Whittlesea’s Tara Watson and Western Warriors midcourter Ruby Shannon’s rise through the netball ranks has continued, with the duo being named training partners for the Melbourne Vixens.
The Vixens announced five training partners for next year’s season, including four new partners.
Maggie Caris will continue in her fourth year as part of the squad, while more Victorian pathway products Shannon, Charlotte Sexton, Tara Watson and Mia Lavis have been added to the crop.
The training partners will train alongside the team of 10 during pre-season and throughout the regular season, allowing them to be fully entrenched in the Vixens’ environment .
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis said they were excited to have the five training partners onboard.
“Training partners play a vital role in our group and it’s an exciting opportunity for us to bring the next generation of Victorian talent into our Vixens environment.”
Shannon, who plays with Riddell in the Riddell District Netball League, was part of the Victorian under-19 state team last season.
This year she was part of the inaugural Victorian Fury team for the Super Netball Reserves competition and named in the Australian under-21 squad.
Shannon said she was super excited to be a part of the Vixens environment and can’t wait to embrace the opportunities.
Shannon, who joined the Western Warriors for their first year in the Victorian Netball League, has signed on for next season.
She had a strong back half of the season after returning from a broken nose early in the season.
Watson, who plays for the North East Blaze, is a defensive midcourter.
She is described as a leader in the making.
The 19-year-old’s game is built on eagerness and work ethic as an ever-reliable teammate on the court and off it.
She had made very state and national squad since 2021 and has been part of the Vixens Academy since 2022, and made her mark this year with strong performances for the Victorian Fury in the 2024 SN Reserves competition.
Watson said that she was extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of the Vixens squad for 2025.
“I’m particularly excited to be able to train alongside and learn from the best. I can’t wait for the year ahead.”
