{"id":85937,"date":"2026-09-02T09:43:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/85937\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T09:43:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:43:11","slug":"melbourne-mavericks-sign-kate-eddy-as-a-training-partner-for-2027-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/85937\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne Mavericks sign Kate Eddy as a training partner for 2027"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kate Eddy has vowed to work her \u201cbutt off\u201d to get back on a Super Netball list after her \u201ccry for help\u201d was answered with a career lifeline from cross-town rivals Melbourne Mavericks in the wake of her messy split with the Vixens. <\/a><\/p>\n

After one of the most controversial list decisions of the league\u2019s frenzied contracting period, Eddy will seek to relaunch her career as a training partner at Mavericks in a \u201cnew chapter\u201d for the 29-year-old after seven years with the Vixens. <\/p>\n

In her first interview since it was revealed she had been left without a spot on a list for 2027, Eddy described the contracting chaos as a \u201creally hard experience\u201d which she hoped would not \u201chave to happen to somebody else again\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a really hard experience,\u201d Eddy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything happens for a reason and I\u2019ve had to come a long way to get to that, but I think new opportunities open up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHopefully this doesn\u2019t have to happen to somebody else again. If I am a little guinea pig this has happened to, hopefully there are different guidelines and things like that in the future that can hopefully not allow this to happen again to someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the biggest talking points of the contracting period, Eddy was left without a spot on the Vixens\u2019 list for next season after what she described as a \u201cbreakdown in communication\u201d which all unfolded while she was holidaying overseas. <\/p>\n

Eddy\u2019s manager Anthony Panozzo hit out at the Vixens for pulling their contract offer late, leaving her no time to find a spot at another club. <\/p>\n

The Vixens explained they had wanted to retain Eddy, but they had been unable to reach an agreement with her management in the required time frame. <\/p>\n

A fan favourite among the Vixens\u2019 faithful, the controversial loss of Eddy amid a wider list shake-up at the Vixens sparked widespread backlash among fans. <\/p>\n

Now, the Mavericks have swooped to offer Eddy – a two time premiership winner with the Vixens – a spot as a training partner for 2027. <\/p>\n

Eddy said she was thankful for the opportunity at the Mavericks to keep her dream of playing Super Netball alive, revealing she had chased coach Gerard Murphy herself to pitch for a training partner role. <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like when I spoke to \u2018Gez\u2019 on the phone, it was like a cry for help almost,\u201d Eddy said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI texted (former Vixens teammate and Mavs recruit) Zara (Walters) and I was like, \u2018Do you have Gez\u2019s number\u2019?<\/p>\n

\u201cI said to Gez I would love to be a part of the club \u2026 and Gez was amazing and welcomed me and has been really supportive throughout this whole experience.\u201d <\/p>\n

Eddy said she still had a \u201clot to give\u201d as a Super Netball player.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou never know what can happen in the future. I just know that for the next 12 months I am going to work my butt off to try and get back into the SSN environment,\u201d Eddy said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to work my butt off to stay really fit, netball fit, netball smart and just take any opportunity that I can with two hands. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs we know, netball is crazy and I just want to be able to put everything that I can into it and just give myself the best opportunity because that\u2019s where I want to be. <\/p>\n

\u201cI still have a lot to give. I just think being able to train with new people, being outside of my comfort zone as well I think I am really hoping to improve a lot and learn a lot as well.\u201d <\/p>\n

Regarded as one of the league\u2019s premier wing defences, Eddy was part of the Vixens\u2019 title winning teams in 2020 and 2025 in a seven-season stint with the club. <\/p>\n

She has featured in the past three Super Netball grand finals with the Vixens.<\/p>\n

While Eddy has accepted Netball Victoria\u2019s offer of employment, she said she has to move to a new environment as a training partner in order for her to \u201cmove forward\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like for me to move forward in a positive way and for me to be my best self and also the club – for the Vixens as well – after things that have happened, it is probably not healthy for everybody for me to be in that environment,\u201d Eddy said. <\/p>\n

\u201cProbably for me to move forward, I probably need to be somewhere else as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mavericks coach Gerard Murphy had no hesitation bringing Eddy into the club\u2019s fold as a training partner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are really excited to have her. It\u2019s a huge benefit for us training environment wise to have someone of her calibre and IQ training with us all the time,\u201d Murphy said. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously the ultimate back-up player so that if something does actually happen, who else would you want coming into your team? <\/p>\n

\u201cWe also know that it also means that other teams have the opportunity potentially as well. We know that and we are open and agreed to that. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too big of a miss for someone like Kate of her standard and experience to not be playing netball, so that is a commitment that we worked on together that while we are going to be preparing her, it might not be for us and it maybe for someone else. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s OK and that\u2019s the right thing for us to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eddy joins the already-announced Charlotte Sexton as a Mavericks\u2019 training partner for next season.<\/p>\n

Originally published as Melbourne Mavericks sign Kate Eddy as a training partner for 2027 after her shock Vixens exit<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kate Eddy has vowed to work her \u201cbutt off\u201d to get back on a Super Netball list 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