Netball Super League International Player Watch

After the Netball World Cup (NWC) took place in Africa for the first time in 2023, it only seems right to start with an international player from the host country South Africa.

SPAR Proteas shooter, Ine-Marí Venter, will remain a Maverick this year for her 4^th season.

In 2023, the shooter scored 479 goals in the NSL, putting her 8^th in the leagues goals scored chart, before going on to score 133 goals at the Netball World Cup 2023 (NWC2023) for her country.

You can re-watch Venter in action at her home NWC for free on NetballPass now.

Next up, we head to last year’s runners up Manchester Thunder. 

Thunder aren’t short of England Roses, with the NWC2023 Silver Medallists captain Nat Metcalf back for her 3rd year in yellow and her international teammate Imogen Allison joining her for her first.

Allison impressed at the NWC2023, as England reached their first ever Grand Final in the event, and she made 18 interceptions, including the one in this TikTok, putting her 5^th in the intercepts chart.

Another international star that remains at Thunder this year, and also brings an international teammate with her is South Africa’s Shadine van der Merwe, as Elemere van der Berg is set for her first Thunder season.

Van der Berg shone in Cape Town finishing the competition with 206 goals, putting her 9^th in the goal scoring charts.

Severn Stars had their best ever NSL campaign in 2023, finishing in 6^th place.

This season Stars welcome Welsh Feather Ella Powell-Davis to their roster.

Powell-Davis finished the NWC2023 with 9 defensive rebounds, putting her 10^th in the charts, as well as 16 deflections, and 8 interceptions.

Here is a reminder of her on fire in Cape Town against Sri Lanka:

 

 

 

 

 

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Stars also welcome a South African international in Lefébre Rademan, as she returns from injury.

Leeds Rhinos step out with a new look squad this season after 11 players left at the end of last season.

Two international players who have signed for them include Australia Zoe Davis and England legend, Geva Mentor, who retired from international netball following the NWC2023.

Here she is in action at the NWC2023 as Malawi narrowly beat Tonga 51-56.

 

 

 

 

 

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Surrey Storm is another squad that has seen lots of changes this season with 10 players leaving.

However, they have also welcomed international talent in the form of Uganda’s, Haniisha Muhameed, and re-signed another She Crane, Proscovia Peace.

Peace was the NSL leading shooter for much of 2023 and helped propel Storm into the top four in 2023 for the first time in seven years. In May, she withdrew from the squad on medical grounds, meaning she also missed out on the NWC2023.

This will be Muhameed’s first season in the NSL, with Storm having picked her up following her outstanding performances in defence at the NWC2023 where she made 6 intercepts, 8 deflections and 7 defensive rebounds helping Uganda finish in 5th place.

You can catch up on Uganda’s NWC2023 matches and see Muhameed in action via NetballPass now.

Being the NSL’s only Scottish team, it is no surprise that Sirens squad consists of lots of Scottish Thistles including Emily Nicholl, Bethan Goodwin, Iona Christian and Cerys Cairns.

All four Thistles were part of Tamsin Greenway’s Scotland side at the NWC2023, where they finished in 10^th place.

Here is a reminder of that Scottish side in action (swipe to see Goodwin doing what she does best):

 

 

 

 

 

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This is Christian’s first season at Sirens, as she has left Manchester Thunder at the end of the 2023 season.

Nicholl, Goodwin, and Cairns are three of just the four returning players to Sirens this year, with Malawi’s Towera Vinkhumbo the 4^th.

Vinkhumbo was key for Sirens in 2023, as she finished top of the leagues interceptions charts with 75 intercepts, and she then went on to be key for Malawi as they finished 7^th at the NWC2023, finishing 8^th in the intercept’s charts at the competition, with 16 to her name.

From the only Scottish team in the league, to the only Welsh team in the league next up its Cardiff Dragons, who start the season with a new look having re-branded from Celtic Dragons.

Dragons welcome Leah Middleton from Surrey Storm this season, who this year made her Feather debut in the Wales Netball Series against Uganda. Middleton was awarded Player of the Match in the first game of the series where Wales beat Uganda 57-45.

Other Welsh Feathers in the side include Phillipa Yarranton and Georgia Rowe who has re-signed this season.

Both Yarranton and Rowe were key in the attacking circle for Wales at the NWC2023, with Rowe finishing 3^rd in the goals scored charts with 250 goals to her name.

Check out this TikTok to see the duo link up against Scotland at the NWC2023 (We are still not sure how Yarranton kept that ball on court!)

Off the back of the NWC2023 the Dragons also welcome South Africa SPAR Protea, Khanyisa Chawane.

The centre court player previously made two appearances in the NSL for Team Bath in 2020, but her season was then cut short by COVID.

The defending Champions Loughborough Lightning will be pleased have re-signed last season’s NSL Gilbert top goal scorer Mary Cholhok this year.

After scoring 908 goals in the league, the Ugandan She Crane went on to score 185 goals at the NWC2023, where the She Cranes finished in 5th place.

We can’t wait to see more of this from Mary in the 2024 season!

 

 

 

 

 

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Also, in purple this season, we will see Scottish Thistle Niamh McCall as she makes the move from Sirens and South Africa SPAR Protea Nicola Smith, who will make her NSL debut.

Last year’s regular season table toppers, London Pulse, don’t have as many changes with 7 of their players staying from last season, including England Rose’s most capped player, Jade Clarke.

Pulse also welcome South Africa SPAR Protea, Nicholé Taljaard, who stole the stage at the NWC2023 scoring this equalising goal that led to South Africa’s famous draw against New Zealand, how could we not pull this clip back out!

We can’t wait to see more of this in the NSL season!

Team Bath have some returning and new international talent in their squad this year.

Welsh Feather, Bethan Dyke, is back for her 2^nd season blue and gold after a great international period, where she finished the NWC2023 3^rd in the circle feeds chart with 166 to her name.

Whilst Kadeen Corbin, previous England and now Barbados international, will also be back this season.

Joining Bath will be Scotland’s Emma Barrie, Sloan Burton from West Coast Fever in Australia and Lisa Putt from Robinhood Northern Stars in New Zealand.