There is plenty to be excited about ahead of the next season of Suncorp Super Netball with an abundance of fresh talent set to take the court in 2023.
Here we take a look at the new and emerging athletes destined to take the competition by storm.
ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS
The stars set to rise in 2023 for the Adelaide Thunderbirds will both form an integral part of the side’s shooting circle.
Having spent two years as a training partner, Lucy Austin has been elevated into the side’s contracted 10 for 2023. A South Australian native, Austin made her Suncorp Super Netball debut for the Thunderbirds in round six of 2022.
The 20-year-old impressed throughout the three matches she featured in for the Thunderbirds scoring 103 goals. She also captained the Southern Force side to a grand final win at the 2022 Australian Netball Championships and was part of Australia’s first Fast5 Netball World Series team to claim a gold medal.
The other star set to rise in 2023 is no stranger to the big stage. England’s Eleanor Cardwell is gearing up to make her Suncorp Super Netball debut next year.
England shooter Eleanor Cardwell will be a strong addition to the Adelaide Thunderbirds for 2023.Cardwell is a four-time premiership player in England’s Vitality Netball Super League and represented her country at this year’s Commonwealth Games finishing in the top five shooters at the event scoring 207 goals.
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES
Over the state border and into Magpie territory, there’s another shooter ready to come out firing in 2023.
Nyah Allen is at home in the black and white having first signed as a training partner with the club in December 2019.
The long-range shooter made her SSN debut in 2020 and played three matches for the side in 2022. Throughout her appearances for the Magpies in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Allen has shot a total of 26 super shots and 63 goals. Allen also slotted 79 goals at this year’s Australian Netball Championships.
Unfortunately for Collingwood fans, Allen is expected to miss at least the first half of the season as she recovers from surgery to correct a musculoskeletal chest condition. However, the good news is Allen isn't the only rising star in the Pies' camp.
Joining Allen in the nest is midcourter Maddie Hinchliffe. Hinchliffe made her Suncorp Super Netball debut for the Queensland Firebirds in 2019 before moving to the Sunshine Coast Lightning in 2021. Hinchliffe was elevated as a permanent replacement player for 2022 and featured in all 14 of the Lightning’s matches.
Hinchliffe is set to don the black and white in 2023.Hinchliffe tallied up 518.5 Nissan Net Points, eight intercepts and 28 deflections, mainly playing across wing defence and centre.
GIANTS NETBALL
The GIANTS re-signed their entire squad for 2023, and among them are some up and coming stars.
You cannot overlook Matisse Letherbarrow.
The 21-year-old joined the GIANTS training environment in 2019 and made her Suncorp Super Netball debut a year later. She took to the court three times during the 2022 season and scored 34 goals at an accuracy of 74 per cent with 13 of those super shots.
Letherbarrow starred for the GIANTS Netball Academy at the Australian Netball Championships slotting 184 goals at 88 per cent.
Alongside her at the Australian Netball Championships was fellow rising star Amy Sligar. Sligar made her debut for the GIANTS in 2021 and featured in seven games in 2022. The midcourter was also a prominent figure on court at the Australian Netball Championships with 80 goal assists and 18 loose ball pickups.
Letherbarrow was a standout for the GIANTS Netball Academy at the Australian Netball Championships.MELBOURNE VIXENS
Hannah Mundy burst onto the Suncorp Super Netball scene as an injury replacement player in 2021. Throughout 2021, Mundy totalled 136 goal assists, five intercepts and 17 deflections. Despite having less court time in 2022, Mundy continued to impress with 82 goal assists and 230 Nissan Net Points.
The speedy midcourter also played a pivotal role in Australia’s Fast5 World Series gold medal and was among the top five feeders at the Australian Netball Championships.
The other Vixen primed to threaten the opposition in 2023 is Rahni Samason. She made her anticipated netball debut in 2021 shooting 29 goals and a match-winning super shot. And in 2022 she scored 80 goals at 81 per cent accuracy. Having spent some time on the sidelines injured Samason is yet to reach her full potential at Suncorp Super Netball level but will 2023 be her year?
NSW SWIFTS
Sophie Fawns was given an opportunity to step on court for the NSW Swifts in 2022 and she grabbed it with both hands.
Fawns took the netball world by storm in her debut season scoring 153 goals in her 13 appearances. Her performance earning her a coveted contract in the Swifts 10 for next year.
The other Swift to watch out for in 2023 is Allie Smith. The 22-year-old found herself at home in the NSW Swifts colours in 2022 after spending some time at the Melbourne Vixens. The defender took to the court 14 times throughout the season, playing a shutdown role on her opponents and came away with six intercepts and 19 deflections.
Fawns scored 153 goals on the Suncorp Super Netball court in 2022.QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS
It’s been a long time coming for Remi Kamo. The 29-year-old defender is set to make her Suncorp Super Netball debut in 2023 for the Queensland Firebirds.
Kamo represented Queensland at under 17, under 19 and under 21 levels and took a break from netball believing the opportunity for her would never come. However, her decision to return and compete in the HART Sapphire Series for the Brisbane North Cougars has paid dividends with the defender earning herself a Suncorp Super Netball contract and a few HART Sapphire Series premierships along the way.
At this year’s Australian Netball Championships Kamo caused headaches for her opponents with 21 gains and 26 deflections but her ability to confuse the space also made her dangerous.
Kamo's addition to the Firebirds will reunite her with former teammate Ruby Bakewell-Doran forming a formidable defensive unit.
The other Firebirds to keep an eye on in 2023 are Ash Unie who joins after being part of the Sunshine Coast Lightning environment and Macy Gardner who returns to the Firebirds in their contracted 10.
Gardner was hard to stop at the Australian Netball Championships finishing the event with 93 feeds.
Kamo is poised to keep her opponents on their toes in 2023.SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING
Coming into the side as an injury replacement player, Charlie Bell has her opportunity to make her mark on the Sunshine Coast.
The shooter slot 207 goals at 92 per cent accuracy during the Australian Netball Championships and is a former training partner with the Queensland Firebirds. Bell was also part of the premiership-winning Brisbane North Cougars in the HART Sapphire Series.
The other breakout star to watch in 2023 is Annie Miller. She made her Suncorp Super Netball debut in 2021 with the GIANTS, however, her move to the Sunshine Coast had an immediate impact on the court in 2022 and she has the potential to continue building in 2023.
The midcourter finished the season with 67 goal assists and 140 feeds. Miller also was impressive throughout the Australian Netball Championships with 157 feeds and topped the stats for centre pass receives with 147 and second phase receives with 79.
Consistent throughout 2022, Miller has the potential to soar higher in 2023.
WEST COAST FEVER
Last but not least West Coast Fever. The premiers have continued to bolster their defensive end with Kim Jenner making the trip over from Queensland for 2023.
Jenner spent much of the 2022 season on the bench, however, but can read the play as well as anyone else in the competition.
Jenner played in nine matches during 2022 and hunted the ball down for six intercepts. She was also an integral part of the gold medal winning Fast5 Netball World series team.
Under the guidance of Courtney Bruce, Jenner could really flourish in 2023 as defenders Rudi Ellis and Sunday Aryang have for the Fever.
