"I do believe that there will be some big announcements in the coming weeks. Once one team shares the key players that they're keeping, it allows us to start putting the puzzle together"
Wednesday 23 September 2020 15:28, UK
In this week's column, Tamsin Greenway looks at the Vitality Netball Superleague signing window and which players could light up the competition next season.
The 2021 Superleague signing window officially opened on August 17 and franchises have until netball's transfer deadline day on October 30 to complete their business for the forthcoming season.
In the two weeks before August 17, head coaches and directors of netball were able to exclusively speak to their current squad members and after that, players were able to speak to whomever they wanted to.
This is a much shorter window than last year, and Covid-19 has played its part in making the period unique. The fact that the 2020 season contained just three full rounds, and two additional matches, means that the post-season dynamics are very different to previous years.
Normally after a full season, players are able to come to conclusions about their futures. For some, that will have been to stay where they are and for others it may be to seek new opportunities and new environments.
With such a short season, players' views about what to do become a little harder because they've not experienced enough one way or another.
As a result of the short season, I do think that other than the movers to newcomers Leeds Rhinos Netball, we're not going to see loads of club jumping. However, I do believe that there will be some big announcements in the coming weeks.
We've already seen that George Fisher is off to New Zealand for the 2021 season, that's huge news, and also that some Superleague stalwarts - Hannah Knights and Katy Hughes - have hung up their dresses for good.
When it comes to new faces within the Vitality Netball Superleague then I hope that we're going to see more fresh import-players this year.
The Superleague has a rich history of providing a fantastic opportunity for emerging internationals. If you look at so many of the import players in Suncorp Super Netball, the majority came through the Vitality Netball Superleague and ignited the competition in England first.
Karla Pretorius, Lenize Potgeiter and Phumza Maweni are just a few of the South Africa internationals who have taken that route, as well as Shamera Sterling, Sammy Wallace and Peace Proscovia.
I really hope that we'll be able to see the next group of talented internationals arriving in England now and that they'll be made up of players that we saw at the Vitality Netball World Cup and the Vitality Nations Cup in January.
Lefebre Rademan is one of the first names that spring to mind. She's been impressive at goal attack for South Africa and has grown in confidence every time she stepped on the court for them.
She's the old-school type of goal attack that teams are crying out for; a short, sharp and nippy one who runs the front, cuts and drives into the circle and puts up the shot.
Coming back to Superleague teams, then Saracens Mavericks need a shooter after Fisher's departure…we know there is a limited supply at the moment, so what if Kadeen Corbin slipped into the goal shooter role and they looked to bring in someone like Rademan? I'm intrigued to see how these teams work their squads and look for solutions.
Sticking with the individuals we saw in the Vitality Nations Cup, I liked what we saw from Gezelle Allison for Jamaica. She had limited court time, but after seeing team-mates Rebekah Robinson and Shanice Beckford experience the Superleague, could Allison be the next Sunshine Girl to flourish on an English court?
Looking further back to the Vitality Netball World Cup, there were a few players who I'd love to see given a go over here. Stella Oyella who was so strong for Uganda and there's Felisitus Kwangwa from Zimbabwe, who I raved about during the competition. As a defender she was outstanding in that energetic, fearless and ambitious Zimbabwe side.
I really hope that the franchises are looking at every opportunity to embrace the talent that's within the Caribbean and African teams, because there's so much there, but I also hope they've been knocking on some established doors too.
The Superleague has not only grabbed those starting out, but it's also attracted players at the other end of their careers who perhaps want to experience something different.
With the shock news that Chelsea Pitman hasn't been given another Adelaide Thunderbirds contract, could we see her return? Now, I fully expect Pitman to try and get another Suncorp contract, but if for some reason she couldn't, the Superleague should do its upmost to get her back.
We may be dreaming here but Caitlin Bassett's predicament could be a pathway for her, and on the new episode of Off The Court this week, you'll see that Ash Brazill said maybe she'd consider it in a few years.
This all leads onto Vitality Netball Superleague franchises' respective wish lists...
I think there are a few teams who will look to stick with their squads from the 2020 season almost in their entirety. The way that Pulse started last season, they're unlikely to want to change much at all, nor are Bath, although I'm sure fans will hope for the return of Serena Guthrie now she's back in the Roses camp.
Severn Stars had a shock win over Wasps Netball and put pressure on Saracens Mavericks. As a new squad, with a new coach, you feel that they'd want to stick too because they were just getting started.
For Manchester Thunder, Kathryn Turner is expecting her first child in February, however with Eleanor Cardwell and Joyce Mvula in the squad, if they've retained them both, they don't have a hole to fill. We've already seen two youngsters added to their roster and they've always been very good at bringing their own talent through.
One team that does have a specific need is Surrey Storm. After the departures of Lorraine Kowalewska and Hughes, they're in the market for circle defenders. If they're unable to entice any of England's young defenders, who seem relatively settled at clubs, then I'd love to see them pick up an international star.
As mentioned earlier, Wasps Netball have lost their captain Knights so you'd think their focus would also be on the defensive end. But if they manage to re-sign both Fran Williams and Josie Huckle then I think they actually need to look at the other end of the court. Who can partner Rachel Dunn in attack? Since losing Nat Haythornthwaite, they've never found that settled combination, so maybe a new option in there?
I'll also be interested to see Strathclyde Sirens' and Celtic Dragons' squads and whether they've been able to retain some of their imports. Zanele Vimbela and Latanya Wilson had huge impacts last season, will they manage to keep them, or will other teams have lured them away?
Loughborough Lightning struggled, mainly because they lost a lot of their experienced players to injury all at once. If they can get their key players back on court, then they might not want to change too much because that core group still have unfinished business. With Beth Cobden back in the UK and in the Roses camp, will she be back in the mix and join that group?
We've spoken about Saracens Mavericks' need for new shooter/GA and that leaves Leeds Rhinos Netball, who are a brand-new franchise with a whole roster to fill. Rumours have swirled about players since their inception, and the excitement of a new team always manages to cause one or two shockwaves.
The best part is that we've got so many announcements to come and once one team shares the key players they're keeping, it allows us to start putting the puzzle together across the rest of the league, which inevitably brings on the debates, discussions and some much-needed netball chat.
