Hawks Netball down to City West Falcons after losing Kim Commane to Melbourne Vixens

Hawks will face a test of character on the eve of the Victorian Netball League finals after back-to-back defeats have left the premiership candidate with a bit to think about.

Hawks will face a test of character on the eve of the Victorian Netball League Championship Division finals after back-to-back defeats have left the premiership candidate with a bit to think about over the coming fortnight.

After dominating the majority of the regular season, topping the ladder with a 13-1 record after 14 rounds, Hawks fell to two fellow finals fancies — Melbourne University Lightning and City West Falcons — in the space of three days.

Lightning won the round 15 Sunday match 71-46 while the Falcons saluted last Wednesday night 63-46.

The defeats have left the Hawks in third place with a 13-3 record, safely entrenched in the final four with an outside chance of climbing to second, even first, prior to the business end of the season.

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“It’s not completely unexpected,” Hawks coach Jacqui Hansen said of the two losses. “We’d been up for 14 weeks and it’s really hard to maintain that.

“Melbourne Uni were primed to play really well and they played as good as I’ve seen them play. Melbourne Uni played some fantastic netball.”

Kim Commane takes on Geva Mentor during the Melbourne Vixens v Sunshine Coast Lightning clash last week Picture: Mark Dadswell

Then, on the eve of the clash with the Falcons, Hawks were dealt a body blow when star goaler Kim Commane was called up to the Melbourne Vixens side for their do-or-die final-round Super Netball clash with the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

While delighted that the popular attacker had been given an opportunity at the highest level — and netted a creditable 31-from-33 in her first game for the season — Hansen said the club was hamstrung by a lack of warning.

“Wednesday night was disappointing,” she said. “The Vixens took Kim with really short notice. And, while we aren’t just ‘Kim Commane’, it just meant we didn’t have a training session to tweak things.

“So we were more disappointed with the circumstances of how it happened rather than losing Kim to the Vixens.”

Tomorrow night, Hawks will take on the struggling Boroondara Express before wrapping up the regular season with a pre-finals test of strength against form team Geelong Cougars.

Hawks coach Jacqui Hansen is rallying the troops ahead of the finals Picture: David Crosling

An elimination semi-final against the Falcons or reigning champions DC North-East Blaze looks the most likely scenario in the first week of the post-season.

Hansen, however, had not given up hopes of grabbing a top two finish and the double-chance.

“Our strength has been consistency throughout the season.” she said. “And it’s been an outstanding season no matter where we finish.

“But, having said that, the girls don’t want to just make up the numbers (come finals).

“It’s about managing the headspace of the girls heading into the finals. It’s not all decided until the last round.”

THE PENULTIMATE ROUND

VNL Championship Division

State Netball Hockey Centre (Wednesday, August 8)

7pm: Ariels v Melbourne University Lightning (Court 5)

7pm: Boroondara Express v Hawks Netball (Court 1)

8.20pm: Geelong Cougars v Southern Saints (Court 2)

8.20pm: DC North East Blaze v Sovereigns (Court 4)

9.40pm: Peninsula Waves v City West Falcons (Court 3)

Hawks skipper Lil O'Sullivan Picture: David Crosling