Melbourne Mavericks recruit Lauren Moore gets torn ACL diagnosis in Super Netball blow

Super Netball’s newest addition is now without a key player at each end of the court, with scans returned for injured Mavericks defender Lauren Moore. LINDA PEARCE has the latest, plus who the Mavs may look to next.

Super Netball’s newest addition is now without a key player at each end of the court, with scans having confirmed a ruptured ACL for Melbourne Mavericks defender Lauren Moore.

The ex-Giant and Swift injured her right knee during the third quarter of Sunday’s Team Girls Cup (TGC) pre-season match at Ken Rosewall Arena, against the most recent of her two former Sydney teams.

The news that Moore will be sidelined for the rest of 2024 comes just five weeks after key shooter Sasha Glasgow broke her leg in a practice game against Sunshine Coast at the Mavericks’ Waverley training base.

While Glasgow’s permanent replacement - who will join spearhead El Cardwell and Gabby Sinclair - is yet to be announced, new South African training partner Rolene Streutker enhanced her claims with an encouraging display at TGC that included an 85 per cent accuracy rate and willingness to shoot from range.

Ex-Magpie Shimona Jok (nee Nelson) is considered the other leading candidate, but former Diamonds and South Africa coach Norma Plummer believes Streutker’s greater mobility and potential to develop as an impact player at goal attack give the 23-year-old a slight edge.

“I think there’s more variety in Rolene’s game. She hasn’t played a lot out at goal attack I don’t think, but she’s articulate, she’s smart, she’s a thinker, and if Cardwell can do it, this kid can do it, too,’’ Plummer said.

“Whereas I don’t see Shimona in that situation. She’s more a holding shooter.’’

Lauren Moore in action for the Mavericks at the Team Girls Cup, before her devastating injury blow. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images for Netball Australia

Meantime, Moore’s loss means the defence, considered the Mavs’ greatest vulnerability since its foundation squad was announced, now has another sizeable hole to fill and few obvious candidates at this late stage.

“(Coach) Tracey Neville did make the big quote at the start saying she wanted to help develop Victorian players. Well, there’s your opportunity,’’ Plummer said.

The question, less than two weeks before the opening round against the Melbourne Vixens, is who?

The fledgling franchise’s training partners include South Australian goal keeper Jessie Grenvold and Geelong Cougars’ co-captain Brooke Allan; the latter a former Collingwood squad member and Victorian Fury championship player who can fill both defensive roles.

Dual Sunshine Coast premiership great Karla Pretorius has been floated as another possibility but is not thought to be considering a return to Australia in 2024, having headed home to Bloemfontein after failing to win a new deal with the Lightning.

Still active at international level for the Proteas, Pretorius was sounded out by both the Mavericks and the Queensland Firebirds when offers were being made during last year’s recruiting free-for-all, but decided that switching clubs was not feasible without family support for her young daughter Kara.

Brooke Allan (GK) in action for Colac last year in local netball. Picture: Mark Wilson

In a club statement, coach Tracey Neville described Moore as “a key defender and personality in the Mavericks build and for her to suffer a season-ending injury is devastating for her individually and the group,” while Moore vowed to return to the elite level by “attacking this rehab head-on and coming back fitter and stronger next season”.

For the Mavs, the difficulty is that, of their two remaining defenders, Liv Lewis has been exclusively a keeper at her two previous Super Netball clubs, while Kim Jenner can be a ball winner at goal defence — primarily — but tends to be expensive given the high number of penalties she draws.

Whoever comes in for Moore would ideally be adept in both circle positions, with the 26-year-old dual premiership squad member also experienced at wing defence.

Height was already a potential issue for the Mavs, who could be exposed by the game’s tallest shooters, despite the 184cm Lewis’ elevation and ability in the air. Jenner stands 185cm.

While highly competitive overall, the Mavs failed to win any of their four games at TGC. But, aside from the team ramifications, Moore will understandably be devastated by the injury, having required two shoulder reconstructions in her early years with the Swifts, before switching to the Giants in search of more opportunity, then moving cities last off-season for a fresh start and, no doubt, a quest for greater court-time.

Originally published as Melbourne Mavericks recruit Lauren Moore gets torn ACL diagnosis in Super Netball blow