Coach Anna Young names Capricorn Claws training squad

Coach Anna Young is ‘really excited’ to be part of the revival of regional representative netball team. See the players who have made the training squad and are vying for a place in the starting line-up.

Experienced netball coach Anna Young has taken the reins with the Capricorn Claws, who will return to competition next year.

Coach Anna Young is “really excited” to be part of the revival of the Capricorn Claws.

That excitement was heightened by the talent on show at the team’s first trials, from which 26 players were selected in the phase one training squad (see the list below).

Young takes the reins of the Claws, who will make their long-awaited return in the newly established Ruby North competition.

They were last on court in 2019 in the Queensland Premier League.

A former Claws player, Young knows how important it is to have a regional representative team for players to aspire towards.

Anna Young played with the Capricorn Claws and is back as their coach as the team makes its return to competition next year.

She saw that on Saturday when almost 50 players turned out for the day-long trials in Rockhampton.

“I was pleasantly surprised by those who turned up and the performances they put out because we didn’t know what we were getting with the Claws being out of action for a long time,” she said.

“It was good to see a range of age groups there as well. There were a couple who played Claws when it was last around, there was the in-between age group who were next in line and never got the opportunity, and there were plenty of young ones who were really keen.”

Young said there would be a “huge battle” for positions on the team’s defensive end in particular, with some extremely strong players in the mix.

The Capricorn Claws trials were held at The Cathedral College in Rockhampton on November 30.

The 26-player squad members will work on their holiday training program before assembling for the next trials on February 1.

The Claws will compete against teams from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.

They will play triple-headers one weekend a month in a home-and-away series starting in Rockhampton in May.

Young’s goal is to put together a team that can work together, support each other and continue to develop.

She said she was pleased with how the franchise was coming together, on and off the court.

Trudy Landsberg has been appointed manager and Amanda Goody, Samantha Dippel and Renee Williams the team’s assistant coaches.

“We’ve got the best of the best there. Everything’s starting to fall into place,” Young said.

Capricorn Claws Phase 1 squad

Kaylee Acton (Rockhampton)

Lily Allen (Rockhampton)

Caitlin Boothby (Biloela)

Abbie Buchholz (Rockhampton)

Tauri Chapman (Rockhampton)

Eve Collins (Rockhampton)

Madison Day (Rockhampton)

Jaya Dyne (Rockhampton)

Bianca Gibson (Gladstone)

Georgia Hanrahan (Rockhampton)

Chloe Killalea (Biloela)

Summer Laurie (Rockhampton)

Tessa Manning (Rockhampton)

Jade McErlain (Gladstone)

Abby Miller (Rockhampton)

Courtney Napper (Capricorn Coast)

Kira-Lee Nicol (Capricorn Coast/Rockhampton)

Jacqui Osborne (Curtis Coast)

Adah Shepherd (Rockhampton)

Imogen Smith (Capricorn Coast/Rockhampton)

Lara Steer (Rockhampton)

Taylah Steger (Monto)

Taylah Tebbatt (Rockhampton)

Charlotte Thomas (Rockhampton)

Isa Tucker (Monto)

Ella Van Blerk (Gladstone)