Vixens provide update on star midcourter’s injury ahead of final round of the regular season

After two straight losses, the Vixens will be fighting to lock in a home final in the final round this week, but will a midcourt star be back? The latest on Hannah Mundy and what the coach wants to see from her goalers for the finals.

Melbourne Vixens are hopeful of a swift return for Hannah Mundy, but will not be taking any risks with the midcourt star ahead of the Super Netball finals as they fight to lock in a home final in the last round of the regular season.

It comes as Vixens’ coach Simone McKinnis turned up the heat on her Diamonds’ goalers to be stronger in taking the “knocks” after admitting they were a “rattled” by the physicality of the West Coast defence in their one-goal penultimate round loss at home on Sunday.

The second-placed Vixens suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this year following their loss to fellow premiership challenger Adelaide Thunderbirds last week and they will be jostling to secure the double chance in their final-round away clash against the Firebirds on Saturday.

Mundy, called up to the Diamonds’ squad for the first time last month, missed the loss to the Fever with a minor quad injury, handing the wing attack bib to 20-year-old Zara Walters.

Walters starred in her 60-minute midcourt performance, providing the Vixens coaching staff with a potential selection quandary when Mundy is cleared to return.

Melbourne Vixens hope for a swift return for Hannah Mundy, but won’t be taking risks with her ahead of the finals. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

McKinnis said she expected Mundy would only be sidelined for the one game, but she did not want to push the 23-year-old on the eve of the finals.

“My understanding is, yes (Mundy will only miss one game), but I don’t know if that’s wishful thinking,” McKinnis said.

“It’s been like that all year and I don’t get caught up on how long.

“My understanding is it’s one week (out), but I’m also not going to put Hannah or the team in a position that she may not be available for finals if we do push it.

“So I’ll be guided and be doing the right thing by the player.”

Mundy’s injury came as the Vixens welcomed back regular wing defence Kate Eddy from a cracked fibula for the first time since round five.

McKinnis lamented the lack of consistency the team has had in having its full squad of 10 available throughout the season, but

“It has been a challenge this year …. but every team has had their different challenges and different injuries, it’s part and parcel of it,” McKinnis said.

“I sort of look at the positive side of it, Zara has put out a full 60 minutes in a really tough game and it’s been a long time since she has done that.

“Kate Eddy (back) this week and (rookie shooter) Lil (Graham) just got some great minutes out there.

“We just look at the positive and the exposure that players have had across the year and I will be rapt when I have the 10 (available).

“It’ll be nice to have Hannah back in and have everybody together.”

Zara Walters impressed against the West Coast Fever at wing attack in Mundy’s absence. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Ahead of what shapes as a brutal finals series against the world’s best defenders, McKinnis said her lead goalers needed to “stand up” and be stronger at taking the physicality after getting ruffled by the Fever defence.

Kadie-Ann Dehaney and Fran Williams shook up the usually dominant Vixens shooting duo of Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin with Garbin replaced by 18-year-old Graham late in the second quarter and the youngster playing out most of the second half.

“I don’t think it was about the shooting, I thought generally we will go to the post pretty well,” McKinnis said.

“But I think we did get a bit rattled by penalties and got rattled by bodies and that’s not on.

“You’ve got to be able to stand up to it and – whether it’s right or wrong – you’ve got to take it and you’ve got to take the knocks and penalties and the physical and the body.

“I thought we got rattled by that. And we’ve got to be stronger and better than that.”

Sophie Garbin was replaced by 18-year-old Lily Graham. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Eddy played 20 minutes in her return match and expected to build up her time on court ahead of the finals.

“I was so excited to come in and play,” Eddy said.

“I feel like just getting those connections back again and getting up to the speed of the ball, you can’t practice that.

“For me being out there in front of lots of people, the crowd, umpires and everything like that … it was just absorbing that.

“Lucky we’ve got one more game before finals and training, but I was just stoked to be there with everyone again.

“It wasn’t so much the fracture that had kind of held me back, it was the rest of my body. Like all the muscles and my niggles that I’ve had previously.

“(We were) just trying to make sure that my body was in the best position to play finals.”

Originally published as Vixens provide update on star midcourter’s injury ahead of final round of the regular season