Three-time premiership coach Simone McKinnis has opened up on what’s next after her “fairytale” finish at the Melbourne Vixens.
It was back in May McKinnis revealed she and the club were parting ways after 13 years – yet she never stated she was retiring.
Now, speaking after her side’s brilliant 59-58 premiership win over the West Coast Fever McKinnis said she was “open” to offers for what comes next.
“I’m looking forward to the break – and I’ll have a break,” she said.
“What it looks like post-that? I don’t know.
“I’m open. I’m open to having a rest.
“It’s not like I don’t want to coach and I’ve had enough. I’ll have a break – I think if opportunities are there, I am a coach. That’s what I do. That’s what I love.
“Maybe I won’t miss it? Maybe I’ll enjoy having a life again.”
Vixens captain Kate Moloney added that “any club would be lucky to have” McKinnis moving forward.
But she hoped she wouldn’t have to face her mentor at a rival club.
“I can’t even really think about that too much,” Moloney said.
“She’s an amazing coach – she’s got so much to give to our game.
“It would be funny though looking at you. What would you do to me?” she directed to McKinnis.
“Would you still be playing?” McKinnis asked to laughter.
“How long are you having off? Have to wait and see,” Moloney added.
While McKinnis admits she’s “looking forward to being unemployed”, the master coach said the decision to announce her exit mid-season proved a turning point for the Vixens in 2025.
“Once that was out there, done, it just allowed us to move on somewhat,” she said.
“For me, I felt it was my fault. Not my fault, but I felt that when we talk about early in the season being flat and lifeless that that was a reflection to how I was feeling.
“Once we spoke as a group about what was happening, I had their support – they had my back. We had each other’s back. It was just, all right let’s go.”
That moment, which preceded the now famous “maybe we should go to the pub” quip, became the moment that defined Melbourne’s premiership push.
“(Kate) went back into the training and said, ‘Simone said we can go to the pub’,” McKinnis laughed.
“It’s a comment Simone has said over the years plenty of times – it’s not necessarily about going to the pub. We knew exactly what she meant,” Moloney added.
“We headed to the pub, had Coke Zeros and watched State of Origin.
“It wasn’t about the pub. It was about spending some together off the court, remembering why we do this, because we love netball, we love hanging out with our friends.”
Moloney and her Vixens teammates all paid tribute to McKinnis and her impact over the years.
“It means everything (to send McKinnis out a winner),” Moloney said.
“Simone and I have been through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
“She’s given everything she possibly could to our club.
“To be able to send her off like this, we’ll miss her. Our club will be different without her, but she will leave a legacy that lives on for ever and ever at our club.
“She demands a lot of her players but we have so much respect and love for her. She will absolutely back you to the ends of the earth when you play underneath her.
“She’s taken us to five grand finals and three premierships – that’s a pretty amazing legacy to leave behind.”
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