Netball Sapphire Series: Top 18 players to watch in 2022
A former Firebirds champion, homegrown stars and Super Netball fringe players will all line up for the 2022 Sapphire Series this year. Here are the top 18 players to watch.
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With two former Firebirds players, homegrown talent, Super Netball training partners and a new team in the competition the 2022 Sapphire Series is set to be the best on yet.
The season launched at the weekend and Netball Queensland Sapphire Series Manager Prue Egan said a mountain of work had gone into ensure the season ahead was an incredible one.
“I feel like the excitement literally starting building since last year’s grand final and there is such a buzz around the league with everyone wanting to start,” Egan said.
“We want the HART Sapphire Series to be the best state league competition in the country and for that to happen we need all clubs buying in and we are definitely getting that.”
Sparking plenty of interest is the Gold Coast Titans joining the competition for the first time, highlighting their commitment to providing a platform for local talent.
In a move to showcase this brilliant competition, a partnership with Kayo has been established, seeing each club have four games streamed on Kayo – with all other matches streamed via the Netball Queensland YouTube channel.
And for those that prefer to attend games live and cheer on their teams, the league launched a Super Pass this season, seen as a netball lover’s ‘golden ticket’ to attend all home and away matches, that aren’t curtain raisers to SSN games.
“There have been some game-changing additions for this season, and they are only going to help take the competition to the next level,” the Sapphire Series Manager said.
“We cannot wait to see all the hard work done by all come to fruition on Sunday and we wish all clubs the very best for the season ahead.”
A host of talented players have signed across the eight clubs including former Firebirds Hulita Veve and Beryl Friday.
Here are 18 players expected to shine in the 2022 Sapphire Series.
LILY GRIBBLE
GD/GK
Lily Gribble, a QUT student and scholarship holder, will be a key defensive player for QUT in the Sapphire Series. In 2021 Gribble was named as a training partner for the Netball Qld Sapphire team which would have competed at the Australian National Championships had Covid-19 not caused the event to be cancelled. Gribble has also been a member of the Qld Underage State Team for the past four years.
DANIELLE TAYLOR
GD/WD
Danielle Taylor is far from a new face in the Sapphire Series, having been part of the competition since its inception in 2019. Taylor was named MVP of the 2019 Grand Final. She made her first state team when she was 16 years old. She was named in the 2021 Sunshine Coast Lightning side for the Australian National Championships – which was cancelled due to Covid-19. At 182cm tall Taylor is a force to be reckoned with.
HULITA VEVE
WD/C
A former Qld Firebirds player and now training partner Hulita Veve is one of the most experienced players in the Sapphire Series. Veve, 26, will captain QUT for the second year running. She has been called on to represent Queensland many times. Veve stepped away from the sport to have her two children but has been a Firebirds training partner since 2020.
TAHLIA EVANS
WD/C
Growing up on Norfolk Island Tahlia Evans spent a great deal of time playing mixed and open netball. It was an opportunity to represent the Island at the South Pacific Games as a 15-year-old that spurred her to continue to play the sport at a higher level. Her family moved to Queensland to help her chase her dreams. Evans has followed the Queensland netball pathway and made her way to the Sapphire Series, signing with the Brisbane South Wildcats for 2022. Evans has previously played in the Bond University under-17s teams, where she was named the MVP. Just several weeks ago she represented Queensland’s U17s at the National Netball Championships in Hobart, with the team finishing third.
LILLYANNA RENNIE
GK/ GD
Having played netball since she was 10-years-old – earning a spot on the Brisbane South Wildcats Sapphire Series side is a dream come true for Lillyana Rennie. The up and coming defender started with Logan City Netball Association as a junior and has represented Queensland since 2019. Rennie said she has loved the opportunity to work with the team’s strength and conditioning coach during the pre-season. Her goal is to play in the Suncorp Super Netball Series and one day play for the Diamonds.
ANNIE LAWRIE
GA/GS
A training partner with the Sunshine Coast Lightning, Annie Lawrie will captain Thunder’s Sapphire Series team this year. The 20-year-old shooter was first named as a Sunshine Coast training partner in 2020 and she has continued to grow as a player each season. Her goal is to help lead the Thunder side all the way to the grand finals, one step further than last year.
SARAH HARRIS
WA
After three years with Thunder’s Ruby team Sarah Harris has graduated to the Sapphire Series and she is sure to make an impact. Harris was part of the Queensland U19 side which competed at the Nationals in Hobart a few weeks ago. Harris is a strong midcourter with great ability to feed the ball to the shooters.
