IT has been a big year of Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) that saw a host of new faces enter the league. While many may have been elevated training partners due to the extended bench, there are a couple of players who made their long-awaited SSN debut with one boasting international experience. Draft Central has composed a countdown of the Top 15 SSN debutants for 2020 and coming in at number 11 is Tayla Honey.

A young midcourter with plenty of upside and energy, Honey really showcased her great vision and speed around the court this season, gaining her long-awaited debut and a couple of unprecedented opportunities to prove herself at wing attack during the Melbourne Vixens’ run to finals. Her clean footwork and ability to run all day was crucial when replacing Liz Watson out the front and Honey proved to be an energiser bunny of sorts with her constant movement and dodging. While on a few occasions Honey seemed overawed by the contest, dropping a couple of loose balls under pressure, the midcourter showed a real desire to do better the next time she got out on court and continued to develop with further exposure to the top level.

Honey’s great evasiveness and unexpected strength on circle edge allowed her to constantly provide an option around the goals, able to anticipate the movement of the likes of Mwai Kumwenda, Caitlin Thwaites and Tegan Philip with ease and consistently deliver ball on a silver platter. Honey’s workrate rarely wavered, with the midcourter consistently ready to jump on court with a split second notice and while she did not consistently get court time, credit to the dominance of Kate Moloney and Watson, she did prove a great impact option alongside Elle McDonald when Watson was out with injury. While not the tallest player, Honey’s long reach and instinctive grab for the ball saw her find the loose ball on a number of occasions, hungry to prove her worth and continued drive to go one better.

Honey proved to be a clinical option at the centre pass, using her speed to dart out and take the first ball with 50 centre pass receives for the season. While Honey racked up 12 general play turnovers across her five outings, Honey’s aforementioned drive to do better saw her also collect two intercepts and five deflections, using that take-off speed and hunt to win back ball when required. Honey also tallied 24 goal assists for the season, using her athleticism and vision to feed bullet-like passes into the circle. While the promising 23-year-old has not had a heap of exposure to SSN level, there is no doubt she has developed well under the tutelage of Moloney and Watson and can inject a lot of energy into the side with her enthusiasm and constant run.

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