WITH netball done and dusted for the 2020 calendar year, the team at Centre Pass have decided to create a Netball Fantasy Draft that includes a series of mini-podcasts delving into the reasoning behind player selections. Following suit with the extended benches in Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) and given the high calibre of players to choose from each person will have a 12 player roster and one position will be discussed per episode. With the starting seven done and dusted the next episode looks at the first bench player selected.

With free rein on the selections the team chose players they deemed necessary to fill certain holes int heir starting seven or provide that added element of stability to their line-up. Two players chosen were defenders while the other was a versatile shooter that can swing between goal attack and goal shooter with great ease.

Picks:

1st Sophie – Courtney Bruce
2nd Jarrad – Jo Harten
3rd Taylah – Jo Weston

Courtney Bruce

Australian Diamonds goal keeper and West Coast Fever captain, Courtney Bruce is a formidable force down back a handy option off the bench. Bruce is a flashy player that can explode out of the blocks with her athleticism and aerial ability a couple of focal points in her game plan. She has the ability to switch out to goal defence such is her skillset, endurance and overall netball nous to have a profound influence in either position. A more physical defender that thrives on the niggle and argy-bargy under the post, Bruce is a consistent threat renowned for pushing her opponents out of their comfort zones and working in overdrive to receive the ball. The talented defender is a ball magnet that can impress in the air and use her long wingspan to create chances to swat the ball away and force turnovers while her deceptive speed is also paramount. She will complement the likes of Diamonds teammate Emily Mannix while she will also provide that element of stability in the goal circle to aid the flexible nature of Katrina Rore and Karin Burger.

2020 SSN stats:

44 intercepts, 101 deflections, 36 rebounds

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Jo Harten

There is no denying that Harten is a game changer with the England Roses star a cool, calm and composed figure under the post. Her versatility has steadily grown over the past couple of seasons showcasing her dominance out in goal attack to transition the ball down the court while also impressing in goal shooter. She can easily flick between the two positions such is her netball smarts and overall court coverage. Harten can play both a holding or moving role in the circle while her long range shooting is a main feature of her game play, able to attack the post from anywhere and do so at a relatively high accuracy. Harten has impeccable footwork, strong hands and good timing making her a constant threat inside the circle given her ability to reel in errant passes and dictate the flow with her experience and smarts. Her balance is also second to none, able to dance along the baseline with great ease and could partner up well with Jhaniele Fowler or Helen Housby.

2020 SSN stats:

317 goals (78 per cent), 78 super shots (62 per cent), 25 rebounds

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Jo Weston

The premiership winning Melbourne Vixens defender and Australian Diamonds star, was an easy choice for Taylah given the 26-year-old’s versatility and defensive capabilities. She is more than capable of playing all three positions whether it be wing defence, goal defence or goal keeper and most importantly does it at a high standard. Weston is a go-get it style of defender that gives nothing short of 100 per cent and is a real barometer for her respective side able to take a big intercept and change the course of a game. Renowned for her big arms over pressure, nifty footwork and ability to shut down opponents with her shadowing style of play and dogged nature Weston is an exciting option to bring off the bench. She covers the court well and reads the play with great ease to slot into damaging positions and pick off passes as she sees fit. Weston never shies away from a physical battle, able to weather the storm and prevail nine times out of 10 given star power and strength. The inclusion of Weston will also complement the game style of Geva Mentor given their history together and differing styles.

2020 SSN stats:

18 intercepts, 52 deflections, 10 rebounds

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It was a mixed bag of selections with the first bench picks as the tactics really started to come into play as the Centre Pass team all carefully chose players that would accurately suit their team and fulfil a designated role. The two defenders in Bruce and Weston are staples in the Diamonds side with the duo ball-hungry players that are not afraid to throw their body on the line and use their elevation to get hands to ball. They are both still relatively young and with a wealth of development left in them while on the other hand Jarrad opted for one of the most experienced figures in England netball in Harten. The goaler is as versatile as they come and oozes a wealth of smarts to angle her body a certain way and star under the post. all three players are pivotal inclusions in their respective sides as they offer an element of versatility and spot of difference to the players already pre-selected in the starting sevens for each side.

To catch up on the rest of the selections tune into our other episodes:

Centre
Goal shooter
Wing attack
Wing defence
Goal attack
Goal defence
Goal keeper

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Centre Pass Podcast