WITH a host of young talent littered throughout the ANZ Premiership competition Draft Central takes a look at one key player each week. This week the player in focus is Northern Stars defender Kate Burley who starred last round with her read of the play and efforts across the court to win ball back. 

Age: 23
Height: 181cm
Position: GD, GK,WD

After a stellar outing in Round 2 for the Northern Stars the young defender will be keen to back up her performance in Round 3 against some quality opposition in the Southern Steel. Faced with unknown quantity and Trinidad and Tobago speedster Kalifa McCollin, Burley will once again have her work cut out for her but has the speed and nous to match her opponent. 

In testing conditions in the first game of the round up against Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Burley plied her trade and made the goal attack work for every pass and while she tired as the game went on still managed to apply strong hands over pressure. Still honing her craft Burley displayed her attacking mindset with her strong drives through the middle of the court and willingness to fly at the cross court ball. Despite not playing the entire match she managed to collect one intercept, one gain and three deflections. 

But it was the second game where Burley really shone. Starting in at goal defence before slotting into the goal keeper position to close out the game, Burley’s hunger and intensity was up from the opening whistle. Her read of the play and aerial ability given her shorter stature compared to some defenders was highly impressive racking up four gains, three intercepts and four deflections. She was a real energiser bunny down back, able to create turnovers with her immense pressure and skill to double back on the shooter when needed.  Burley, along with partner in crime Storm Purvis, forced the Tactix to make wholesale changes in the attacking unit with Ellie Bird, Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Jess Prosser all trying to combat and break through the defensive wall they had set up. 

Burley proved that she has the stamina and skillset to last an entire game and have a profound impact on the game with her willingness to get to contests and help out in transition. While still not at the peak of her powers, her Round 2 performance showed plenty of promise for the games to come with the young defender growing in confidence and backing herself more regularly whether it be to go for an intercept or block her opposition goaler from entering the circle with her strong movement. Her versatility is another element to keep an eye out for with Burley as she can not only switch between in-circle defence but so too wing defence given her read of the play and deceptive speed.