Melbourne Kestrels
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The Melbourne Kestrels are an Australian netball team. They are based out of the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, Victoria and are one of two teams from the city to compete in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy, alongside the Melbourne Phoenix. The Kestrels are currently coached by Jane Searle and co-captained by Rebecca Strachan and Chelsey Nash. Their colours are orange, blue and lime.
The Kestrels were one of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy's founding teams in 1997, and initially played at the Waverley Netball Centre. They moved to the then-new, much larger State Netball and Hockey Centre as their main home in 2001, but returned to Waverley for some home games in 2006. The club will also receive some badly-needed funding this season as a result of a new sponsorship deal with removals corporation Allied Pickfords.
Though the Kestrels have made the finals several times, they have never passed the semi-finals, and have often been seen as a lesser cousin of the rival Melbourne Phoenix. The rivalry between the two clubs was exacerbated this season by the shock defection of Kestrels captain Cynna Kydd to the Phoenix in April 2006, on the eve of the 2006 season, echoing the move of Janine Ilitch from Phoenix to Kestrels years ago.
However the loss of Kydd was not the be-all and end-all, as Caitlin Thwaites, a former elite volleyball player, emerged at 20yrs old as an amazing shooting star. Though some would describe the remainder of the squad as versatile, in fact there has in the attacking positions been a problem with consistency from week to week, making the team line-up not necessarily obvious. Perhaps in 2007 other players with development of the young group they will be back in the finals series.
Contents |
[edit] Current Players
- Shae Bolton
- Andrea Booth
- Madison Browne
- Briony Cargill
- Bianca Franklin
- Narelle Garbutt
- Tracey Godden
- Janine Ilitch
- Melanie Kitchin
- Sharni Layton
- Chelsey Nash (co-captain)
- Amy Steel
- Rebecca Strachan (co-captain)
- Brooke Thompson
- Leah van Rensburg
- Caitlin Thwaites
[edit] Former players
- Cynna Kydd
- Nicole Richardson
- Shelley O'Donnell
[edit] Final Placings
- 1997: 8th (last)
- 1998: 5th
- 1999: 4th
- 2000: 5th
- 2001: 5th
- 2002: 4th
- 2003: 4th
- 2004: 4th
- 2005: 4th
- 2006: 5th
[edit] External links
| Teams in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy | |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | AIS Canberra Darters | Hunter Jaegers | Melbourne Kestrels | Melbourne Phoenix | Perth Orioles | Queensland Firebirds | Sydney Swifts Defunct teams: Adelaide Ravens | Sydney Sandpipers |
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