TAKING IT IN HER STRIDE

NEW ROLE FOR MANNIX

NEW Melbourne Vixens vicecaptain Emily Mannix says she won’t change her leadership style despite taking up a new role as the Vixens settle into quarantine in Queensland.

The Geelong netballer (pictured) and her teammates flew into Queensland on Sunday and are currently in a twoweek quarantine, where they are confined to their hotel rooms when not training.

The fortnight will end on August 2 but the Queensland government has granted permission for Melbourne to play Collingwood a day earlier to kick off the Super Netball season.

A call from Vixens head coach Simone McKinnis informing Mannix she was voted into the club’s leadership group left the defender “shocked” but she has since come to grips with her role.

Mannix, 26, will serve under co-captains Liz Watson and Kate Moloney.

“Simone video called me on the Friday (to give her the news) and I was, like, ‘Really?’,” Mannix said.

“It was nice to hear that your teammates see you as a leader, so I think that is the nicest part about it. I don’t think I will change a whole lot, I will still try and stay myself.

“I really love connecting with everyone and that’s something I pride myself on, being able to have those relationships with anyone and for everyone to be comfortable to come and talk to me.”

Mannix is rooming with Jo Weston during the quarantine period, with players only able to mingle in common living areas.

Although she lives in Geelong and wasn’t under the same coronavirus restrictions as those in Melbourne, Mannix was told to self-isolate in the days before the trip to Queensland.

She made sure to pack a Nintendo Wii to keep busy during the period as the countdown begins to that clash against the Magpies.

After months of uncertainty, having a date for the first match is a relief so the Vixens can get a clear focus.

“The last couple of weeks have been really difficult but now that we have actually made it here and had a training session (on Monday) we are all excited we are here,” Mannix said.

“Everything to this point has been unknown and we didn’t have answers for anything, so we were having to take it day by day.

“These two weeks in quarantine are going to be really difficult, obviously, but knowing it’s all worth it because we actually get to play is holding us in good stead.”