2025 season review: Vixens

By Matt Fotia 

From the pub to the podium. 

The Vixens 2025 story arc has been one of the more well documented in Australian sport this season, and no wonder, given it combines all the things Australians love. 

An underdog’s unlikely charge to glory and countless references to the pub. 

But there is more to the Vixens remarkable turnaround than a throwaway line made by their outgoing coach. 

When Simone McKinnis suggested the pub, her side were stuck with a 2-4 record and had been well and truly outplayed on their home deck by a Sunshine Coast Lightning side who were missing Diamonds shooter Cara Koenen.  

The Vixens had been playing without their typical ruthless edge and at times looked disjointed.  

McKinnis made two key choices in the aftermath of that defeat to the Lightning. 

The first was to announce publicly that 2025 would be her last season as Vixens coach, lifting a proverbial weight off the shoulders of her clearly affected players and giving them the freedom to focus on the task at hand. 

The second, was to revert to putting complete faith in her best seven players. 

McKinnis rarely used her bench as the Vixens won nine of their next 11 matches, with her two mid game changes of note coming in the Preliminary Final, when she injected Tara Watson into wing attack, and the Grand Final, when she held back Hannah Mundy until the early stages of the third quarter. 

Of course, the Vixens 2025 campaign will be remembered for two things. 

Their lion-hearted finals campaign. 

And the pub. 

BEST WIN 

The Vixens became queens of the close finish in the post-season, claiming three victories by the skin of their teeth, but one win in particular had tongues wagging worldwide. 

Trailing by 10 at three quarter time in the Preliminary Final, it seemed the Vixens wave of momentum had finally run out of steam.  

Encouraged by McKinnis to throw caution to the wind, the Vixens played one of the best quarters of netball in recent memory, winning the final quarter 25-14 to break Swift hearts and silence the home crowd at Qudos Bank Arena. 

Shooter Sophie Garbin was impressive with 17 goals from 17 attempts, Kiera Austin nailed three super shots and midcourt duo Kate Moloney and Zara Walters combined for 23 feeds as the Vixens stormed home to win another nail-biting Preliminary Final and set their date with destiny. 

MVP 

There are two clear front runners for this illustrious gong.  

Vixens' icons Jo Weston and Kate Moloney left everything on court in 2025, but it’s Weston who gets the nod ahead of her premiership skipper. 

Weston played the most minutes (1014) in the league this season and made her presence felt in all of them, finishing with 29 pick-ups (2nd league wide), 15 intercepts (8th), 41 gains (8th) and 50 deflections (7th).  

The versatile defender played minutes in all three defensive positions and was one of the most consistent performers all season, before rising to another level in finals winning crucial ball. 

She should consider herself unlucky to not have been named player of the match in the decider after pulling in five deflections and four pick-ups. 

2026 

The Vixens were one of the first sides to finalise their list for the 2026 season, announcing a technically unchanged contracted 10 just days after the dust had settled on the 2025 campaign. 

There will be one change of course, with veteran Emily Mannix slated to return to the fray with replacement player Maggie Caris making way. This move gives the Vixens even more defensive strength and will see at least one diamonds level player spending some time on the bench next season. 

The Vixens have announced one major signing of course, with long-time assistant Di Honey named as the club’s head coach for the 2026 campaign. 

While the mantle of coaching a club with the pedigree of the Vixens is something all coaches would be eager to tackle, there would be an element of trepidation for Honey. 

Filling the shoes of Simone McKinnis would have been daunting when she announced she was finishing up in Round 6.  

She's since masterminded one of the triumphs of century. 

One tough act to follow.