The re-named Victoria (previously Dandenong Rangers) team enter season 2013 as back-to-back champions of the Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL) and there is no reason why they won’t maintain the mantel as Australia’s best.

 

Typically, Victoria just have too many scoring options on the floor for most teams to handle. The combination of Cobi Crispin, Shelley Chaplin and Leanne Del Toso means that teams don’t have the option to double-teaming a player without letting another one get loose.

 

Victoria will have to make do without the services of Cobi Crispin for the second half of the year though as she takes an opportunity to play College wheelchair basketball in Alabama. The loss of the Gliders star means an opportunity for another player, with Victoria adding three rookies to their playing list in 2013.

 

One of those rookies is 21 year old swimmer, Ellie Cole. The two-time Paralympian and nine-time Paralympic Medallist joins her London team mates to add to their high point stocks, and will get increased opportunity with the departure of Crispin. It will be interesting to see how this ‘fish out of water’ takes to a sport on dry land.

 

Victoria also boast quality low pointers with Katherine Reed and Melanie Domaschenz to round out a complete line-up that’s proved almost unbeatable in previous years.

 

Victoria has been the benchmark for the past two seasons and every other team in the league will be gunning for them this year. Despite Crispin’s departure, Victoria will still be extremely tough to beat and there is no reason that they won’t be able to complete a historic three-peat in season 2013.

 

2013 Team Victoria:

 

4. Melanie Domaschenz (1.0)
5. Cobi Crispin (4.0)
9. Leanne Del Toso (3.5)
10. Alice Hamond (4.5) Able-Body
12. Shelley Chaplin (3.5)
13. Ellie Cole (TBC)
14. Lynne Panayiotis (TBC)
15. Jemima Moore (TBC)
 

Head Coach: Brett Paxton
Assistant Coach: Daniel Carpenter

 

Written by Joel Mackenzie