The Melbourne Mavericks would like to acknowledge and thank outgoing inaugural Mav, Lauren Parkinson, with the club making the difficult decision to not offer her a contract for the 2026 Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) season.
Mav #18, Parkinson made her much anticipated debut for the club this year, in Round 13 when the Mavs took on the Thunderbirds in Adelaide.
A highly sought-after defender who had enjoyed a decorated career in her hometown of Sydney with both the Swifts and Giants from the Giants before making the leap to become a Mav, cruelly, Parkinson ruptured her ACL in the Mavs final match of the 2024 Team Girls Cup pre-season tournament, ruling her out for the entirety of the Mavs’ inaugural season.
Despite the personal disappointment, Parkinson was a true team player, exhibiting all the qualities it takes to be Maverick. As well as diligently applying herself to her rehabilitation and return-to-play programs, Parkinson made herself ever-present across all areas of the club, assisting at training, with commercial obligations, and always being a go-to favourite for the content team.
In 2025, though her return-to-play program, Parkinson became a valued member of the inaugural Mavs Reserves squad, helping lead the young team to the Super Netball Reserves Grand Final in just their first year in the competition.
Mavs General Manager, Shae Bolton-Brown, paid tribute to the Parkinson.
“The decision not to offer Loz a contract next year was a really difficult one for the club,” Bolton-Brown said.
“With Loz doing her knee at such an unfortunate point in the season, time really was against her in terms of when she would be able to get back on court this season. To see her gain her Mavs wings – 755 days after her last SSN game for the Giants – was honestly one of the proudest moments I’ve had in my time at the club so far.”
“Loz embodies all of the personal qualities we value so highly at the Mavs, and the club will certainly miss Loz’s infectious personality and humour – no matter how tough things have been for her personally.
“It’s always sad when we have to farewell members of our Mavs family - especially our inaugural Mavs – but we can’t wait to see what’s next for Loz, and know that whatever it is, she will throw her whole self into it and give it her absolute all,” Bolton-Brown concluded.
