Melbourne Kestrels

Melbourne Kestrels were an Australian netball team that represented Netball Victoria in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Between 1997 and 2007, together with Melbourne Phoenix, they were one of two teams to represent Netball Victoria in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era. In 2008, when the Commonwealth Bank Trophy was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Kestrels and Phoenix merged to form Melbourne Vixens.^[1][2][3]

Melbourne Kestrels

Founded	1997; 27 years ago (1997)
Disbanded	2007; 17 years ago (2007)
Based in	Melbourne
Regions	Victoria, Australia
Home venue	State Netball and Hockey Centre Waverley Netball Centre
League	Commonwealth Bank Trophy
Uniform

Final placings

Season	Position
1997	8th
1998	5th
1999 [4]	3rd
2000	5th
2001	5th
2002	4th
2003	4th
2004 [5]	4th
2005 [6]	4th
2006 [7][8]	5th
2007	3rd

Home venues

Kestrels played their home games at the State Netball and Hockey Centre and at the Waverley Netball Centre.^{[5][6][9][10][11]}

Notable players

Internationals

 Australia

Shae Bolton Jenny Borlase Madison Browne Rebecca Bulley Julie Corletto

Nicole Cusack Janine Ilitch Cynna Kydd Sharni Layton Demelza McCloud

Shelley O'Donnell Nicole Richardson Amy Steel Caitlin Thwaites Chelsey Tregear

 England

• Abby Sargent

Source:^[3][4]

CBT MVP

Season	Player
2004 [5]	Cynna Neele

CBT Best New Talent

Season	Player
2000	Cynna Neele
2006 [7]	Madison Browne
2007 [12]	Ashlee Howard

Head coaches

Coach	Years
Lisa Alexander[13][14]	1997
Marg Lind [4][15]	1998–2002
Margaret Caldow [15]	2002–2003
Jane Searle [2][16][17]	2004–2007

Sponsorship

Sponsors	Seasons
AKAI[11]	c. 1997–1999
Allied Pickfords[7][12][18]	c. 2006–2007

References

1. "Melbourne Vixens - Our history". melbournevixens.com.au. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
2. "Netball: Mixed reaction to trans-Tasman competition". www.nzherald.co.nz. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
3. "Phoenix brush aside Kestrels". www.heraldsun.com.au. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
4. "Kestrels to step out with new-look side". www.theage.com.au. 21 September 2002. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
5. "Netball Australia - Annual Report 04" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
6. "Netball Australia - Annual Report 05" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
7. "Netball Australia - Annual Report 06" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
8. "Caitlin's play earns praise from peers". www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au. 14 November 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
9. "Kestrels line up for crunch game against Orioles". www.theage.com.au. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
10. "Narrow win moves Kestrels to second". www.theage.com.au. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
11. "Home Ground Advantage in the Australian Netball League (Commonwealth Bank Trophy)" (PDF). researchbank.swinburne.edu.au. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
12. "Netball Australia – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
13. "Three Vixens selected in Diamonds team". vis.org.au. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
14. "Leadership lessons of a young mum". www.athletesvoice.com.au. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
15. "New coach aims to improve Kestrels' form". www.theage.com.au. 9 October 2002. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
16. "Kestrels rise to challenge Phoenix". www.theage.com.au. 8 August 2004. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
17. "Jane Searle inducted into Netball Victoria's Hall of Fame". vic.netball.com.au. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
18. "Title contenders confirmed for Commonwealth Bank Trophy finale". www.womensportreport.com. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2020.