Victoria Netball League live stream: Geelong Cougars face defending champions City West Falcons (Victorian Netball League)

They couldn’t beat them in the final series last year but Geelong Cougars have started the 2023 VNL season with a tense victory over City West Falcons. Catch up on all the action from three games.

Geelong Cougars exacted some revenge for last year’s Victoria Netball League Championship grand final defeat by edging out City West Falcons in a 2023 season opening thriller.

Upstaged twice in last year’s finals, including in the biggest game of the year, the Cougars came out of the blocks firing, opening up a 13-10 quarter time lead.

The Cougars extended the margin to five goals at halftime - 25-20 - and maintained that at three quarter time - 38-33.

The Falcons closed to within two goals early in the fourth quarter before Geelong composed themselves to ensure a 51-48 victory.

Victorian Netball League - City West Falcons v Geelong (Under-19s)

Defending U19 premiers City West Falcons got their season off to a perfect start with a 57-44 victory over Geelong Cougars.

The Falcons led 16-10 at quarter time and took complete charge early in the second quarter with a run of five straight goals.

The Cougars closed to within seven goals - 40-33 - at three quarter time but could not get any closer as the Falcons closed in style with a 17-goal final quarter.

Meanwhile, Geelong pulled off a thrilling victory over City West Falcons in their Division One contest, taking the match 48-46.

Victorian Netball League Rd 1 - City West Falcons v Geelong (Div 1)

PREVIEW

The next chapter of the Geelong Cougars and City West Falcons rivalry is about to be written with the two perennial Victoria Netball League powerhouses set to meet on Sunday.

The 2022 Championship grand final re-match is a stand-alone fixture to complete the opening round, with the other four matches already played on Wednesday evening.

KommunityTV subscribers can catch every minute of not only the main event but also the Division 1 and U19 matches. The games start at midday. Check out the schedule below.

After losing both their matches to the Cougars in the 2022 preliminary rounds, the Falcons found some sparkling form in the finals to beat Geelong twice, including a thrilling 47-45 grand final success.

Why new VNL season promises to be bigger and better than ever

It was the Falcons’ execution that was the difference that night, with their three shooters missing just three times from 50 attempts.

Cougars coach Gerard Murphy said Sunday’s game would ‘give us a good gauge of where we are up to.’

City West Falcons celebrate their grand final win last year.

“We’re managing expectations to see where we are up to, based on last year, with a few changes, there was mainly a focus on some extra fitness and some different combinations, especially in attack,” he said.

“We have had a few younger players come in, a pregnancy and then someone coming back from a baby, we will work our way through the season and hopefully be in a position to contest in finals.

“We will have a lot of experience in defence but a lot less experience in attack, we will have to manage that and keep faith that the girls will keep improving and do their best regardless.

“There’s been quite a few changes in other clubs (too), so we will have to work out where we sit against them and how their changes will impact where we’re at.”