Super Netball 2025: Melbourne Mavericks goaler Eleanor Cardwell opens up on latest injury setback
Melbourne Mavericks’ goaler Eleanor Cardwell has opened up on how she was left in tears after her latest injury setback which has cruelled her 2025 campaign.
Melbourne Mavericks goaler Eleanor Cardwell has revealed how she was left crying for days after suffering a second significant knee setback in the space of six months.
Opening up on her latest injury blow which has cruelled her 2025 season, a gutted Cardwell admitted she had been uncertain about her netball future after her knee “just went again” as she built towards an early-season comeback.
The English international underwent a second round of surgery on her left knee last week, which the Mavericks expect to sideline Cardwell for between eight and 12 weeks.
Cardwell had already been on the comeback from surgery to repair a meniscus tear on the same knee last October.
Speaking at the Mavericks season launch, Cardwell said she was left devastated after her knee failed her again, but said she had since got some “perspective” on the injury.
“I am obviously really gutted,” Cardwell said.
“I was probably really sad for about a week and could not stop crying every day. Every time I was speaking, I was just crying.
“But I kind of got some perspective on it all and once I knew I had to have surgery because we didn’t know for a little bit whether surgery was an option. But once I knew I could have surgery that was a positive for me because that meant I could still play netball this season after my rehab.
“Now I’m only thinking of the positives. Obviously the surgery is now out of the way and I was walking on it two days after the surgery.
“I would have loved to have played (round one) next week. And probably three weeks ago, I was still looking to play in the first round, but it just doesn’t always go to plan.”
Cardwell’s knee troubles began when she aggravated a knee injury at the start of last year’s September Test series between England and Australia.
The foundation Mavericks goaler featured only in the first Test against Australia – lasting just one quarter – before she was ruled out of the rest of the three-Test series.
While she is confident of making a return this season, Cardwell said it was her playing future with the Roses – as well as the Mavericks – which would guide her return with the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2027 Netball World Cup on the horizon in the next two years.
“I will hopefully be back playing at some time this season, we don’t know when yet, but I’m just very grateful that I’m not out for the season and there is hope I will be some part of the Mavs this season,” Cardwell said.
“I just want to get my knee right. I am looking at the longevity of my knee at the minute.
“At the end of the day I want to play for Mavs, I also want to go to the Comm Games and I want to go to the World Cup. There is a much bigger picture for me and I want to make sure my knee is right before I do anything.
“I’m 30 years old now. I want to put my best foot forward for my future in netball.”
Cardwell said her recovery had been progressing well before her setback in training.
“I don’t think the (first) surgery really worked properly otherwise I would not have re-done it,” Cardwell said.
“It was OK throughout all the rehab and I just literally got back into one-on-one defence work and it just went again. It wasn’t very nice.
“As soon as it happened, I was like ‘Damn it’.”
Cardwell said the support of her teammates had helped her get through the last two weeks and backed the team to make finals and be a title threat in their second season in the league.
“I am really excited to see what they can do this year,” Cardwell said.
“Last year obviously we only trained eight weeks before the actual season started and we were still in finals contention up until the end of round 14.
“If we could do that after eight weeks of pre-season, having this whole year and a bit under our locket, it’s incredibly exciting.
“I think we can get to finals, I obviously think we can win …. they are an incredibly talented bunch of girls.”
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