NSW Swifts young gun Tayla Fraser making mark in Super Netball
Normally a training partner must wait for an injury to get a run on court. But a rule change has given this young netballer the chance of a lifetime to impress in Super Netball.
Netball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Netball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- The rookies who stole our hearts in 2020
- LIST: NSW Swifts best and brightest
- Freakish talent will never play rugby again
By the end of the season, Tayla Fraser could well be the most experienced, capped and successful training partner in the history of Super Netball.
Fraser last year made her debut when just 20 and even made it into the court briefly in the Swifts historic Super Netball grand final win.
This season she is based in the Queensland hub with the Swifts and regularly getting court time off the bench.
TEEN TYROS: The young guns set to rip up cricket this season
AMAZING: Footballer plays with four broken bones
Not bad for someone who has yet to earn her first playing contract with the club.
Fraser, who came through the Baulkham Hills Association and still lives with her family at Kellyville when in Sydney, has been a major beneficially of a rule change allowing teams to take two additional players to their Queensland hub for the 2020 season to cover potential injuries and illness.
“I have been on the court 11 times this season of 13 games,” Fraser said.
“I never expected this. I was just happy to get to come away with the team in the first place.
“When they extended the squad it was great.
SUPER NETBALL: Extraordinary sacrifice to play for Swifts
BYO LUNCH BOX: Cricket will never be the same!
“Otherwise, as bad as it sounds, I was relying on injuries to get on the court and you never want that.”
Fraser has impressed with her versatility, playing centre, wing attack and wing defence for the Swifts who this weekend will play their first game of the finals series in Queensland.
“It’s important to be versatile with a normal team of 10 in a regular season,” she said.
“Only three are on the bench so you have to be able to cover all positions.”
While the Giants held the Swifts to a 77-77 draw on the weekend, their season is over.
The Giants have now failed to make the finals of Super Netball for the second consecutive year.
Originally published as NSW Swifts young gun Tayla Fraser making mark in Super Netball