Sport
19 September, 2025
Local teenage sensation Lacey Broad earns selection to the Bendigo Strikers
Fresh off a remarkable 2025 campaign on the netball court, local rising star Lacey Broad will shine on her biggest stage yet after being selected for the Bendigo Strikers Under 19 Reserves team.
The Strikers play in the state’s premier netball competition, the Victorian Netball League (VNL), providing a pathway for talented netballers to play at a higher level.
The Under 19 Reserves side not only exposes emerging netballers to a high-performance environment, but is a direct pathway to the Strikers 23 and under squad, hosting the best young talent across the region.
After going through extensive trials involving more than 70 netballers over the course of three days, Broad said she is ecstatic to be selected for the 2026 squad.
“I was a bit shocked, but I was very grateful. I was in the development squad last year and that’s helped me a lot,” she said.
“I have been aiming towards this for a while, so I’m glad that I’m finally in.
“This year, getting picked to actually go down and play in Melbourne against all of the other girls is a good opportunity.”
The selection is the culmination of a spectacular season for the talented teenager, building upon her breakout year in 2024 where she was selected for the MCDFNL Team of the Year as a member of the Maryborough Giants A grade team.
After playing that season in defence, a role she had never done before, Broad was shifted back into her more natural shooter role, where she has blossomed into one of the most dominant players in the competition.
Broad’s stellar shooting and court presence played a pivotal role in the Giants’ top-four finish in the home and away season, ending the year second in the MCDFNL A grade goal-scoring charts with a staggering 923 goals.
Her incredible scoring rate earned her another selection to the MCDFNL Team of the Year, this time as the starting goal shooter.
While excelling at the senior level, Broad also led the Giants to an undefeated season in the 17 and under competition, culminating in a premiership victory over Avoca last Saturday.
She also represented the MCDFNL in the 17 and under interleague team alongside Giants’ teammates Kayley Walhouse, Bridget Allan, Jorgia Brown and Rory Baker.
Broad said the key to her success this season has been the tutelage from her Giants’ coaches and teammates.
“I have learned a lot from A grade coach Annalyse Carroll. She has taught me things about goal shooter that I didn’t know,” she said.
“Getting to work with different people like Ruby Saunder, who’s amazing at both ends and Abbey Devereaux has taught me different things and helped me a lot.”
Not content with just tearing up the MCDFNL, Broad also excelled for Lake Wendouree in the Ballarat Football Netball League 17 and under this season, winning the competition’s MVP and finishing as the leading scorer.
Broad said she joined the Lakers after being selected to the Central Highlands team that competed at the Netball Victoria State Titles in March.
“Rachael Cross was the coach and she also coaches the Lakers and they convinced me to come over,” she said.
“It’s been a lot (of netball) but it’s been good, I’ve learnt a lot from Rachel, she’s a great coach, she’s very fair and honest, if she thinks something, she will say it, which is what I like.”
While her already hefty netball schedule will expand when she starts playing for the Strikers next season, Broad said it all comes from the urge to become the best netballer she can be, keen to make the most of her new opportunity.
“I’m hoping to gain the experience and learn a lot more. I had Jody Richards as my coach last year and she’s my coach this year,” she said.
“It’s my goal to be able to play at the highest level that I can — I want to be the worst player in the best team and learn from everyone else.
“We only had one session a month (last year), but even from that one session, you learn a lot, you work on your specialties, your fitness, your drills and it makes you better.”