Former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander says the influx of New Zealand players into Australia's domestic competition is further squeezing opportunities for local players, posing a headache for the current Australian coaching staff.
By Bridget Tunnicliffe of RNZ
New Zealand's leading netballers are heading offshore in unprecedented numbers, as the future of the country's elite domestic competition remains uncertain.
Twelve New Zealand players will ply their trade in Australia's Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) competition in 2027 - 10 of them are current Silver Ferns.
The exodus comes amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of the ANZ Premiership, with Netball NZ unable to provide any assurances there will be an elite domestic competition next year. Netball NZ recently removed all restrictions around Silver Ferns players competing offshore.
The SSN is the toughest netball competition in the world and has an unlimited import policy. Players from countries like England, Jamaica and South Africa have benefited from exposure to the rigours of the competition, but in 2027, New Zealand players will make up by far the largest percentage of import players competing in the SSN.
When she was in charge of the Diamonds, Alexander warned about the impact of the policy, which has seen top Australian players miss out on SSN contracts.
Despite the influx of New Zealand athletes, Alexander did not think Netball Australia will budge on its import policy.
"It seems that Netball Australia are very keen to make sure that this competition does remain the world's best, where everyone comes to play in it and you've still got a significant number of Australians in the competition," she said.
"They're the great majority, but I think what will happen in the future is there will be some expansion teams, because that will allow more Australians to have positions in the team and I guess help our pathway a little bit as well.
The Australian Diamonds suffered a shock loss to Jamaica in the semifinals at the recent Commonwealth Games and had to settle for bronze, their lowest-ever finish at a pinnacle event.
With their win in Glasgow earlier this month, the Silver Ferns won their first Commonwealth Games gold medal since 2010. In 12 months, Australia will host the World Cup in Sydney.
Alexander said Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich would be very wary about more Silver Ferns playing SSN netball next year.
"I think she should be. I think she might have been concerned, if she had to play the Silver Ferns in the gold medal final at the Commonwealth Games, because it definitely has improved their performances as athletes individually.
"That was the fittest I've ever seen the Silver Ferns, so I think from that point of view, yes, it would be a concern, but you know Stacey's job is to take our best Australian players and create that into a team to defeat the New Zealand team.
"Look, you do have advantages by playing against them week in week out, you get to know their strengths and weaknesses as well, so I think it's got advantages on both sides."
Former Australian Diamond-turned commentator Bianca Chatfield was not surprised by the number of New Zealand players signed on for 2027.
"Especially once we saw what happened in Super Netball this year and the impact players like Kate Heffernan had on the competition," she said. "I just thought that it would only encourage more to come over and it's exciting to see that it's actually becoming a real global competition.
"Australian fans are going to have their own thoughts about the impact that it has on their local players, but in terms of Super Netball being the best competition in the world, we have to have the best athletes in the world playing in it."
Chatfield said the Silver Ferns performances at the Commonwealth Games helped propel some lesser known players into the SSN conversation.
"It was a huge tournament for the Silver Ferns and I think it showed the versatility that a lot of the players have. For Mila [Reuelu-Buchanan], for example, I think seeing her play wing defence at Comm Games really opened up the eyes of everyone here and the Vixens obviously to see that she can play that position.
"I think the Comm Games is a huge indicator that the Silver Ferns are right up there and that versatility they can play across different positions is only going to be an asset to a Super Netball team."
Chatfield said Marinkovich would be concerned that even more New Zealand players would get SSN experience.
"Stacey has probably been preparing and knowing that this was happening. If anything, she's been probably trying to throw out the warning signals for the last few years that, if we keep having no import policy, we're going to have trouble when it comes to Diamonds and what happens at these major tournaments.
"I think that has finally shown at a major tournament, like what's just happened at the Commonwealth Games, where teams like Jamaica and the Silver Ferns, they have a real chance now to knock Australia over.
"Unfortunately for Stacey, I feel like Netball Australia probably haven't listened to her concerns and they've just carried on making sure Super Netball grows to what they want it to be. I think, if she could have her way, she would put a halt to it, but unfortunately, that's out of her hands."
There are growing calls in Australia to add two teams to the current eight-team competition to give more local places an opportunity.
"I think our organisation has to look at expanding as quickly as it can, in order to have those players playing in the world's best competition, but you've got to be mindful, you've got to make money as well, so it's at a very interesting point in time," Alexander said.
Chatfield also believed team rosters needed to increase to 12 players, rather than 10.
New Zealand may still have some sort of domestic league next year and, if that's the case, Chatfield said some Australian players who missed out on a 2027 SSN contract could head to Aotearoa.
"I think everything will be on the table for players that have missed out," she said. "We see some big names like Lucy Austin without a team, who just last year was making a debut for the Diamonds and now doesn't have a side.
"There's a lot of players that are sitting just outside that contracted list of 10, so they'll be looking for opportunities, and they'll want to go and test themselves. If the next best for them is going over and playing in the ANZ Premiership, if that exists and has a life next season, then I think you'll definitely see some Australians over there."
Kiwis playing in Australia's 2027 SSN league
- Mila Reuelu-Buchanan - Melbourne Vixens
- Amelia Walmsley - Melbourne Vixens
- Carys Stythe - Melbourne Vixens
- Kimiora Poi - Queensland Firebirds
- Georgia Heffernan - Sunshine Coast Lightning - two year contract
- Ameliaranne Ekenasio - West Coast Fever
- *Te Paea Selby-Rickit - Queensland Firebirds
- *Kate Heffernan - two year contract
- *Maddy Gordon - West Coast Fever - two year contract
- *Kelly Jackson - Queensland Firebirds
- *Karin Burger - Sunshine Coast Lightning
- *Grace Nweke - Sydney Sirens - three year contract
*returning
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