Team Of The Future: Super Netball’s 2018 Rookie Standouts

So far this season there have been seven players who have made their Suncorp Super Netball debut – Kiera Austin from the Giants,  Matilda Garrett and Melissa Bragg from the Magpies, Jacqui Newton from the Vixens, Sophie Garbin and Kate Eddy from the Swifts and Tara Hinchliffe from the Firebirds.

These players, and others who are still in the infancy of their careers, could be the next stars of the competition and might one day be our next Samsung Diamonds.

This week Champion Data has created a “Team of the Future” from players who were 22 or younger at the start of the season and have played less than 20 Super Netball games.

GOAL SHOOTER – SOPHIE GARBIN

Garbin debuted in sensational circumstances, coming on in the third quarter in the Swifts’ Round 1 win against the Firebirds. The Swifts were down by seven early in the third quarter and were looking down the barrel of a heavy loss. Enter Garbin, and 25 minutes later the Swifts won by one goal (54-53) with the young shooter scoring 18 from 19. Since that game, Garbin has played a total of seven games, with 97 goals from 109 attempts for a very impressive 89% accuracy. She also has 14 feeds, 10 goal assists, one intercept and 11 rebounds and is clearly a star on the rise.

GOAL ATTACK – CHARLEE HODGES

After debuting last season but only playing two games, Hodges has played 11 of 12 games this season for the Thunderbirds. Hodges has scored 122 goals from 154 attempts for a shooting percentage of 79.2%. She always provides plenty of energy and the experience she is gaining will be invaluable for her development and growth over the next few years. Hodges has also fed her fellow goalers 156 times for 125 goal assists, and has 167 centre pass receives, one intercept, eight deflections and six rebounds.

WING ATTACK – KEIRA AUSTIN

Austin got her first on-court action in Round 2 against the Thunderbirds, but being a backup to Giants captain Kim Green means Austin has had limited court time. However when she did receive her opportunity replacement. In Round 9 Austin got the opportunity she was waiting for, playing the entire game. She provided 20 goal assists from 27 feeds – both game highs – along with 11 centre pass receives and an intercept.

CENTRE – JEMMA MI MI

Centre is a position where coaches tend to play more experienced players, considering the importance of the position at both ends of the court. But in her first full season in the Firebirds’ main squad, Mi Mi has played centre in four games. Across those games ahe has played 96 minutes and has shown plenty of promise. Still learning her elite trade, Mi Mi has fed the goal circle 43 times for 22 goal assists, has taken an intercept and deflected one ball.

WING DEFENCE – KATE EDDY

Eddy (top) has played in all 12 games for the Swifts this season and has been a consistent performer in all of those games. The young Victorian started on the bench for her first 10 games but was a starting player in both Round 11 and 12. She also plays goal defence but the majority of her court time has been in the midcourt, where she has so far received the centre pass 28 times, taken six intercepts, deflected the ball 15 times and has 12 gains. At only 21 years old, Eddy is definitely an important part of the Swifts’ future.

GOAL DEFENCE – KIM JENNER

In her second season and with 13 Super Netball games under her belt, 20-year-old Kim Jenner has had limited opportunities this season but has shown enough to be a player of the future. Three of her games this season have been against competition heavyweights the Vixens, Giants and Fever – proving that the Firebirds coaching staff have belief in her for the big moments. Jenner’s last two games had her playing the entire game and she is yet to lose a game when she starts, with wins in Round 11 against the Giants and Round 12 against the Fever. In these two games she had nine gains, three intercepts, 11 deflections and two centre pass receives.

GOAL KEEPER – MATILDA GARRETT

The youngest member of our “Team of the Future” has had front row seats to one of the game’s great goal keepers in Sharni Layton. After debuting in Round 2 against the Fever, Garrett has played seven games, which included a full game against the ladder-leading Fever. With Layton retiring, Garrett is well positioned to step up in 2019. To date this season Garrett has taken two intercepts, 13 deflections, two rebounds and six gains.