2025 Victorian Netball League live stream: Watch six week one finals here

While they may be strangers to post-season action, Bendigo will be out to create their own slice of VNL finals history when they face Casey in an elimination final. Watch every week 1 finals match LIVE.

Bendigo Strikers will look to summon the spirit of its strong regional supporter base as it vies to make its own slice of VNL finals history in 2025.

The second-year franchise will step out in its debut finals appearance on Wednesday night, their championship squad going head-to-head with Casey Demons and their 23-and-unders doing battle with Geelong Cougars in cut-throat elimination finals.

The Strikers two VNL finals are included in KommunityTV’s massive VNL finals week 1 broadcast, with every clash to be streamed live from 7pm across three courts.

Star defender Charlotte Sexton – the Strikers’ inaugural championship MVP winner – said it was an exciting moment for the club to have both teams through to finals, describing “high vibes” during Sunday’s lead-in training session.

“Being our second year, and having both teams in finals, is a massive achievement,” Sexton, 21, said.

The Melbourne Vixens’ training partner, who debuted in the state league in 2023 with City West Falcons before joining Bendigo’s inaugural list last season, said the introduction of a VNL club in her hometown had “been a long time coming”.

“To have that come in last year was amazing, and you can just see, the community gets around it so much,” she said.

“Especially our home games … I know lots of the other girls in other teams say coming and playing in Bendigo for a home game is very intense for them … there is always a big crowd that comes out.

“It really shows the spirit for regional netball is there and they’re all supporting us for this final series.”

Bendigo Strikers defender Charlotte Sexton in action during the round 7, 2025 Victorian Netball League match. Picture: Grant Treeby/Netball Victoria.

Last year’s inaugural season saw Sexton and her championship teammates defy early expectations with a sixth place (9-11) finish, before jumping to fifth (12-6) in 2025 to qualify for an expanded six-team finals series.

But it was the Strikers’ 23&U side who’s 2024 and 2025 campaigns have proven night and day, rocketing up the ladder from 11th (4-18) to fourth (12-5-1) as head coach Tracey Brereton took the reins of both champs and 23&Us this year.

“She’s amazing, she’s such a netball head, she’s so creative with her coaching and telling us how to win ball,” Sexton said of Brereton.

“In games especially, she tells us what we need to hear at the right time.”

Sexton, who has been named in the Australian 21/U squad of 22 for the Netball Youth World Cup later this year, believed “significant signings” had also helped both teams take the next step.

The goalkeeper pointed to the Strikers’ championship inclusions in goal shooter Gabe Richards, midcourter Emma Walters and goal defender Zoe Davies for bringing much-needed experience and level-headedness on court.

For Sexton, a defensive partnership with Davies has formed naturally, the 21-year-old crediting the Strikers’ vice-captain for bringing the defensive end closer.

“Tracey actually spoke to us about the idea of having an apprentice and a master – and Zoe is really that master for us in that defence end helping us all perform to our best abilities,” Sexton said.

Bendigo Strikers defenders during a break of their Victorian Netball League round 7, 2025 clash. Picture: Grant Treeby/Netball Victoria.

The Strikers face a tough task shutting down Casey Demons in a do-or-die championship final, with a 57-50 defeat against the Dees in round 10 lingering in the back of their minds.

Sexton said the Strikers would need to play with greater ball speed and freedom when giving the ball off if they were to atone for that May meeting.

“We were really hesitant that first time we played them, and just being able to convert our gains and be patient as well, and look after the ball – our error count has been what has let us down in some of our losses,” she said.

Meanwhile, Sexton faces an imposing assignment of trying to take Dees’ sharpshooter Emma Ryde out of the game, with Ryde averaging 47 goals a game at 91 per cent efficiency this season.

“Their attack is very clinical – it’s going to be very hard to get gains which is why we need to protect the ball when we do get gains and convert them,” Sexton said.

“I think it will be lots of communication in defence and working together to create turnovers – it’s not going to be easy so we need to be on the same page to be able to give each other opportunities to win ball.”

In Wednesday’s other finals, undefeated minor premier City West Falcons’ path to a championship four-peat starts with a qualifying final against Boroondara Express, while Hawks and North East Blaze face off in the first week of finals for a second-straight year – the Hawks getting the better of the Blaze 12 months ago.

Meanwhile, 23&Us minor premier North East Blaze take on Melbourne University Lightning, as reigning premier Hawks face the Falcons in a do-or-die final.

Originally published as 2025 Victorian Netball League live stream: Watch six week one finals here