THE 2022 Australian Netball Championship (ANC) is just around the corner, and after a Covid induced two year hiatus the redesigned national second tier competition is back. 10 teams from across the country will be facing off in Traralgon later this month for the title.

In preparation for the tournament, we are going to preview each of the 10 teams that will be competing at this year’s tournament.

First cab off the rank is the Capital Darters.

As their name might suggest, the Darters are representing the nation’s capital at these championships. They are a rebranding of a team with the same name that competed in the old Australian Netball League (ANL) between 2008 and 2016, and replace the old Canberra Giants side that competed in the ANL post that.  

Unlike many of the other sides competing at these Championships, there are very few Super Netball training partners or squad members in the Darters’ side, so plenty of new faces will get their time in the spotlight these championships.

The Darters’ squad for these Champions is made up of a mixture of athletes from both the ACT and from New South Wales.

Among the squad are five players who had previously played for the Canberra Giants – Nalani Makunde, Amber Brophy, Latika Tombs, Taylah Davies and Madeline Eaton. These players will bring in a lot of experience competing at the national level to a side that is at times rather young.

After impressive 2022 seasons at under 19 level, ACT under 19s Milla Papallo and Emma Smith will attend the senior national competition for the first time.

There are also a number of Darters from both the GIANTS and Swifts Academies – Charli Fidler, Olivia Coleman and Millie Roach (GIANTS), Smith, Davies and Eaton (Swifts). Fidler and Roach are also training partners at the GIANTS.

There are also a few Darters who come to the Darters from NSW Premier League side the Capital Spirit, but these girls will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the winless 2022 Spirit campaign when they take to the court at the National Championships.

Capital Darters 2022 ANC Team

Amber Brophy, Charli Fidler, Emma Smith, Latika Tombs, Madeline Eaton, Malia Harrison, Milla Papallo, Millie Roach, Nalani Makunde, Olivia Clark, Olivia Coleman, Taylah Davies

Capital Darters’ Fixture

Monday August 22– Collingwood Magpies

Tuesday August 23 – Bye

Wednesday August 24 – West Coast Fever Reserves

Thursday August 25 – QBE Swifts Academy

Friday August 26 – Queensland Sapphires