City West Falcons are established as the mighty west’s team in the Victorian Netball League (VNL).
They will continue to serve the western suburbs for the foreseeable future. Maybe even forever.
“We think the western suburbs are a major force in netball and we want to keep it that way,” Falcons coach Marg Lind told Star Weekly.
“We’re certainly consolidating in the west and we feel like we’ve got a nice little position. I don’t think we’ll be changing. Ever.”
The name and the colours of the Falcons resonate with the western suburbs. They have vowed to never deviate from the red, white and blue while they are based in the west.
“The fact that we wear the colours worn by the Western Bulldogs is an advantage,” Lind said. “It’s consistent with the western suburbs … that culture and identity.”
There has been a tendency for VNL teams to chop and change identities. That’s largely to do with affiliations with particular universities and moves to different training venues and municipalities.
The Falcons have not been immune, having formerly played as Hume City Falcons.
But there’s a strong sense their present identity is here to stay.
That position has strengthened since VU-Western Lightning’s split with Victoria University. The Falcons’ long-time western rivals started a partnership with Melbourne University this season, bringing about a name change to Melbourne University Lightning.
“They’ve got different colours and different coaching staff,” Lind said. “It’s always a rivalry but not like it was when they were down the road.”
The Falcons are proud to call the west home. They train at the Altona Netball Stadium and have strong links with Maribyrnong College where they recently played a top-of-the-table clash with Boroondara Express.
“We had a lot of junior netballers who came to watch from Westside Saints and Altona,” Lind said.
The Falcons remain a game clear on top of the VNL championship division ladder despite their first loss of the season – to Monash University Storm by four goals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre last Wednesday.
They will be looking to atone for the defeat when they face Geelong Cougars, back at the SNHC in the 9.40 game tonight (Wednesday, April 8).
