Coaches nominate: Sapphire Series’ most experienced players on every roster

We’ve heard from the coaches about who they think are the most versatile players. This week we asked ‘who are your most experienced?’ And this is what they said:

We’ve heard about the most versatile players are in the Sapphire Series, and this week we asked the coaches ‘who are your most experienced?’

From six years in the Suncorp Super Netball, to years of captaincy duties and back-to-back Sapphire premierships, here are the athletes leading their squads with a long list of state and national caps.

Most Experienced

Gold Coast Titans

Player: Bryah Gafa

Position: GD/ GK

Gold Coast Titans Netball. Pic Credit: Gold Coast Titans. Pictured: Bryah Gafa

Experience: Bryah Gafa joined the Titans in their inaugural year. She led them to the grand final in 2023 as captain and is a natural leader off the court, having earned the vice-captaincy position in 2024. Gafa boasts junior state representation stretching back to 2016, and her experience shines through in the defensive circle every week.

Bond University Bull Sharks

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 23: Mia Stower of the Firebirds warms up ahead of the round six Super Netball match between the Queensland Firebirds and the Giants Netball at Nissan Arena, on April 23, 2023, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Player: Mia Stower

Position: (GA/ GS)

Experience: Without a doubt, Stower is Bond’s most capped player in 2024. The accurate goal shooter/ goal attack started her Sapphire Career at the Cougars before joining Firebird Super Netball ranks in 2020. She earned her first contract in 2021 and was a staple in the attacking end throughout 2023. It was a shock when she was not given a renewed contract this season, but Stower has since found her home with Bond for her Sapphire return.

Brisbane South Wildcats

Player: Ali Miller and Halle Geyer

Position: GA/ GS (Miller) and GD/ GK/ WD (Geyer)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 23: Ali Miller of the Firebirds competes for the ball against f21 during the 2024 Suncorp Team Girls Cup match between Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever at Ken Rosewall Arena on March 23, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images for Netball Australia)

Experience: Hailing from NSW and recently named Firebirds’ 11th player, Miller has been the glue to Wildcats’ newly found confidence. She has offered leadership and culture for the squad, which has transferred to a successful start to their season. Miller’s positivity has washed over her new Sapphire teammates, and it is clear the squad appreciate her wisdom and experience. Closer to home, Geyer was an overwhelming choice of captain by her peers. She has stuck with the Wildcats under head coach Megan Lynch since her first season in 2020. The versatile defender is nothing short of the epitome of ‘hard work pays off.’

TAE Aerospace Jets

Player: Stephanie O’Brien and Chloe Litherland

Position: (C/ WA/ WD)

Preview pic for Sapphire Series Netball grand final clash on Sunday at Nissan Arena – Chloe Litherland (Jets) is sporting 7 stitches injury (two on the inside and 5 outside after a head clash playing AFLW. Nathan Tuesday 25th July 2023 Picture David Clark

Experience: O’Brien is a talented cross-code star who has become a household name in the Sapphire league over the past few seasons. She offers incredible IQ and team smarts which compliment her skills. A past under-17s and under-19s state representative, Litherland has been on the scene for many years. She has donned Thunder (2020-21), QUT (2022) and Jets (2023-24) dresses in her time, captaining Thunder in 2021 and holding the Vice title this season for Jets. Like O’Brien, Litherland has played elite Australian Rules but is currently taking a break to ensure a proper ACL recovery following injury in August 2023.

Carina Leagues Club Tigers

Player: Annie Lawrie

Position: (GA/ GS)

NETBALL: USC Thunder talents, Sarapheinna Woulf, Annie lawrie (pictured) and Sarah Harris, selected in Netball Australia excellence squads for respective age groups. Photo Patrick Woods / Sunshine Coast Daily.

Experience: Lawrie was one of the first in her age group to earn a Super Netball contract, donning the Sunshine Coast dress for the first time in 2020. She stayed with the Lightning from 2020-2022 but was not contracted in 2023. Despite declaring a break from the sport, Lawrie was called into the Tiger tribe midway through the 2023 Sapphire season and has remained with them for 2024. She was then named in the Firebirds Futures ANC squad. Her experience plays a guiding role for her fellow Tigers shooters including debutant Kaylee Tamala.

Brisbane North Cougars

Player: Jemma Seymour and Rylee Burns

Position: WA/ C (Seymour) and GA/ GS/ WA (Burns)

Jemma MiMi of the Firebirds during the Round 13 Super Netball match between the West Coast Fever and the Queensland Firebirds at the RAC Arena in Perth, Sunday, August 18, 2019. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Firebird training partners (L-R) Rylee Burns, Lillyana Rennie

Experience: Seymour (nee Mimi) comes from a touch football background and was a star middie for the Firebirds from 2017-2022. She and sister Leesa have been keys for the Cougars during their long reign, taking turns in the spotlight. A cross-code talent, she played for the Australian under-15s and Queensland under-21s, before being included as a reserve for Australia’s Netball World Youth Cup squad. The midcourter is on the return to top form after having twins last season and taking a year off.

Burns is at the beginning of her Super Netball career, recently named a Firebirds training partner and Firebirds Reserves squad member. She started her Sapphire wrap at Bond University before moving to the Cougars in 2022 and claiming two premierships since. A versatile player, burns can cover any position form shooter to centre.

Sunshine Coast Thunder

Player: Annika Lee-Jones and Maddie Hinchliffe

Position: GK/ GD/ GS (Lee-Jones) and GD/ WD (Hinchcliffe)

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 16: Stephanie Wood, Maddie Hinchliffe and Cara Koenen of the Lightning celebrate victory after the round five Super Netball match between Sunshine Coast Lightning and Melbourne Vixens at University of Sunshine Coast, on April 16, 2022, in Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Experience: Lee-Jones has been around the Suncorp Super Netball scene since her first two games for the West Coast Fever in 2017. She made the move to Queensland in 2019 to play for the Sunshine Coast Lightning, and in that time, has donned the Thunder dress. Hinchcliffe started her Sapphire career with the Cougars, just like twin sister Tara before cracking into the Firebirds in 2019. She had a stint for the Lightning before being struck with injury and moving to Collingwood the following season. Having resettled at the Sunshine Coast in 2024, she is undoubtedly one of the most experienced on paper. The duo makes for a formidable defensive circle.

Originally published as Coaches nominate: Sapphire Series’ most experienced players on every roster