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Sport Nation
Netball trades: Mavs 2026 roster is locked in
SEN • August 21st, 2025 3:29 pm
The Melbourne Mavericks have elevated inaugural reserves captain, Sacha McDonald to the club’s list of contracted 10 players to complete the squad for 2026.
Despite this being her first full SSN contract, McDonald already has significant experience within the world’s top netball League having previously been signed as a Vixens training partner for three seasons.
When the Covid pandemic caused significant disruption on the league in Australia, McDonald moved to London and played the 2022 season with the Pulse.
Returning to Australia in 2024, McDonald was largely convinced her elite netball career was likely behind her until she took a leap of faith with the Mavs Reserves team for 2025.
Not only did she captain the side but she led them to the Grand Final and was named Reserves’ Player of the Year at the Mavs annual Awards Night.
“It feels so surreal to be able to join the Mavs as a fully-contracted member of the squad for 2026,” McDonald said. “I’ve said before that I thought elite netball might have been behind me not all that long ago – and I was ok with that – but I have thoroughly enjoyed training and learning with this group over the last year.
“It’s pretty impressive what this club and this playing group have managed to build in just two seasons, so I’m excited to be remaining a member of the Mavs family in 2026 and give it all I’ve got.”
McDonald is the final piece for the puzzle for the Mavs this signing period.
She joins Reilley Batcheldor, Kim Brown, Jessie Grenvold, Tara Hinchliffe, Shimona Jok, Molly Jovic, Uneeq Palavi, Amy Parmenter and Jamie-Lee Price on the roster.
Reflecting on a hugely busy trade period, Mavs GM Shae Bolton-Brown said she was excited to see what the new-look squad would do in 2026.
“I think there’s no denying that on paper, we have a really strong squad looking ahead to next season,” she said. “Although there looks to have been quite a few changes to our list of contracted 10 players, we are proud and pleased to have promoted so many players who are already members of the Mavs family to a contracted 10 position, and that our program has helped them progress to this point in achieving their netball goals.”
