Strikers and Roos star Milly Wicks finds strength through adversity

It's something Bendigo Strikers and Kangaroo Flat star Milly Wicks knows plenty about following a frustrating run through the first half of the 2024 season.

After suffering a foot injury in late-April, Wicks had to bide her time on the sidelines for eight weeks, as her Strikers teammates continued their impressive development through their first season together in the VNL.

For Wicks, the only player on the Strikers' championship list without previous VNL experience, the glow of her first season in Victoria's premier netball competition quickly turned to frustration after half a dozen games.

Compounding any angst, she was also forced to sit idle as her beloved Kangaroo Flat recovered from an opening round loss to fierce rivals Sandhurst, in which she played, to notch up an impressive six-game winning-streak.

But her patience and resolve and dedication to her rehab were rewarded when she finally returned for limited minutes in the Strikers' round 17 loss against Casey Demons on June 19.

Despite some nerves, Wicks showed she was determined to make up for lost time, playing a full game for Kangaroo Flat against Sandhurst last Friday night under lights at the QEO, before having a substantial role for the Strikers in a 10-goal home win over the Western Warriors on Sunday.

While playing the 'waiting game' proved tough, Wicks approached her battle to regain fitness and health in much the same way she has tackled her netball over the years - front on.

"It was as much about mental strength as it was physical strength in the end," she said.

"It was pretty tedious waiting it all out and waiting for it to get better, but I was actually quite disciplined with my time off.

"I still worked hard and did as much as I could cardio-wise. I was swimming, riding, on the eliptical ... trying as many things as possible to stay disciplined and stay fit.

"But it was as much a mental game than it was physical."

While she could not set foot on court, Wicks was never far away from the playing group and, at times, had plenty of company in the rehab group, with the Strikers having to deal with multiple injuries injuries from week-to-week, including to their skipper Meg Williams, who has missed multiple games with an ankle.

"I still went down every week to watch them and they did a great job," she said.

"Obviously it was hard with both Meg and I out; we haven't really had a full complement of players to choose from.

"It's been tough for the girls, having to learn new combinations, but they have done a phenomenal job."

Given the regular unavailability of players, with defender Imogen Sexton having missed most of the season and goal attack Teal Hocking parts of it, combined with Vixens reserves commitments for Charlotte Sexton, Wicks believed the Strikers had perhaps defied expectations with seven wins from 16 games.

They still have four solid chances to add to their win haul before the last of their regular season commitments on July 17, starting with the Geelong Cougars in Ballarat this Sunday.

Unfortunately, they will be without their captain again after Williams reinjured herself in last week's BFNL clash against Kangaroo Flat.

Wicks said her heart went out to Williams.

"It was pretty awful seeing her go down," she said.

"We really wanted to be able to play together and we have been talking up this game (against the Warriors), so it's a real shame it didn't happen.

"Commiserations to her. I hope she's back out there with us soon."

Wicks was not just happy to be back for the Strikers against the Warriors, but to get the chance to play in front of a big home crowd.

She said it was disappointing to miss the club's first two home matches at Red Energy, a loss to the Boroondara Express and a win over the Geelong Cougars.

"It was so exciting to get the win in front of the home crowd," she said.

"We had so many people turn up again - the atmosphere was really cool.

"It felt like I'd missed out the first two home games.

"I think I was more nervous (on Sunday) playing than making the comeback last week.

"But the crowd was phenomenal. The Strikers board and the members do a phenomenal job of setting it all up."

While it's a long shot at eight points behind the fourth-placed Hawks, the Strikers can ever so slightly still afford to dream of a finals berth in their first season in the VNL.

"Technically we can. We are going to have to keep on winning and rely on some other teams to lose games," Wicks said.

"But even if we don't reach finals, we are going to make it tough for other teams and plan on messing it up for others."

Whether finals happen or not - and despite her early season setback - Wicks will still look back on her first season in the VNL with pride and a sense of accomplishment.

Given the ease and professionalism with which she has handled the step-up in competition, it's difficult to understand why she wasn't afforded the opportunity earlier.

A candid Wicks, who was part of the Bendigo Braves' NBL1 national championship win last year, acknowledged her own role in that not happening.

"I went and tried out at a young age and didn't get picked and just sort of gave up on it," she said.

"I probably wasn't fit enough years ago, but once I started playing basketball again, I got the fitness back up and my netball improved.

"That was the biggest thing, the fitness helped me play better netball.

"Having VNL in Bendigo has been great for me.

"Working full-time and having this commitment, it's a big commitment.

"But I've thoroughly enjoyed the higher quality netball. Particularly now we only get 14 games a season in the BFNL.

"To be able to play throughout the week and have good quality hit-outs is really exciting."