NETBALL Australia has announced its 21 & Under squad for the remainder of the 2022 season, with the 14 selected athletes set to take part in a four-day training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) next month. The squad was chosen off the back of the recently completed Australian Netball Championships (ANC) which were held in Traralgon, where representatives from six of the eight teams were selected in the final squad.

The Southern Force took out the 2022 ANC title over the weekend, with shooter Lucy Austin among four Force players in the 21 & Under squad. She was joined by Lauren Frew, Jessie Grenvold and Molly Watson. Austin was also one of five athletes contracted by a Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) club to earn a spot in the squad.

A member of the Adelaide Thunderbirds, Austin was named alongside GIANTS Netball duo Matisse Letherbarrow and Amy Sligar, Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Annie Miller and Collingwood Magpies’ Nyah Allen, all of whom are either shooters or midcourters.

Netball Australia Chair of Selectors Michelle Wilkins said the amount of talent at the ANC made narrowing the squad to just 14 players, difficult.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see a lot of young talent coming through the Netball Australia pathway and to have seen all athletes embracing the opportunity at the Championships,” Wilkins said.  

“Having two years without a competition like this, it really was great to see a mixture of experienced players and younger players taking the court and has created a great environment for learning and growth within all the teams.” 

Anita Keelan was named head coach of the 21 & Under Squad, and will lead the upcoming camp which will be a pivotal development tool that assists athletes with specialist coaching, match play and off court education. Keelan said the focus would be about building connections on and off the court and understanding team dynamics.

“The performances across the Australian National Championships have demonstrated the depth of talent in the Australian pathway with the quality of netball improving every day across the week,” Keelan said.  

“I’m very excited to be working with this squad and specialist coaches Jenny Borlase (goalers), Elissa Kent (midcourt) and Cathy Fellows (defence) at the upcoming camp to continue each athlete’s individual growth and development.” 

Aside from the five listed players, Victoria Fury talent Ruby Barkmeyer is one netball fans, and SSN watchers will remember from coming through the Melbourne Vixens pathway. She along with dual-sport representative Maggie Caris (Melbourne Demons AFLW footballer) were the two Fury representatives, while Jemma Donoghue joined Letherbarrow and Sligar as a GIANT squad member. Charlie Bell and Leesa Mi Mi (Queensland Sapphires) and Martina Reekers (Sunshine Coast Lightning) are the other New South Wales representatives, rounding out the 14-player squad.

AUSTRALIAN 21 & UNDER SQUAD:

Lucy Austin – Southern Force – South Australia
Nyah Allen – Collingwood – South Australia
Ruby Barkmeyer – Victorian Fury – Victoria
Charlie Bell – Queensland Sapphires – Queensland
Maggie Caris – Victorian Fury – Victoria
Jemma Donoghue – GIANTS Academy – New South Wales
Lauren Frew – Southern Force – South Australia
Jessie Grenvold – Southern Force – South Australia
Matisse Letherbarrow – GIANTS Academy – New South Wales
Annie Miller – Sunshine Coast Lightning – New South Wales
Leesa Mi Mi – Queensland Sapphires – Queensland
Martina Reekers – Sunshine Coast Lightning – Queensland
Amy Sligar – GIANTS Academy – New South Wales
Molly Watson – Southern Force – South Australia