Tassie defenders create history with national squad call-ups

A journey which began with under-19 nationals then training with Super Netball’s minor premiers has ended in two Tasmanian defenders creating history with selection in Australia’s under-21 squad.

Tasmanians Paige O'Neill and Charlotte Walkers have been chosen in an under-21 national squad to tour Fiji. Picture: Minch Media

Teenager defenders Paige O’Neill and Charlotte Walker have been mainstays of Tasmania’s representative teams, pushing each other to be better.

It’s been a major factor in Cavalier O’Neill, 17, and Devon’s Walker, 18, earning selection in the Australia under-21 squad to play on a tour of Fiji next month.

Both players, as well as Hawks midcourter Ellie Marshall, were invited to train with Super Netball minor premiers Adelaide Thunderbirds recently. Netball Tasmania is looking to create those opportunities after opting not to field a senior team in this year’s national championships.

O’Neill has been travelling to Canberra for national camps for three years, but caught the eye of selectors stepping up into Tasmania’s under-19 team for this year’s nationals.

She has also stepped up to the Cavaliers’ TNL senior team this season after helping guide their under-19s to last year’s premiership, and was due to guard Hawks sharpshooter Ash Mawer in Saturday night’s grand final.

“When I got the email (confirming I was in the national squad), I was a bit shocked and didn’t really process it,” O’Neill said.

“Playing up in the under-19s for nationals was what started the pathway for me. This year I was a bit more exposed and I got asked to go train with Thunderbirds, and it was great to be exposed to those high performance behaviours.”

O’Neill said playing against more experienced players like Mawer week-in, week-out had accelerated her development.

“She pushes me every game and it does get tough sometimes, but I love getting challenged. Her work rate and everything she does makes me work harder,” O’Neill said.

“On the Fiji tour I just to be exposed to different styles of netball, playing with girls I haven’t played with before and consistently developing my game.”

Walker said there’s no doubt her on-court relationship with O’Neill in Tasmania teams had pushed both girls to improve.

“The last two or three years Paige and I have been in almost every rep team together, and played against each other in opens this year,” she said.

“We help each other out and probably make each other look good at times.”

Walker said she was surprised Tasmania’s senior side, the Wild, would not be competing in nationals.

But she added she believes trying to forge long term link with elite teams like the Thunderbirds is a good way forward.

“I was shocked but I I think it’s the right decision at the time for us,” she said.

“At Adelaide we did some training with reserves, and when we got to the Thunderbirds main team they let us train with them the whole training.

“It was a really great experience to train with potentially the best team in Australia.

“It’s definitely a few steps up from here but it makes you realise it’s not unachievable for us and something we can do in Tassie.”

It is the first time two Tasmanians have ever been chosen in a national under-21 squad.

“They were talking about it in camp and it went over my head because you don’t think two people from Tassie can make it,” Walker said.

“I was definitely surprised and didn’t expect it at all.”