Adelaide Thunderbirds midcourter Beth Cobden to have knee surgery and miss rest of season

Adelaide Thunderbirds midcourter Beth Cobden has just returned from knee surgery and now faces another extended period on the sidelines after a new knee injury.

Adelaide Thunderbirds midcourter Beth Cobden will miss the rest of the Super Netball season as well as the World Cup for England. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

• T-Birds’ nervous wait on scans for injured stars
• Injury blow for T-Birds in loss to Vixens

Adelaide Thunderbirds midcourter Beth Cobden will have a third knee reconstruction after rupturing the ACL in her left knee in the loss to Melbourne Vixens in Mile End on Saturday.

The England international’s fears of serious damage to the knee were confirmed by scans on Monday and she will miss the rest of the Super Netball season after making her debut in the league this year.

The injury is also a massive blow for England with Cobden, a Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medallist last year, to miss the World Cup in Liverpool in July.

Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst, also the England team assistant, said Cobden would be missed this season.

“We are all devastated that Beth will be unable to compete on the court for the remainder of the season,” Obst said.

Cobden had her second knee construction last year and was cleared to return to the court for the Thunderbirds’ season opener against West Coast Fever just nine months later.

The brilliant wing defence immediately grabbed for her knee and called for medical attention after collapsing to the court in the second quarter against the Vixens in the third round encounter.

Thunderbirds general manager Melody Cooper said the entire Thunderbirds team was feeling for Cobden.

“We are saddened by the news regarding Beth’s season-ending injury and our priority right now is supporting Beth and ensuring she is okay,” she said.

Beth Cobden of the Thunderbirds injures her knee during the round three Super Netball match between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the Melbourne Vixens at Priceline Stadium. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“Beth possesses amazing strength and will overcome this challenge. We love the contagious attitude Beth brings to the club and our focus is now on providing her the best

recovery and rehabilitation.”

Scans have cleared Thunderbirds co-captain Chelsea Pitman of damage to her right calf and she will resume training on Wednesday and be available for the clash against Collingwood in Melbourne on Friday night.

Pitman left the court in the second quarter and did not return, with the club loathe to risk the veteran wing attack.

The results of the scan were a relief for the club given Pitman badly damaged the calf in the opening minutes of the first game of the Brisbane pre-season competition in March.

Obst must find a replacement for Cobden for the game against the Magpies and training partners Chelsea Blackman and Maisie Nankivell are among the options.