THE 2022 Suncorp Super Netball season is edging closer, with teams officially returning for preseason training over the past few weeks. One of the teams that has seen a significant amount of changes over the off-season is the Melbourne Vixens, with the 2021 cellar dwellers looking to return to their 2020 premiership form. But while they have acquired a big name to add to the goal circle, will they be relegated to another shaky start as players return from injury?

The Lizzy Watson factor

There is no doubt that the Vixens star wing attack Liz Watson is one of, if not the greatest, wing attacks in the world. The midcourt sensation is a smooth mover who boasts excellent acceleration and adds great energy to the Vixens front-end. The issue, however, is whether she will take the court from the start of the season after sitting out of the whole 2021 season with an ongoing foot injury and resulting surgeries. Watson has all the power to set the Vixens right after a shaky year and put them back on the path to success, but there is still no guarantee the wing attack will take the court from Round 1 onwards with the 2022 season brought forward to accommodate the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

How does Kiera Austin slot in?

Australian Diamonds goal attack and form GIANT Kiera Austin is hoping to be the missing piece the Vixens have been after, however the question is the same for Austin as it is with Watson; will she be available come Round 1 2022? The goal attack was in the form of her life before falling to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in Round 1 of 2021, forcing her to the sidelines and eventually looking for a fresh start for the upcoming season. With Austin another who will be hoping for a start as the beginning of the season arrives, the question mark could realistically still be over her head with rehab well and truly still in session.

Who takes Watson and Austin’s place?

Fortunately, something great that came out of the Vixens’ 2021 season was the uncovering of some top Victorian talent in Hannah Mundy and Rahni Samason. Mundy played out the entire season as Watson’s replacement, and while she arguably had a quieter start than intended, she settled in well and proved capable of holding down that wing attack position in Watson’s absence. Realistically, with a full season and 2022 preseason behind her, Mundy will come back even better and set to work hard to hold strong in that starting wing attack role until Watson is ready to come back full throttle. Samason took the Vixens by storm in the middle of the 2021 season, proving that while she is not a traditional goal attack, she is capable of stepping up under pressure and working hard in the goal circle. Like Mundy, expect Samason to be more than suitable stepping into the starting role while Austin gets her body right, especially with a full preseason behind her compared to the Victorian Netball League (VNL) pathways program she was training at before her injury elevation.

So, where to for the Vixens?

It is safe to say that fans should expect another tough year for the Vixens, but certainly not to the same degree as 2021 with some fresh faces and returnees set to pull on the bibs. While there could be an adjustment period and rotations surrounding the players returning from injury, the Vixens have done a really nice job bolstering their 2021 lineup and building around the strong foundation they already had in place. Retaining key players Kate Moloney, Jo Weston, Emily Mannix and Mwai Kumwenda was half the battle, meaning the Vixens will more than likely come into the 2022 season with a point to prove and a fire in the belly to get back to their recent success.