Every Super Netball team’s 11th player named and what influence they could make on their team
All seven Super Netball team’s 11th player named, and why one club chose not to sign one. Plus how the Mavericks got away with signing a star player who has represented her country?
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They’re the rising stars of the competition, the next gen players that can be drafted in for their Super Netball teams any week of the year.
Under new rules introduced this season, each team can add an 11th player to their squad.
All clubs promoting a nominated player to an upgraded contract - a six-month minimum salary deal - must do so ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.
The “nominated athlete” must be eligible under World Netball regulations to represent Australia and either be aged 26 or under as at December 31 last year, or have not taken the court in more than five matches in any single Super Netball or ANZ Championship season.
The one nominated training partner per team is eligible for selection outside of injury or illness, meaning they can be drafted in regardless of the fitness of the full-time athletes, effectively giving coaches the option of subbing players in and out of their match-day squads.
Teams deciding not to nominate an athlete under the criteria will not be able to alter their match-day squads except in the case of injury, illness or extenuating personal circumstances.
The Giants are the only team to have decided not to name an 11th player.
Effectively a trade-off in the drawn out pay war between the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) - which is pushing for an eventual return to 12-player squads - and Netball Australia, which argued it could not fund a 20 per cent expansion of full-time lists, the nominated athlete clause has led to the introduction of a band of exciting young blood to the competition this season.
Here are the players named.
Adelaide Thunderbirds
Tyler Orr
The exciting midcourter has made Netball South Australia pathway, representing the state at U17 and U19 level before moving into the Southern Force side at the Australian Netball Championships, serving as vice-captain in their title-winning campaign in 2022 and captaining the side, now known as Adelaide Thunderbirds Futures, in the competition last year.
Orr made her Super Netball debut for the Collingwood Magpies while in the Covid hub in 2020 before being named a Thunderbirds training partner in 2021-2023.
Coach Tania Obst congratulated Orr on becoming the club’s inaugural nominated athlete.
“Tyler has continually developed her craft in our training partner environment for three years and offers flexibility and a point of difference within our midcourt,” Obst said.
“We know Tyler will also add value to our team with her maturity and leadership qualities and
know she will make the most of this opportunity.”
Melbourne Mavericks
Shimona Jok
Jok’s promotion is arguably the most controversial of all players added under the nominated athlete rules but she meets all criteria for the position.
While she has more than 80 Super Netball games already under her belt, Jok meets the age criteria, meaning she qualifies under the either/or ruling.
And despite her almost 20 Test caps for Jamaica, she also meets criteria stating the nominated player must be eligible to play for Australia under World Netball rules.
The world body’s rubbery eligibility takes little more than World Cup appearances into account on this score and since goaler Jok did not take the court when she was a travelling reserve for the Sunshine Girls in Cape Town last year, she remains eligible for Diamonds selection for the 2027 Cup, especially now she has permanent residency in Australia.
With the Mavericks losing goaler Sasha Glasgow to a broken leg early in the year, having Jok available is a boon to coach Tracey Neville given Rolene Streutker is still coming to grips with Super Netball level.
“Elevating a player of Shimona’s class into our 11th player is huge for us,” Neville said.
“Shimona offers a whole new style of play in our attack end, creating a layer of depth that is critical to our game plan.”
Melbourne Vixens
Emily Andrew
Mobile shooter Andrew gives the Vixens a gun to call on if needed after her elevation to the nominated athlete. A Vixens squad member since 2022, Andrew has been given a taste of the Super Netball environment after being elevated to the match-day squad twice last year as a temporary replacement player.
The 191cm goaler was named player of the tournament at the Australian Netball Championships last year after consistent efforts for Victorian Fury and her elevation give coach Simone McKinnis an option should recently-promoted full-time squad member Lily Graham, who came into the full-time squad as a replacement for the pregnant Mwai Kumwenda.
“Emily has been a valuable part of our team environment for the past two years, and it’s a great next step for her to further her development with us as our eleventh player,” McKinnis said.
“Her mobility and versatility across both shooting positions can be hard to find in an athlete of Emily’s height, so she’s a challenging player for defenders to match up against and I’m excited to watch her make the most of this opportunity.
“Emily’s journey through the Victorian pathway and into our Vixens environment has shown an impressive work ethic and appetite for soaking up everything she can learn. This opportunity is well-earned, it’s exciting for her and for our team as well.”
