Bond Bull Shark Jada Gafa will have to wait another year to press her Queensland Firebird’s claim after the Australian Netball League was cancelled

Bond University netball product Jada Gafa believes the Queensland Fusion netball side would have had a genuine chance at making the 2020 Australian Netball League Grand Final this year – if only it wasn’t cancelled due to the pressures of COVID-19.

BOND University netball product Jada Gafa believes the Queensland Fusion netball side would have had a genuine chance at making the 2020 Australian Netball League Grand Final this year – if only it wasn’t cancelled due to the pressures of COVID-19.

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Netball Australia confirmed on Tuesday morning that the feeder competition into the Suncorp Super Netball league would not go ahead this year due to financial pressures and inconsistent restrictions on training and matches between states and territories.

Bond University Bull Sharks and Queensland Fusion player, Jada Gafa. Picture: Jerad Williams

Boasting a handful of new players, including fellow Bull Sharks Shenae Grant and Jeante Strydom, and an experienced coaching line up, Gafa believed Queensland had the right formula to push for silverware in 2020.

“This year was a massive step up from last year and our team culture vastly improved,” she said.

“We were thriving off each other and everyone had that drive and motivation and training was a lot harder.

“I believe the team we had this year could have gone really far, as far as making the grand final because everyone was a lot fitter and we picked up so many skills during the pre-season.

“We put so much work in as a team over the past few months so we’re pretty gutted but we’ll just have to strive harder towards next year.”

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While Gafa “wasn’t shocked” by the decision, she hoped Fusion squad members wouldn’t lose out on their development.

The Fusion side allows players to demonstrate their ability on a national stage and acts as a direct feeder to the Queensland Firebirds, leaving squad members without the chance to fight their way into netball’s top tier.

“It motivates us to prove ourselves more next year,” Gafa said.

“We’re all getting older and pulling up sorer than we would a few years ago so it’s a bit heartbreaking (to not get that chance) but there’s always next year.”

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The 20-year-old will now refocus ahead of a hopeful Sapphire Series campaign with the Bull Sharks in October.