OFF THE BENCH AND INTO BIG TIME
FORMER Drysdale junior Emily Mannix says the Melbourne Vixens’ major semi-final against Sunshine Coast Lightning on Saturday night will be the biggest game she has played in.
The 23-year-old has made a swift rise into the Vixens’ best seven after a number of players from the team’s 2016 list found new homes this season.
Their departures paved the way for the aggressive and reliable defender, who has grabbed her opportunity with both hands.
“These things happen in netball — people come, people go — and you’ve just got to make the most of your opportunity when you get it and that’s been something that’s worked out really well for me,” Mannix said.
“It has been such an exciting year, not just for all the girls but myself in particular and I’ve just loved getting out there and having a real crack.
“It was that couple of years on the bench. I trained really hard and did what I needed to do to improve, and that set me up quite nicely to be able to get out on court.
“I’ve definitely loved getting out there and being part of the group, and the girls are fantastic, they’ve really welcomed me and really trust what I can do out there on court.”
Mannix said the beckoning finals campaign would be one of the biggest games she had played.
“It’s hard to get a grip on what’s happening — we’re just taking it match by match — but to even make finals and the prospect of making a grand final is pretty surreal, but just going to take it one week and a time and see where this week takes us,” she said.
“I’ve grown up going through the state program, making a few Australian squads in underage years, but I think this a-whole-nother level.
“To actually be playing out there on court and be making finals are two things that have worked out really good for me.”
Mannix, who joined teammate Tegan Philip at a clinic at the Geelong Basketball Netball Centre on Tuesday night, said she enjoyed returning to her grassroots.
“It’s great to get back out here, come back to Geelong, and you even see some girls you may have grown up playing with their sisters, so it’s really nice to get down and do these regional clinics,” she said.