Surrey Storm eye third successive Vitality Superleague title

Surrey Storm's Mikki Austin believes they have the game plan required to be crowned Vitality Superleague champions for a third successive year.

Storm survived a late onslaught by Manchester Thunder to successfully defend their title last May, winning 55-53 at London's Copper Box Arena.

With three new franchises and team rosters trimmed from 15 to 12 players, the 2017 Superleague season should be more competitive than ever but Austin expects Storm to be challenging at the top once again.

"We have definitely set out a game plan to go out there and challenge for the title again," Austin told Sky Sports News HQ at the season's launch at the Oval on Monday.

"At the start of the season we will aim for the top four because anything can happen once you hit that marker, but we definitely know what we are capable of and we know what we can achieve.

"There's a special group of ladies in our changing rooms, so we will be contending."

Hertfordshire Mavericks host Team Northumbria in the season's opening game on Friday, February 17 while Storm get their campaign underway against Severn Stars the following day.

Austin is also hopeful that there will be larger crowds than ever as popularity of the competition grows.

Austin said: "We play at the Copper Box and that sells out at just over 6,000 and our home venue holds just under 1,000. The capacity is there, it's just building year upon year."

Netball was further boosted on Monday after it received the largest amount of funding from Sport England, with £16.9m for development and £3m to help the England team prepare for the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool.