Netballer Annie Lawrie joins Capricorn Claws as training partner

A former Super Netball League player has joined the Capricorn Claws just weeks out from their opening fixtures.

Former Super Netball League player Annie Lawrie has signed as a training partner with the Capricorn Claws. Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

The Capricorn Claws have locked in a former Super Netball League shooter just weeks out from the start of the Ruby North competition.

Annie Lawrie, who has tasted action in the country’s top-level competition, has come on as a training partner for 2025.

Gold Coast-born, she has returned to work as a nanny on a Central Queensland cattle station and to continue her studies to become a primary school teacher.

While Lawrie thought she was ready to park her sporting ambition when the Sunshine Coast Thunder’s season in the Sapphire Series wrapped up last August, she realised she was missing the game she fell in love with as a schoolgirl.

When she reached out to Claws’ assistant coach Renee Williams, asking if she knew of any Rockhampton teams looking for players, she received an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Lawrie attended a training session with the Claws and, not surprisingly, was invited to come on as a training partner.

Annie Lawrie played in the Australian Netball Championships in 2023. Picture: Richard Walker

The 24-year-old is excited to be part of the revival of the regional netball team, which last played in 2019 in the Queensland Premier League.

The Claws will compete against teams from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay, playing triple-headers one weekend a month in a home-and-away series starting in Rockhampton on May 24 and 25.

Lawrie admits she would love to break into the Claws’ playing roster but is content for the moment to assume the role of mentor to the squad’s younger brigade.

“The girls are awesome, and I can’t wait to get in and have a go and show the southern regions what Capricornia has to offer to the game,” she said.

“I feel as a training partner you’re just there to push the other girls in the team and make them better.

Annie Lawrie is excited for her season with the Capricorn Claws. Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

“If we can do that, then we’re making the competition better.

“If I can play my part and help bring these girls up to one day hopefully break into a Sapphire team or into the Super Netball League, it would be really exciting.”

This is a familiar path for Lawrie who, after being signed as a training partner by the Sunshine Coast Lightning at age 17, went on to play two games in the SNL.

It was a dream realised for Lawrie, who started playing netball at age eight.

“My older sister played and I spent the first year that she played down at the netball courts and decided that that was the sport I wanted to play,” she said.

“As soon as I picked up that ball, I fell in love with it.

“I started in mid-court and played there until I was 12 or 13 because I was actually quite small.

“I then grew quite a lot in one year and made the transition down to become a shooter.”

Claws’ coach Anna Young says Annie Lawrie is the “ultimate teammate”.

Lawrie said signing with the Claws had reignited her passion for the game and, when asked, refused to rule out another tilt at the top league.

“It’s a question I ask myself a little bit,” she said.

“Part of me wants to but the other part of me loves my job out in Central Queensland so stay tuned for that one.”

Claws’ head coach Anna Young said Lawrie would bring a wealth of experience and a tireless work ethic, setting a new standard for high-performance netball in the region.

“Known for her strong leadership, Annie is the ultimate teammate,” she said.

“Off the court, she is warm, supportive and brings a vibrant energy to the group.

“On the court, she is a fierce competitor, a natural leader and a proven game changer.

“Her ability to elevate those around her, combined with netball intelligence well beyond her years, makes her a significant asset to the Claws’ 2025 campaign.”

Capricorn Claws 2025 squad

Team: Kaylee Acton, Ellie-Mai Brandenberg, Abbie Buchholz, Madison Day, Jaya Dyne, Bridget Fletcher, Bianca Gibson, Courtney Napper (captain), Kira-Lee Nicol, Taylah Steger, Charlotte Thomas, Kerrie Williams.

Training partners: Lily Allen, Eve Collins, Georgia Hanrahan, Chloe Killalea, Summer Laurie, Tessa Manning, Lara Steer, Annie Lawrie.

Originally published as Netballer Annie Lawrie joins Capricorn Claws as training partner