Super Netball: Recruit makes Swifts ‘automatic’ favourites, star’s return creates dilemma
One player is tipped to make such a difference to Super Netball that “something will have to go horribly wrong” for her team not to win the premiership.
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One player has shifted the Super Netball landscape so much Australian legend Cath Cox has declared if her team doesn’t win this year’s premiership, “something’s gone horribly wrong”.
The Super Netball season kicks off this weekend and the NSW Swifts are the favourites to win their first title since 2021 following the off-season recruitment of New Zealand superstar Grace Nweke.
The Silver Ferns goal shooter terrorised the Aussie Diamonds in last year’s Constellation Cup but by opting to play in Super Netball the 193cm Kiwi has foregone the opportunity to play for New Zealand in 2025.
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Nweke is expected to form a lethal combination with Swifts goal attack Helen Housby, who is relishing the prospect of the Swifts’ new dynamic duo in the shooting circle.
“We’ve seen how she played for the Ferns and over in the New Zealand league, she is incredible,” Housby said at Fox Netball’s season launch.
“On the court, she is a weapon. She’s a goal attack’s dream to be honest because she’s so dominant that it makes my job really to work off her.
“I’ve seen her sink Super Shots, I’ve seen her come out and move. She’s very, very athletic. She comes from a high jump background, she can take balls in the air.
“Off the court, she’s been amazing. She’s a great girl. She’s brought her culture with her. We’re loving to get to know her and getting to play with her is pretty special.”
Nweke is so talented that Cox, a former Swifts shooter herself, believes the new recruit immediately makes the Swifts premiership favourites.
“As soon as I heard the signing, I automatically had them as premiership winners,” Cox told news.com.au.
“I’ve been saying to a few people, if they don’t win it, something’s gone horribly wrong in my eyes.
“It’s going to be really scary. It’s such courage for her to be so young and make a decision to turn her back on playing for her country to better herself.
“She wants to go back a better player for New Zealand, which is god awful scary when she plays against Australia again. It’s an opportunity Australian netball shores have given her to make her a better player.
“To have her here, even if it’s just a year, means so much to our sport.”
Swifts midcourter Maddy Proud is expecting her first child and West Coast Fever premiership winner Verity Simmons has moved to the Swifts to fill her place.
“There’s a lot of pressure on the Swifts but they’ve done an incredible job recruiting and filling the shoes of Maddy Proud, because that’s a tough one to fill,” said Cox, who will be spearheading Fox Netball’s coverage this year, with all games also available to stream on BINGE and Sunday games free to watch via Kayo Freebies.
“Verity Simmons brings experience and ability playing with a tall shooter, spent years feeding Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard over in the west.
“I think she’s such a great pick up for them. You can already see that connection (between Nweke and Simmons) has formed quite early.”
Premiership three-peat on the cards?
One player looking to stop Nweke is star Jamaican defender Shamera Sterling-Humphreys, who has helped the Adelaide Thunderbirds win the last two Super Netball premierships.
The Thunderbirds are chasing an extremely rare three-peat and the match-up between Sterling-Humphreys and Nweke will be a tantalising clash this season.
“Grace is a great player, she’s such a huge target,” Sterling-Humphreys told news.com.au.
“We (Jamaica) haven’t played New Zealand much so it will be good so having Grace here will give us a bit of practice heading into a Commonwealth Games or World Cup.
“To have the best goal shooter in this league will give us a little practice to know what we’ll come up against at international level.
“Also the other players for the Diamonds give us practice and I’m sure they’re grateful for having the internationals l here. It’s good to be here, coming up against the best netballers in the world.
The Thunderbirds boast one of the most well balanced squads in Super Netball and they will be contenders to win three titles in a row.
“Our goal is to play better netball this year,” said Sterling-Humphreys, who is also an ambassador and shareholder for Australian activewear brand Step One.
“I know everyone has been banging on us for a three-peat. It won’t be easy.
“To win a Super Netball premiership is very hard, every team is very competitive in this league and wants the title. Our aim for this year it to play better netball and continue on the path we left off in 2024.”
So can anyone stop the T-Birds from claiming a three-peat?
“If anyone’s going to do it, it’s the Swifts,” Cox said.
“I don’t know if the Thunderbirds will have it their own way. If you want to do the three-peat you’ve got to beat everybody. It’s going to be a really good challenge.”
Cox is tipping the NSW Swifts, Melbourne Vixens, West Fever and Adelaide Thunderbirds to make the top four and qualify for finals.
The Diamonds legend expects perennial contenders the Fever to be near the top once again, especially if goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard takes to the court this season.
In December, the Fever announced Fowler-Nembhard had suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage, but the five-time Super Netball MVP is targeting a return to action this season, although the club is taking a gradual approach with her return and won’t rush her back.
“Jhaniele has expressed her desire to re-enter the Fever environment with a view to possibly making return to the court at some stage in 2025,” Fever general manager Sue Gaudion said.
“We will continue to support Jhaniele through this next phase and we hope that her love and passion for netball and West Coast Fever can have a positive effect on her after what has been a very difficult and trying time for her and her family.
“The club has been proactively working with Netball Australia to ensure if/when Jhaniele is ready to return to play, that can be implemented and everyone is in a position to make that happen.”
Former Vixens shooter Mwai Kumwenda is expected to be Fever’s goal shooter to start the season
Kumwenda moved from Melbourne to Perth to join Fever as a permanent contracted player, but the imminent return of Fowler-Nembhard means Kumwenda or another player from West Coast’s squad could be cut when she comes back.
Star-studded team out to win it all
The Sunshine Coast Lightning will be hoping for an improved season after falling short of expectations in their first season with Liz Watson, Courtney Bruce and Cara Koenen on the same team together.
“Lightning’s not shy to say we want to go out there and absolutely win the whole premiership this season,” Lightning defender Tara Hinchcliffe told news.com.au.
“Obviously there was a lot of talk last year and we do have a really strong list. What probably goes unsaid is every team has a pretty strong list at the moment. Our competition has grown to such a point that it’s the international place to play.
“We were disappointed with last year. We’re really excited to try and start the season really strong, make sure we dominate early and punish teams early in the games rather than waiting to try and catch up at the end.
“Definitely hoping to go all the way and be premiers. We’re working really hard towards that.”
Fox Netball will once again have expansive coverage of the Super Netball season with Pivot recapping the weekend’s action on Sunday’s at 5.30pm.
Documentary series Off The Court will showcase a different player’s story on Thursdays. The first episode will feature Swifts recruit Grace Nweke.
Melbourne Vixens’ Kate Moloney, Swifts captain Paige Hadley and Mavericks shooter Eleanor Cardwell will mix their playing commitments with game day analysis and sideline commentary for Fox Netball at select games across the season.
Super Netball 2025 Round 1 (all times AEST)
Adelaide Thunderbirds vs Melbourne Vixens — Saturday 5pm
Melbourne Mavericks vs Sunshine Coast Lightning — Saturday 7pm
Giants vs Queensland Firebirds — Sunday 2pm
West Coast Fever vs NSW Swifts — Sunday 4pm
Originally published as Super Netball: Recruit makes Swifts ‘automatic’ favourites, star’s return creates dilemma
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