Hong Kong raised Kayla Graham prepared for pressure as only addition to the premiership winning Adelaide Thunderbirds list
Kayla Graham is the only addition to Thunderbirds premiership winning 2024 squad, but the Hong Kong-raised attacking weapon is using that as motivation to make the T-Birds even better.
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There is a lot of pressure on Kayla Graham – the only addition to Thunderbirds title winning side – but the 20-year-old says her unique journey to Super Netball has her perfectly prepared for anything the season might bring.
Graham has been elevated to the contracted 10, after two years as a training partner, to replace the retiring Laura Scherian.
The versatile playmaker who can seamlessly switch from wing attack to goal attack, honed her netball skills in Hong Kong.
While she first started playing in under-5s at Kingscliff it was only once the family relocated to Hong Kong that Graham’s dream of being a professional netball was ignited.
Her mother, who represented Hong Kong at the 2003 Jamaica Netball World Cup, was a huge inspiration.
“I played in lots of Hong Kong representative teams, we travelled to Singapore and played against other schools,” Graham said.
“There is a bit of a pathway over there, it is still developing but it is nowhere near as strong as the Australian pathway. But there were some really cool opportunities to be able to go to different countries and play and that has played a major role in my journey.”
As Graham’s desire to chase a career in netball grew she made the move back to Australia to go to boarding school in Adelaide.
But she quickly learned it wasn’t going to be easy to just slip into the state team. She missed selection for the under 15s, under 16s and finally got a call up for under 17s only to have it cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
“It was pretty disappointing not being able to go because I was so excited to finally make a state team,” Graham said.
She made the cut for the U19s and it really set her career on fire – landing a training partner contract with Thunderbirds the year she graduated from high school and a spot in the Australian U20s squad.
Graham said persistence was key and her journey had given her a greater sense of self belief and confidence.
“I just remember being so determined to prove myself,” Graham said.
“When I came to Adelaide no one knew who I was. I was just this girl from Hong Kong. I had no reputation. I had to make a name for myself and work hard.
“I feel like not getting into those state teams were some of the best lessons I’ve learned because not everything comes easy and you’ve got to work hard for what you want.”
Fellow Thunderbirds midcourter Tayla Williams said the two years as a training partner meant Graham had slotted straight into the side.
“We’re so lucky with the depth of athletes that we have here in South Australia coming through our pathway,” Williams said.
“Having Kayla as a training partner means she’s had exposure to our environment and she’s come in and taken the opportunity with two hands. She has a bright, promising future.”
While captain Hannah Petty described Graham as a “new weapon”.
“She’s a young player who can play wing attack and goal attack and puts something new for us in the forward line which changes our dynamics and it is super exciting,” Petty said.
And having watched mostly from the sidelines as the Thunderbirds roared on to take back to back titles Graham said she is very keen to be on the court and chasing a third.
“The three-peat has been spoken about so much but I think what we are focused on is what we can do as a team and getting better,” Graham said.
“So as much as we’ve won premierships the last two seasons we are starting this one fresh, we know everyone is going to be hunting and coming for us.
“It definitely makes us more hungry.”
Originally published as Hong Kong raised Kayla Graham prepared for pressure as only addition to the premiership winning Adelaide Thunderbirds list
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