Super Netball 2023: Giant Taylah Davies set to play first match in seven years after stunning recall

Taylah Davies’ naming for the Giants this week is a recall seven years in the making and one that is a victory for patience and love of the game.

Taylah Davies is within touching distance of a stunning Super Netball return. Picture: Mark Evans

There’s every chance Taylah Davies won’t hit the court when the Giants play for their season against competition heavyweights the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

But being back in the orange and charcoal dress is victory in itself.

Davies, who won a place as a Giants training partner this season, has been called into the main side for Saturday’s clash at Ken Rosewall Arena after fellow midcourter Amy Sligar suffered a concussion at training. It won’t be her first Super Netball outing with the club.

The last though, was in 2017, when Davies played nine games in the inaugural Super Netball season.

Even that was a victory, coming after a successful knee reconstruction which was forced after she ruptured her ACL in her national league debut for the Swifts in 2014 as a 19-year-old.

Dropped from the Giants’ main contract list after the first Super Netball season, Davies was a training partner the following year before making the switch to AFLW and playing a handful of games for the Giants from 2019 to 2021.

Taylah Davies in action against the Magpies in 2017. Picture: Brett Costello

Netball though, kept luring her back.

“I was so grateful and excited to have the opportunity to play AFLW – I never honestly thought that was something that I would do,” Davies said.

“I’d never put on footy boots, never really kicked a Sherrin before, so that was a surprise. But I loved it and really enjoyed every moment of it to be honest, it was a huge challenge.

“But I think deep down I always knew that I wanted to have another crack at my netball career. I’ve played ever since I was eight years old. It’s my major passion and I’ve always had that love for netball.”

With only 10 full-time contracted players in each team, there are few chances in the world’s best league but Davies knew she would have had regrets if she didn’t give netball one last crack.

Davies in action for the Giants in the AFLW. Picture: Michael Klein

Even so, she was still surprised when the number of Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald popped up on her phone about a month ago. “I thought she might just want to have a catch-up but it was a really good surprise,” Davies said.

In true Fitzgerald fashion, the coach said: “I’ll just get straight to the point,” before offering her a position as a training partner after a mid-season vacancy. “Obviously it’s a bit hard when you’ve had that disappointment a few years ago of not getting picked, getting dropped, being a training partner, being in the team – it’s scary to be back in that environment,” Davies said.

“But I’m so grateful that Jules has given me this opportunity and I love being in this elite environment.”

Originally published as Super Netball 2023: Giant Taylah Davies set to play first match in seven years after stunning recall