2025 Victorian Netball League live stream: Geelong Cougars v Southern Saints, Round 14

While they haven’t been able to find their ‘mojo’ so far this season, Geelong Cougars are hoping a ‘winnable’ clash against the Southern Saints can get them back on track. Watch it LIVE here.

Geelong Cougars head coach Gerard Murphy concedes his championship squad had yet to find “the mojo” this season.

But while their finals hopes appear all but dashed heading into a round 14 clash against Southern Saints on Wednesday – the Cougars four games outside the top 6 with five rounds remaining – Murphy hoped to see his squad “finish the season strong” and find the connection piece they’ve missed at times this year.

The Cougars and Saints clash will be available live and exclusive on KommuntiyTV from 8.30pm, with the 23&U matchup kicking off the action from 7pm.

“We haven’t been able to recreate the connections from last year which we hit into the second half of last season,” Murphy said.

“We haven’t quite found the mojo yet.

“It’s (the rest of the season) now almost part of selection for next year.

“This is part of testing the combos and building some of that stuff for next year.

“Maybe not necessarily training just to win, but also build and see how people are going and testing them.”

The Cougars face a Saints squad in a similar position, their head coach Jane Searle describing the season as “topsy-turvy” as the club sits three games outside final calculations.

Searle expected a tough battle against the Cougars, with the availability of Mavericks-tied defenders Jessie Grenvold and Lauren Parkinson often only known to the Saints on game day.

Though the Saints sit a game clear of their rivals on the ladder, it was the Cougars who got the wood over the Saints by five goals back in round 1.

Murphy believed it was another winnable game for his Cougars, though didn’t know what to expect from the Saints come game-day.

“They can be dynamite or they can also be chaos among themselves, similar to us at times,” he said.

Starting their season strongly with two wins, the Cougars – who missed finals last year through percentage only – have slipped down the pecking order after losing 10 of their last 11 games.

They’re without star goal keeper Brooke Allan (travel) until next week, with Murphy turning to Geelong locals and ex-VNL players Tori Honner and Steph Boyce in Allan’s absence.

While connections haven’t yet landed for Geelong, it’s also arguably a season without some luck, the Cougars unable to find any consistency with injury niggles and several players on modified training or playing schedules due to Super Netball reserves commitments.

Geelong Cougars player Charlotte Morey in action during the 2025 Victorian Netball League (VNL) season. Picture: Grant Treeby/Netball Victoria.

“It’s just a younger team as well,” Murphy said.

Elevating several players up to championships in the last 18 months, Murphy believed time was needed for those players to take their game to the next level.

“First year, they kind of have a breakout, where they kind of play free and the opposition don’t know them,” he said.

“Then as you establish (yourself), people start to work out game styles and things, and then that’s about the next level, about establishing those next level of game plans and different options they have, and the game smarts that take time to develop between 23-and-unders and championships.”

Meanwhile, the Cougars’ 23-and-unders will go in hot favourites against the Saints on Wednesday.

Murphy said his younger squad, firmly inside the top 6 with a 8-5 record, had “found a bit of a groove” in recent weeks.

As for the 1-11-1 Saints, Searle believed new 23&U mentor and ex-Diamond Sharni Norder had added class to their coaching ranks, and while results were yet to show, was confident the club was heading in the right direction.

“She’s just a great person to be around Sharni, she’s got so much energy,” Searle said.

“Her voice carries, she’s so encouraging all the time but her netball nous has made an impact on the whole club I think.

“We’re really developing a good foundation and I think we’ve got an exciting future at Saints.”

Originally published as 2025 Victorian Netball League live stream: Geelong Cougars v Southern Saints, Round 14