of Gia Abernethy in the middle, the Sirens are a dangerous team to watch in the future.