Lily Graham: 2025 World Youth Cup Player of the Tournament

Data last verified: May 2026

Lily Graham is a Goal Shooter and Goal Attack for the Melbourne Vixens in the Suncorp Super Netball competition and a member of Australia’s 21U national netball squad. 

Born in 2005 and raised in south-east Melbourne, Graham became the youngest player in Suncorp Super Netball history to earn a championship medal in 2025, the same year Graham was named Player of the Tournament at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar after Australia defeated New Zealand 63–48 in the final on 28 September 2025.

Key Takeaways

• Lily Graham, Goal Shooter and Goal Attack, stands 183cm tall and plays for the Melbourne Vixens in Suncorp Super Netball, having debuted as a permanent replacement player in 2024 at age 18, the youngest contracted athlete in the league at the time.
• Graham recorded 73.4% overall shooting accuracy in the 2025 SSN season, including 90.6% from 1-point range, over 7 appearances totalling 115 minutes of court time.
• Graham became the youngest player in SSN history to earn a championship medal when the Vixens won the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball grand final by 1 point.
• Graham was named Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup after Australia defeated New Zealand 63–48 in Gibraltar, Australia’s first World Youth Cup gold since 2009.
• Graham entered her third contracted SSN season in 2026 with goals focused on defensive improvement, working under new Vixens head coach Kate Upton.

Want context on the 2025 World Youth Cup campaign that launched Graham to international recognition? Read the full 2025 Netball World Youth Cup results breakdown on NetballOne.

Who Is Lily Graham, and What Position Does She Play?

Lily Graham is a versatile Australian netball shooter who plays both Goal Shooter and Goal Attack for the Melbourne Vixens in the Suncorp Super Netball competition. 

Graham’s primary strength is long-range shooting, specifically the two-point Super Shot, which Graham converted at 64% accuracy across five appearances in the 2025 mid-season period, according to Champion Data figures published by the Melbourne Vixens.

Graham stands 183cm tall and is described by the Vixens’ coaching staff as a “moving circle” shooter, a player whose value comes from creating space through movement rather than holding a static position under the post. 

Graham identifies that same quality as a defining characteristic: “I think my read of the play is one of my strengths, and also movement.

 When I’m playing at my best, I’m moving a lot, creating that space for other players, and also demanding the ball,” Graham told the Melbourne Vixens media team in March 2024.

What Is Lily Graham’s Career Background and Pathway?

Graham’s netball pathway began at club level in the Victorian Netball League (VNL) in 2021, playing for Wilson Storage Southern Saints.

 Graham’s state representative career began with Victoria’s 17/Under team at the 2022 National Netball Championships, and continued with the 19/Under team in 2023. 

Graham also represented Australia in the national pathway at the 2022 PacificAus Sports Netball Series . She was part of the Victorian Institute of Sport Netball Development squad that travelled to New Zealand in early 2023.

Graham made her Victorian Fury debut at the 2023 Australian Netball Championships, though that appearance was cut short by injury. Graham still contributed 69 goals at 91% accuracy in 106 minutes of court time. Netball Pass Netball.

Graham was named as a Vixens training partner in 2024, the only new training partner selected to the squad that year. 

Graham’s opportunity to become a contracted player arrived when Mwai Kumwenda, the Vixens’ long-time goal shooter, announced her pregnancy and would miss the entire 2024 season.

 Graham was named as the Vixens’ permanent replacement player at 18 years of age, the youngest contracted athlete in the Suncorp Super Netball competition at the time. 

What Did Lily Graham Achieve in Her 2024 SSN Debut Season?

Graham’s 2024 SSN debut season produced six appearances for the Melbourne Vixens. 

Graham’s standout performance came against West Coast Fever in Round 13, where Graham tallied six Super Shots at John Cain Arena.

Graham converted that debut season into a fully contracted position in the Vixens’ 10-player squad for 2025, a direct reward for the performances that demonstrated Graham’s readiness for regular Super Netball competition.

Season	Club	Appearances	Key Stat
2021–2023	Wilson Storage Southern Saints (VNL)	Multiple	VNL Championship level
2023	Victorian Fury (ANC)	1 tournament	69 goals at 91% (106 mins)
2024	Melbourne Vixens (SSN)	6	6 Super Shots in Round 13 vs Fever
2025	Melbourne Vixens (SSN)	7	73.4% overall accuracy, 115 minutes

What Were Lily Graham’s Stats in the 2025 SSN Season?

Graham’s 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season represented a significant step forward in consistency and court time.

 Graham made 7 appearances, totalling 115 minutes and recorded an overall shooting accuracy of 73.4%, including 90.6% from 1-point range. 

Graham scored at least one Super Shot every time Graham took the court in 2025, including 5 Super Shots at 71% accuracy in Round 1 and 4 at 66.6% in Round 6. 

At the 2025 mid-season mark, Graham had played 95 minutes compared to just 6 minutes at the same stage in 2024, which Vixens staff attributed to Graham’s dynamic movement and accuracy.

Graham’s 2025 season culminated in the Suncorp Super Netball grand final. Graham became the youngest player in Suncorp Super Netball history to earn a championship medal when the Melbourne Vixens won the 2025 grand final. 

