Super Netball moves and 2023 signings, full 2024 rosters revealed

The Super Netball signing window has slammed shut, with the Swifts among the clubs to make late moves. See how every club is shaping up and our thoughts for 2024 here.

Super Netball’s 80 full-time contract holders are locked and loaded after the official closure of the contracting window for the 2024 season.

While the period has been little more than a formality given recruitment had been finalised - in most instances - months ago, the contracts were finally able to be registered with Netball Australia following the end to the ugly pay war.

The contracting window closed on Wednesday afternoon, although most clubs had lodged their contracts as soon as able to do so, with NA’s integrity team working through them quickly, and most ticked off early this week.

While some clubs have decided to roll out announcements gradually, that’s been a marketing decision from the individual franchise rather than any holdup in the contracting.

Six of the eight clubs have named their full compliment of players, with only the Adelaide Thunderbirds (Shamera Sterling, Romelda Aiken George), NSW Swifts (Lili Gorman-Brown, Teigan O’Shannassy, Allie Smith) still to formally announce players that have already been revealed by Code Sports.

LIGHTNING CREATES BIG FOUR AFTER LANDING KEY DIAMONDS

They’re the awesome foursome, whose coming together at club level has made the Sunshine Coast Lightning immediate favourites for next year’s Super Netball crown.

After luring Australian captain Liz Watson and the world’s best defender, Courtney Bruce, to join World Cup winners Cara Koenen and Steph Fretwell (nee Wood) to the Coast, the Lightning are a bona fide super side, with strengths across the court.

Their arrival has been open knowledge in netball circles for months but the sport’s protracted pay war has meant their signings have not been official – until now.

Courtney Bruce will play for the Lightning in 2024. Photo: Getty Images

The Lightning will announce the signing of Bruce on Tuesday morning, with the contracts of all four now ticked off at Netball Australia headquarters, uniting the great friends and world-beating teammates.

Both Watson and Bruce have been one-team players and leaving the Vixens and Fever, respectively, was a massive call for the pair.

Despite being regarded as among the best players in the world both Bruce and Watson believe the challenge of leaving their comfort zones will help them find a new level in their game – something that must be a scary thought for opposition players.

“I’ve been at Fever for so long now and I think I played good netball, but I think that I still have so much potential in me and I was wondering whether that can be challenged at Fever or not and if I needed a new environment to take my game to that next level that I think it has the capacity to (go to),” Bruce said.

Watson said leaving the Vixens was “obviously, a massive decision and something I definitely put a lot of thought into”.

“But to finally be here, as messy as it’s been with all the contracts and not having time together as a team, it was actually very nice to be able to have a few sessions with the girls before we head away for Christmas and then pretty much all of Jan(uary).

“I wanted to get up here as soon as I could really just to have that time with team before missing a month of time together.”

(L-R) Steph Fretwell, Courtney Bruce, Cara Koenen and Liz Watson will form a formidable quartet for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in 2024. Photo: Lightning

Watson, Bruce and Koenen, who has been at the Lightning since the club’s debut in the inaugural Super Netball season in 2017, have all signed for three years, with Fretwell inking a two-year deal.

The newly married former Diamonds vice-captain will take on a new role this year, having relinquished national duties and is looking forward to turning her attention to a full Super Netball season.

“Knowing that I’m going to be back in January with the group – something that I haven’t done, really my whole career – that excites me,” Fretwell said.

“It sounds kind of crazy at 32 years old (to be excited by) a full pre-season that’s not interrupted but that was behind my decision as well to extend my domestic career by being able to have a little bit of that downtime in the latter part of the year to really put all my focus into Lightning.”

As foundation Lightning players, Fretwell and Koenen have won two premierships with the Lightning and both are excited, not just by the arrival of Watson and Bruce, but the young Queensland talent pushing through the ranks.

“It’s great to have (Watson and Bruce) around the group. They’ve got a wealth of experience, knowledge, leadership and that can add a lot to our group,” she said.

“So I think we’ve got a really good mix of youth to experience in our group.

“While yes, we have some names coming into our team, I also think we’ve got a whole bunch of Queensland talent . and a very exciting group.”

Cara Koenen (L) and Steph Wood in Australian Diamonds colours. The pair has played together at the Lightning since the inaugural Super Netball season and is set to be joined by Liz Watson and Courtney Bruce. Photo: Getty Images

Koenen echoed Fretwell’s thoughts about the rising stars and said the players were at peace with being labelled competition favourites.

“It’s a bit of a different position to what we’re normally in,” Koenen said.

“Right from the get go, I feel like in our Lightning team we’ve kind of been written off from year to year and we have never really been the favourite to take out the league.

“But we haven’t been shy about addressing the elephant in the room that we do now have some pretty big names on our list and it does put a target on our back.

“But nothing’s a given in this league and we definitely aren’t taking that as a given either.

“We’re prepared to work really, really hard … and there’s definitely not a shred of complacency amongst the group but there’s also a really good energy, so it’s shaping up to be exciting.”

Watson said people would have their opinions about the Lightning but heading into a season of such change and unknown, there was mystery around every team.

“You just want to play well and play your role in whatever team you’re in,” Watson said.

“It’s been nice to come in here and just be me and not worry about what I’ve done or who I am or where I’ve been – we’re all here for the same purpose, which is to win the premiership.

“And every team will be figuring out what their purpose is and how they will do that and I know every team will be there to win.

“I can bring all my experience and knowledge but I just want to be here as me and play my role in this group whatever that may be.”

Originally published as Super Netball moves and 2023 signings, full 2024 rosters revealed