BERYL FRIDAY
GA/GS
Beryl Friday, who played in the Queensland Firebirds team which won the 2015 and 2016 ANZ Championships, will this year line up for the Northern Mendi Rays in the Sapphire Series. The experienced shooter, 28, is sure to bring a lot to the Rays attacking circle. The proud indigenous player grew up in Ingham and is looking forward to being home and a leader for North Queensland athletes and other young Aboriginal women.
MICHAELA KADLECEK
C/WA
Michaela Kadlecek, 23, has been a member of the Mendi Rays since 2019. The talented midcourter grew up in Port Moresby before relocating to Cairns. She has played representative netball since she was 14 years old and starred for PNG at the 2022 Pacific Series.
ESTEL MOCELUTU
C/WA
She is only 19 but Estel Mocelutu is already making a name for herself on the netball court. The midcourter will line up for the Mendi Rays for the Sapphire Series. Mocelutu has fought her way back to the sport after suffering an ACL injury in 2018. She said a career highlight was winning the 2020 Townsville Premier League grand final alongside her older sister Kathleen.
ASHLEIGH ERVIN
GK/GD
A towering defensive presence, at 191cm, 19-year-old Ashleigh Ervin has quickly established herself as one of the premier defenders in the Sapphire Series. A Firebirds training partner, Ervin, will this year line up for Ipswich Jets. Ervin is also the captain of the Queensland U-19s team.
ELSA SIF SANDHOLT
GS
Elsa Sif Sandholt will take to the court for Ipswich Jets this season. The strong shooter is also a member of the under-19 Queensland team. Her height makes her an easy target in the circle and she has a real talent for finding the rebound.
JADA GAFA
C/WA
This year will be Jada Gafa’s second season with the Tigers. She is known for her incredibly dynamic centre court game, pinpoint accurate feeds into the circle and her instinctive defensive game. At just 22 years of age Gafa has represented Queensland in junior ranks and played for the Queensland Fusion in the Australian Netball League. Her strong work ethic and skill has been rewarded this year with a training partner position for the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
NATASHA ROBINSON
GS/GA
Tash Robinson has been an integral member of the Carina Leagues Club Tigers for the past three seasons. Renowned for her speed and athleticism, the dynamic goaler secured back to back premierships in 2019 and 2020 for the Tigers. Natasha’s strong HSS performances were rewarded last year with a position in the Queensland Sapphires Squad and she was invited to train with the Firebirds during pre-season.
REMI KAMO
GK
Remi has come through the ACU Brisbane North Cougars pathway, starting in the Ruby level competition. She played there for six years before debuting in the Sapphire division. Her ability to read the play and combine with her teammates in the defending circle makes for a strong defensive end. Kamo will captain the team for the first time this year.
MACY GARDNER
C/WA
Macy Gardner will take a leadership roll in 2022 as vice-captain at the Cougars this year. Gardner is a hard worker who always gives 100 per cent at training and in match play. She has the ability to take an intercept when the team needs a turnover. In attack she is quick, prepared to drive to the circle edge and uses a variety of passes to feed the circle. Gardner is a training partner with the Qld Firebirds this season.
ABIGAIL MEAFOU
The 25-year-old has already shown her skill at Sapphire Series level, named the Titans player of the match in the side’s inaugural win in the competition. Born in Auckland, Abigail played her junior netball in Queensland. Able to play both Goal Shooter and Goal Attack, the creative shooter has experience at the professional level having previously been part of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic squad in New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership and for the Queensland Firebirds and Adelaide Thunderbirds in the Suncorp Super Netball competition. Combining with Olivia Djikstra and Leah Pue, Meafou’s is part of an exciting Titans attack that will make an impression on the competition this season.
JESSICA MILNE
The young defender makes her Sapphire Series debut in 2022 and has already impressed after a strong pre-season with the Gold Coast Titans. Under the guidance of former Silver Fern and Titans Coach Temepara Bailey, Milne is ready to make her mark on the competition. The Gold Coast junior is one of a host of local juniors that will represent the Titans, bringing plenty of energy to the court in the Club’s debut season. With experience at the Ruby Series level, Milne has already showed she is ready to fire after a strong debut performance against the Rays. Alongside Emily Gilbert, Bryah Gafa and Bayley d’Hotman de Villers, Milne headlines an exciting young Titans defence.
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