Netball Super League 2023: All you need to know about transfers
- Published
Manchester Thunder won the 2022 Super League - their fourth time lifting the trophy
Fresh faces, big moves down under, and new managers aplenty.
The Netball Super League season does not start until February 2023, but teams have been busy making moves over the summer transfer window.
With squads having to be confirmed by Friday, who has switched allegiance, who is returning to the fold, and who has opted to head for the other side of the world?
Teams shake things up for a fresh start
Following their Super League win last season, Manchester Thunder have had a shake-up.
After a sublime season, superstar shooter Eleanor Cardwell - arguably England's best player in an otherwise disappointing Commonwealth Games campaign - has been scooped up by top Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) team Adelaide Thunderbirds. Her shooting partner Joyce Mvula has also opted for pastures new - the Malawi player signing for ANZ Premiership side Central Pulse after five successful seasons in Manchester.
The departure of Thunder's two main goalscorers means a new-look shooting circle, with Thunderbirds and South Africa shooter Lenize Potgieter, who scored 298 goals at the 2019 World Cup - the second-highest tally, joining Karen Greig's side.
Mid-court stalwarts Laura Malcolm and Caroline O'Hanlon have joined Cardwell and Mvula in leaving Manchester, with the former moving to New Zealand's Trident Homes Tactix and the latter heading to Leeds Rhinos to replace Jade Clarke, who has joined London Pulse.
Having reached the semi-finals for the first time last season, Pulse head coach Sam Bird has retained the youthful core of his squad - and bolstered it with experienced England Roses Clarke and Chelsea Pitman.
Two other Roses on the move are attacker Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and defender Layla Guscoth, who have both departed Team Bath for a new challenge at Surrey Storm.
Saracens Mavericks, who agonisingly missed out on a place in the semi-finals last season, have signed young talent Kira Rothwell from Pulse. She is the likely replacement for Kadeen Corbin, who has returned to Team Bath.
Loughborough Lightning - last season's beaten finalists - have added defender Jasmin Odeogberin and shooter Rhea Dixon to their squad while Celtic Dragons - who finished 10th in the league - have made one of the most eye-catching signings in goal attack Gabby Sinclair from Collingwood Magpies.
Managers on the move
After a fourth consecutive fifth-placed finish, Mavericks have overhauled their coaching structure and replaced Kat Ratnapala with Camilla Buchanan, who has been with the club since 2008 - winning the title as a player and taking on the role of assistant coach.
Mavericks have also brought in former England and Wasps head coach Tamsin Greenway to work alongside Buchanan as head of strategic performance - a role she will combine with her position as Scotland head coach.
New Mavericks head of strategic performance Greenway earned 67 caps for England
Elsewhere, New Zealand shooter Cat Tuivaiti has been appointed player-coach of Wasps after a season playing for Severn Stars - and her fellow Kiwi Liana Leota, who is also an assistant coach to England boss Jess Thirlby, has been named as Rhinos' new director of netball.
Tracey Neville, meanwhile, has joined Adelaide Thunderbirds as an assistant coach. The former England head coach will take a sabbatical from Thunder but maintain her position on the board.
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- Published10 July 2019
