Penrith netballer Paige Hadley’s best and worst days at NSW Swifts
Paige Hadley has experienced the high and lows of elite netball. Here she picks her top moments - and the worst - of her 100 game career with the NSW Swifts.
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She’s been the quiet achiever of the NSW Swifts during her nine seasons in the red dress, cracking Australian teams and helping the club to NSW’s first Super Netball crown.
After celebrating her 100th game for the Swifts in their 66-51 defeat of the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Wednesday night, Hadley rates the best and worst moments of her career with the Sydney team.
GIANTS: Ranked: the best players in Super Netball
Hadley is one of the few players remaining in Super Netball to have played across both the trans-Tasman trophy and the Super Netball competition which replaced it back in 2017.
The Penrith netballer takes us through the highlights and lowlights of her career with the Swifts ahead of their grand final rematch with Sunshine Coast Lightning this weekend.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
DEBUT
I was a replacement player in 2012 and at the Australian Institute of Sport. I got called in. I didn't expect it. I debuted against the Thunderbirds and got a real lessons from Sharni Layton and Renae Ingles. I remember it was big girl netball. But it was amazing. It was a blur though.
2019 GRAND FINAL
It was just so special. The whole year no one thought we would get there and then to do it after losing Maddy (Proud), Lozza (Lauren Moores) and Kate Eddy to injury .
That grand final on the 15th of September is something I will not forget. To come away with a 17 goal win, it was like a fairytale.
THE NEW COACH
A big highlight was when Briony Akle came aboard in 2018. She challenged me, told me I could be better, told me I could be among the worlds best. She has grown me so much.
THE 50TH CELEBRATION
My 50th was really special. I did it in the ANZ Championships and I did it with Abbey McCulloch, my bestie, which was so special because it was in 2016 after all the injuries and missing so many games.
MELBOURNE RIVALS
Last year the preliminary final against Melbourne Vixens was amazing. We had come off a 10 goal loss and won. That game was electrifying. The fans were great, it was very special.
THE LOWLIGHTS
THE INJURY
I had an ACL in 2014. I played the first game and then did it in training. I missed the entire season. I was shattered. It was only my second year having a full-time contract. But it did set me up or a great 2015 when I made it into the World Cup team.
DEFEATS
The two grand final losses back to back in 2015 and 2016 (in ANZ Championship).
People still say they were the best games of netball they have ever seen but we were on the wrong end of the results.
The 2015 one was heart breaking. We lost it in the last eight seconds. Glory snuck away. There were a lot of tears.
In 2016 we lost in double extra overtime. The first one probably hurt more because it was the first one I had been in. The second one was harder in different ways because I only came on at the end and there was a lot of pressure to perform.
MATES
Abbs (McCulloch) not getting a contract in 2019 was tough. I had been on my whole journey with her and we became the best of friends. That was very challenging That was very tough to lose her.
Originally published as Penrith netballer Paige Hadley’s best and worst days at NSW Swifts