Netballers out to impress at Capricorn Claws final trial in Rockhampton

The region’s leading netballers have one last chance to impress in their bid to be named in the Claws squad for this year’s Ruby North competition. See who’s in the mix, where they’re from and the positions they’re gunning for.

The Capricorn Coast’s Imogen Smith will be out to impress in the Capricorn Claws final trial on Saturday.

Saturday is D-day for the region’s leading netballers looking to secure a place in the Capricorn Claws squad for the 2025 season.

Coach Anna Young will oversee the final trial at The Cathedral College in Rockhampton before deciding on the likely 20-strong squad she will carry into the newly established Ruby North competition.

Pressing their claims are the 26 members of the first phase squad selected after trials in December (see list below).

They will be joined by eight additional players who were unavailable last month.

Claws’ coach Anna Young.

The Claws are making their return to the court after a five-year hiatus, the regional team having last played in the Queensland Premier League in 2019.

Young said there was plenty of interest and excitement building around the Claws return, and she was sure they would be a real force in the four-way competition, which also involves teams from Cairns, Townsville and Mackay.

“We’ve got some really difficult choices to make,” Young said of the final squad selection that awaits her and her coaching staff.

Current Claws squad members and the positions they’re playing for

Shooters

Taylah Steger (Monto)

Summer Laurie (Rockhampton)

Kaylee Acton (Rockhampton)

Imogen Smith (Capricorn Coast)

Jaya Dyne (Rockhampton)

Georgia Hanrahan (Rockhampton)

Chloe Killalea (Biloela)

Abby Miller (Rockhampton)

Kira-Lee Nicol (Capricorn Coast)

Midcourt

Ella Van Blerk (Gladstone)

Lara Steer (Rockhampton)

Taylah Tebbatt (Rockhampton)

Isla Tucker (Monto)

Charlotte Thomas (Rockhampton)

Courtney Napper (Capricorn Coast)

Caitlin Boothby (Biloela)

Adah Shepherd (Rockhampton)

Tauri Chapman (Rockhampton)

Jacqui Osborne (Boyne Tannum)

Defenders

Abbie Buchholz (Rockhampton)

Lily Allen (Rockhampton)

Madison Day (Rockhampton)

Eve Collins (Rockhampton)

Tessa Manning (Rockhampton)

Jade McErlain (Gladstone)

Bianca Gibson (Gladstone)

Originally published as Netballers out to impress at Capricorn Claws final trial in Rockhampton