NSW Swifts
Grace Whyte
Teen shooter Whyte, from Tumut in the Riverina region of NSW, has been elevated from the Swifts’ training partner list to become their nominated athlete.
Head coach Briony Akle said it this was an important step for the 19-year-old in her netball journey.
“Grace is a wonderful young woman who has fantastic ability on court and her attitude off the court is top notch too,” Akle said.
“When Grace played for us in pre-season she was fearless in her approach and while she is still very much an athlete in development, we were very impressed with what we saw.
“What the eleventh player initiative allows us to do is enhance the exposure we can give to our training partner and pathway athletes who could be called on at any time.
“Over the last few years injury has forced us dig deep into our programs, and thankfully everyone has hit the ground running.
“That’s a testament to the pathways and it’s important that we make use of this additional player initiative because it’s an extension of them.”
Queensland Firebirds
Ali Miller
Having made the move to Brisbane from Sydney late last year after being offered a training partner contract by Firebirds Head Coach Bec Bulley, Miller is a step closer to making her Super Netball debut, something that helps her justify the decision to switch states along with young son Talanoa.
At 27, Miller is just outside the age criteria for the nominated player but given she has never played Super Netball, ticks the box for experience and showed during the pre-season Team Girls Cup she will be ready to go if given a chance.
A NSW Swifts’ training partner in 2018 and an Australian U19 squad member, Miller hails from Wagga Wagga and captained the Swifts Academy team at last year’s Australian Netball Championships where the 190cm goaler scored 191 goals at the tournament, at a competition-high 97.9 per cent.
“Ali has quickly settled in with our playing group since her move north and she and Talanoa are firmly now in the Purple Family,” Bulley said.
“I’m delighted she has the opportunity as our eleventh player for the season ahead, ensuring we can have her height, eye-for-goal and leadership to add to our shooting ranks in 2024.”
Sunshine Coast Lightning
Maddie Hinchliffe
After making her Super Netball debut with the Lightning in 2021 and spending the 2022 season with the club as a permanent replacement player, Hinchliffe played for Collingwood last year before returning to the Coast after the collapse of the Magpies.
She will reunite with twin and Lightning vice-captain Tara as the club’s nominated athlete this season, giving coach Belinda Reynolds cover in the midcourt and defence.
Reynolds said Hinchliffe was deserving of the contract.
“I’m thrilled Maddie has the opportunity to be elevated into the game day squad. She’s had a brilliant pre-season and has worked really hard,” Reynolds said.
“Maddie gives us great diversity with her ability to play all three mid-court positions as well as being able to swing into goal defence, which we saw her do often during the pre-season.
“While Maddie is still young, she has great experience in the SSN environment after her recent season with the Collingwood Magpies.”
West Coast Fever
Ruth Aryang
Aryang made a successful comeback from a knee reconstruction in the pre-season, showing she was fit and ready to be named the Fever’s nominated player.
The younger sister of Diamonds defender Sunday, Aryang impressed in several games throughout the Fever’s pre-season campaign including at the Team Girls Cup and for the Fremantle Sharks in the Gold Industry Group WA Netball League.
Aryang, who joins her sister in the Fever’s defensive line-up, impressed head coach Dan Ryan with her efforts.
“Ruth has had an outstanding pre-season campaign and her form and recent performances really warrant her elevation as our 11th player,” Ryan said.
“It’s been a long and challenging road back from injury for her but seeing her back out on court thriving again is just awesome.
“She is a rare talent with a very bright future and she’ll add so much depth and versatility to our new look defence end this season.”
Giants Netball
No player nominated
The Giants have decided against singling out any of their training players as nominated athletes, meaning coach Julie Fitzgerald will not be able to deviate from her full-time squad of 10 for a match day line-up except in the case of injury, illness or other extenuating circumstances.
Fitzgerald does have a wealth of options at her disposal in case of injury though, especially in the midcourt, where she already has former Diamond and England Rose Chelsea Pitman filling in for Maddie Hay (recovering from off-season surgery) on a temporary replacement player contract.
With 70-cap Silver Fern Gina Crampton a Giants training partner this season after her late relocation to Sydney following the collapse of her partner’s professional rugby club in New York, Fitzgerald has an embarrassment of riches at her fingertips.
The Giants also have young defender Charli Fidler, former Commonwealth Youth Games captain Monika Otai and former Swifts and Collingwood goaler Kelly Singleton among their training partners for this season.
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