Kelly Singleton, Leilani Rohweder, Teigan O’Shannassy, Emily Burgess and Olivia Coleman will join the Swifts’ senior set up as Training Partners for 2021.
Swifts coach Briony Akle has nothing but praise for the group, providing insight on what they will each bring to her team this season.
Singleton who made her debut for the club in 2020 will be eager to continue her growth as a player.
"Heading into the Queensland hub was very daunting for everyone but Kelly, like so many others, just put her head down and put in a great effort. She proved herself to be a really vital squad player and, having seen her come through the Australian Netball League and NSW State Teams, it was a really special moment to watch her debut,” Swifts head coach Briony Akle said.
Rohweder was a standout performer in the NSW Swifts Academy Program and joined the team in the hub in 2020.
"There aren't many steeper learning curves than moving away from your family and friends for three months but Leilani proved that she is made of stern stuff. The learnings she'll have got from the Super Netball Hub will really serve her well going forward and I know her talent and potential will only continue to develop with more exposure to the first-team environment," Akle said.
Former GIANTS defender O’Shannassy joins the Swifts program after she missed the 2020 season due to illness.
"She has had a tough time with illness and injury of late but still has huge potential to achieve great things at the highest level. She got a good opportunity to take up a Training Partner contract when the GIANTS came in back in 2017 but I'm delighted to have her back in the Swifts setup,” Akle said.
Burgess who hails from South Australia, isn’t a stranger to the elite level after having a contract with the Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2017 and playing with the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership.
"Emily has a fantastic work ethic and overcome some horrendous injuries down the years, but never gives up. All she is looking for is a chance to prove herself at the top level in Australia again. She has gone across to New Zealand and played well, and knows what high performance sport is all about," Akle said.
Coleman returns to the Swifts set up as their final Training Partner and has been a strong member of the QBE Swifts Academy.
"From a defensive point of view I'm very excited to see how Olivia can grow and learn from the likes of Sarah Klau, Maddy Turner and Lauren Moore. Not only that, she will also have another Super Netball player to train alongside in Teigan O'Shannassy. And when you get to pit yourself against the likes of Sam Wallace and Helen Housby, there aren't many tougher tests."
The Swifts have begun their pre-season with training retuning this week.
