IN the wake of Renae Ingles retirement the Melbourne Vixens will be eagerly looking to find someone to replace the veteran wing defence. With a relatively stable list and strong defensive end it may be hard to find someone who will adequately fill the void left by Ingles. With that in mind we take a look at possible candidates to replace the wing defence.

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Kate Eddy: NSW Swifts

With Ingles retired and Eddy out of contract it could be a match made in heaven. Despite suffering an ankle injury in the latter half of the season Eddy could be a good fit for the club given her ability to play both circle and wing defence. The Victorian born defender could be looking to return to her home state and would offer the Vixens plenty of skill, composure and netball nous. Her ability to cover the court with ease and apply strong hands over pressure is second to none while her speed can also cause problems credit to her ability to get to contests cleanly and impact the play. With Kadie-Ann Dehaney also out of contract at seasons end, Eddy could be a sure thing given her ability to slide back into the circle if needed. Eddy is good under pressure and is not afraid of the contest often recognised for her ability to confuse the space and cause headaches with her persistent tagging style.

Kim Ravaillion: Collingwood Magpies

With clear ties to Victoria, it is highly unlikely that the Australian Diamonds midcourter will leave the state but a switch to cross-town rivals is quite possible. Ravaillion is out of contract and may be looking for a new home in 2020 making the Vixens a viable option given her new-found role in wing defence at the Pies. Her endurance is second to none often running opponents off their feet with her two-way efforts while her desire to get to contests is impressive. Ravaillion oozes plenty of experience despite only being 26 with her defensive pressure and three-foot marking a key element of her game play. The midcourt player is familiar with the game style of Liz Watson, Jo Weston and Emily Mannix having played with them for Australia making her an interesting prospect for the side. Although costly at times with wayward passes Ravaillion consistently re-offers and provides plenty of drive down the court with her dynamic movement. Her versatility could be beneficial to the Vixens given her preferred position is centre.

Maddy McAuliffe: Sunshine Coast Lightning

Still not committed to the Lightning next year, the two-time premiership player could be a key acquisition for the Melbourne Vixens and may provide that spark they need to go deeper into the finals in 2020. McAuliffe has shared the wing defence role at times with Jacqui Russell throughout 2019 and may be looking to build on her individual game next season. McAuliffe has a plethora of skills credit to her defensive pressure and speed off the mark to cover her opponents drive. Her vision down the court is impressive able to release strong shoulder passes to clear the mess in defence and transition down the court. The wing defence still has plenty of development left in her but could add another element to Vixens defensive unit given her general netball know how and ability to take timely intercepts and deflections across the court.