Graham described sitting in the change rooms after the 1-point win as one of the most special memories of a career already crowded with milestones: “It was just the 10 of us in the team plus Simone [McKinnis] and we just sat there, had a chat, and really took it all in.” 

Explore the full history of Australian netball’s elite competition and the players who have defined it on NetballOne.

How Did Lily Graham Perform at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup?

Graham represented Australia at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar from 19 to 28 September 2025, competing as goal attack in the 21U national squad coached by Cathy Fellows, Adelaide Thunderbirds assistant coach and Australia’s 21U national team head coach.

Australia defeated New Zealand 63–48 in the final, and the tournament named Graham Player of the Tournament, securing Australia’s first World Youth Cup gold since 2009.

Graham’s second-half moving-circle combination with Adelaide Thunderbirds’ Kayla Graham broke the final open, propelling Australia from a narrow lead to a commanding 13-goal advantage by three-quarter time.

 Graham attributed the dominant second half directly to the Vixens preparation: “I didn’t feel pressure. Personally, I really wanted to show that my SSN experience has helped me and that I could translate that on the court. I felt very strong, fit, and confident within myself,” Graham said in a November 2025 interview published by the Melbourne Vixens. 

The player of the Tournament award recognised Graham’s consistency across nine competition days, not just the final, including the decisive long-range shooting and movement patterns that had troubled every defensive combination Australia faced in Gibraltar. For the full quarter-by-quarter breakdown of the final, read the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup results article on NetballOne.

What Are Lily Graham’s Goals for 2026 and Beyond?

Graham entered the 2026 SSN season in her third season with the Melbourne Vixens with a stated focus on improving the defensive element of her game, working under new head coach Kate Upton and assistant Di Honey.

 She framed the defensive ambition specifically: “I’m trying to be like Kippa,” referring to Melbourne Vixens and Australia Diamonds goalkeeper Tippah Dwan, in comments published by the Melbourne Vixens in November 2025.

Lily identified mentors Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin, both Australian Diamonds, as central to continuing development: “I’ve got a good shooting end in Sophie and Kiera. I’m very grateful to be working with them and learning from them.” NSW Swifts

No 20-year-old in the Suncorp Super Netball era had reached the same career milestones as Graham heading into 2026 — a SSN championship medal, a World Youth Cup gold medal, and a Player of the Tournament award, all achieved before turning 21. 

The pathway to senior Diamonds consideration for goal attack and goal shooter positions runs through consistent SSN performance, and Graham’s trajectory across 2024 and 2025 places the Melbourne shooter among the players most likely to receive senior squad exposure in the 2026–27 cycle.

For more on the Australian players making their mark at the international level, explore the full player profiles section on NetballOne.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Lily Graham in netball?

 Lily Graham is a Goal Shooter and Goal Attack for the Melbourne Vixens in the Suncorp Super Netball competition and a member of Australia’s 21U national squad. 

Born in 2005 in south-east Melbourne, Graham became the youngest SSN championship medallist in 2025 and won the player of the Tournament award at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar.

What team does Lily Graham play for?

Lily Graham plays for the Melbourne Vixens in the Suncorp Super Netball competition, Australia’s premier domestic netball league.

 Graham joined the Vixens as a permanent replacement player in 2024 at age 18 and earned a fully contracted position in the Vixens’ 10-player squad for the 2025 season.

What are Lily Graham’s shooting stats in Super Netball? 

Graham recorded a 73.4% overall shooting accuracy across the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season, including 90.6% accuracy from 1-point range across 7 appearances totalling 115 minutes. 

Graham converted at least one Super Shot every time Graham took the court in 2025, with a peak of five Super Shots at 71% in Round 1.

How tall is Lily Graham, the netball player?

Lily Graham stands 183cm tall, a height that supports Graham’s versatility across both Goal Shooter and Goal Attack positions. 

Graham uses height in combination with movement-based shooting patterns rather than a stationary hold, creating space for teammates and shooting opportunities from long range.

Why was Lily Graham named Player of the Tournament at the 2025 World Youth Cup?

Graham was named Player of the Tournament at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup because of consistent long-range shooting and decisive movement across nine competition days in Gibraltar. 

Graham’s second-half moving-circle combination with Kayla Graham in the final produced a 20–9 third quarter that ended New Zealand’s challenge and secured Australia’s 63–48 win.

What record did Lily Graham set in 2025? 

Graham became the youngest player in Suncorp Super Netball history to earn a championship medal after the Melbourne Vixens won the 2025 SSN grand final by 1 point. 

Graham achieved the record in the same calendar year as winning gold and the player of the Tournament award at the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar.

Is Lily Graham in the Australian Diamonds squad? 

As of May 2026, Graham has not received a senior Australian Diamonds call-up, though Graham holds under-21 international gold-medal experience from the 2025 World Youth Cup.

 Graham’s trajectory across two SSN seasons and a Player of the Tournament award places Graham among the leading candidates for Diamonds consideration in the 2026–27 selection cycle.

What position does Lily Graham play in netball?

Graham plays Goal Shooter and Goal Attack — the two shooting positions in netball, both restricted to the attacking third and goal circle.

 Graham’s primary value is versatility across both roles, combined with long-range Super Shot accuracy, with 64% conversion recorded across five mid-season 2025 appearances, per Champion Data figures.

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