As we continue the #RoadToCapeTown keeping an eye on our international stars that could feature in the competition is even more important this year.
We have already seen the return of the UK’s Netball Superleague and the next to return is New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership, which returns on the 4th March 2023.
In more exciting news, International fans will be able to watch the ANZ Premiership matches live on NetballPass.
Whilst you are watching, here are just some of the international players we think you should keep an eye out for..
Northern Mystics
Following her success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she caught the eyes of the global Netball Family, young Silver Fern shooter Grace Nweke is sure to be one to watch as she starts her 5thseason with Mystics in the ANZ Premiership.
Nweke was awarded the Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award in 2022, joint with Kelly Jury, following an impressive domestic season, with a goal shooting percentage of 92.2%, and at aged just 21 we have a feeling this is just the beginning.
Another, more experienced, Silver Fern in the Mystics squad this season is Phoenix Karaka, who was part of New Zealand’s Netball World Cup winning side at Liverpool 2019.
Whilst Karaka will be wanting to use this season to show just why she should be part of the defending team going to the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town, Nweke will be hoping she is selected to make her Netball World Cup debut.
We can’t wait to see these two players continue their #RoadToCapeTown.
Robinhood Stars
There is no shortage of Silver Ferns in the Stars squad for the 2023 season with Elle Temu, Gina Crampton, Kayla Johnson, Maia Wilson and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan all amongst the New Zealand Stars named in the 2023 squad.
Crampton comes into her third season with Stars off the back of a very successful summer with the Ferns, where she captained the side to bronze at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The experienced midcourter has been playing elite netball for 12 years, winning the ‘Aspiring Silver Fern’ award in 2015 and ANZ Championship Player of the Year in 2016, and we are sure her leadership and experience will be crucial to Stars this season.
From an experienced international star to a rising one, the Netball Family will also want to keep their eye on defender Elle Temu this season, who made her international debut for the Silver Ferns last year and will be looking to make her Netball World Cup debut this summer at the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.
WBOP Magic
Just like Stars, Magic is lucky enough to have a Silver Ferns captain in their squad for the 2023 season in Ameliaranne Ekenasio.
Ekenasio returned to netball in 2022 following the birth of her child with monitored participation, however this season she will be looking to get more minutes on court, and we can’t wait to watch.
Internationally, Ekenasio became captain of the Silver Ferns in 2020, after she played a key part in the Netball World Cup 2019 winning squad and the World Series-winning FAST5 Ferns team in 2018.
Teaming up with Ekanasio in the circle is fellow Fern, Bailey Mes, who scored 330 goals in her first season with Magic last year.
Ekenasio and Mes will be able to use this season to build on their partnership, as they continue their #RoadToCapTown in the hope they are both selected.
Central Pulse
Central Pulse welcome ANZ Premiership debutant and Malawi Queen, Joyce Mvula, to their side for the 2023 season, after she left behind Manchester Thunder in the UK’s Netball Superleague.
Mvula played for Thunder from 2017 – 2022, and in this time, she has achieved a 91% shooting success rate three years in a row and won the league unbeaten just to name a few of her achievements.
The shooters international side, Malawi, qualified for the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 through the Netball World Cup Qualifiers – Africa where the only team they lost to were the pre-qualified hosts, South Africa.
We can’t wait to see how Mvula settles into the ANZ Premiership as she continues her #RoadToCapeTown!
Mainland Tactix
Another international star making the switch from Manchester Thunder in the UK’s Netball Superleague to the ANZ Premiership this season is England Rose Laura Malcolm.
Malcolm is one of the most decorated Superleagues players, having won four titles (2012, 2014, 2019 & 2022) with Thunder.
Having competed in her first Commonwealth Games this summer in Birmingham, the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 is sure to be on Malcom’s mind as she begins this new journey in New Zealand.
Joining Malcolm in the attacking end is a Mainland Tactix player that is much more familiar with Netball in New Zealand, Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
Selby-Rickit played for Southern Steel for nine years, before joining Tactix four years ago, but her experience doesn’t stop at a national level in New Zealand as the shooter made her Silver Ferns debut in 2016, and was part of the Netball World Cup 2019 winning team and is now also a Commonwealth Games bronze medal holder.
The Netball Family will enjoy seeing these two link up ahead of their countries potentially playing against each other at the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 in Cape Town.
Southern Steel
Those international fans that watched the World Netball FAST5 Netball World Series 2022 will recognise New Zealand and now Southern Steels, Samantha Winders.
Winders co-captained the FAST5 Ferns to a bronze medal and was key to their centre court, and domestically this season she has now joined Steel following nine years at WBOP Magic.
The centre court player will certainly be one to watch as she settles into her new team.
Steel is also the home of England Rose George Fisher, but unfortunately, we will have to wait a bit longer until we see her back on court due to Fisher picking up a serious knee injury in a pre-season match which has seen her ruled out for the 2023 season.
World Netball would like to take this opportunity to wish Fisher a fast and safe recovery.
More information…
The ANZ Premiership will start on the 4th March 2023 with all six teams taking to court in the first round across three days.
To view the full fixture list, click here.
To find out more about the ANZ Premiership, click here.
To find out more about the start date of the other domestic leagues around the world, visit our Domestic League page here.
