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. The next episode takes a look at goal attack, with Sophie Taylor, Jarrad Gardner and Taylah Melki explaining their respective selections.

With the attacking end starting to come together the final piece of the puzzle lays in the goal attack position. There is no shortage of options when it comes to goal attack with each player boasting a different style to the other which was well and truly reflected through our individual picks. Versatility was somewhat of a key question for Sophie and Taylah while for Jarrad it was more of a decision on who would complement the tall timber he had already recruited in goal shooter.

Picks:

1st Jarrad – Helen Housby
2nd Sophie – Ameliaranne Ekenasio
3rd Taylah – Gretel Bueta

Helen Housby

The England Roses goaler is a highly consistent player that oozes impeccable timing and an impressive goal nous. She is a smooth mover that knows how to direct traffic both inside and outside of the goal circle making her any easy choice for Jarrad. Pairing with the likes of the already selected Jhaniele Fowler, Housby will play that supplementary role able to shoot the long bombs or drive along the baseline credit to her spatial awareness and overall court coverage. She is quick on the release and light on her feet, able to dart around the court with great ease. Housby has silky hands along with a great goal sense able to detect the moment to shoot from range or work the ball closer to the post credit to her netball brain.

2020 SSN stats:
179 goals (77 per cent), 39 super shots (53 per cent), 10 rebounds

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Ameliaranne Ekenasio

A highly sought after commodity the Silver Ferns captain and two-time premiership winning player with Central Pulse in the ANZ Premiership, Ekenasio is a dime a dozen. She is composed with ball in hand and has the capacity to see the play unfolding in front of her before it has even happened. Similar to Housby, her timing is elite able to glide into the circle or take the hard drive in credit to her netball nous. Ekenasio is a rangy shooter that can be backed from all areas of the goal circle such is her dominance and star power. She is also highly versatile able to swing between both goal shooter and goal attack with her footwork and physicality a couple of key elements in her game play. The silver Ferns captain also has an innate ability to reel in the rebounds while her balance is also impeccable.

2020 ANZ Premiership stats:
251 goals (87 per cent), 10 rebounds, 140 feeds

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Gretel Bueta:

The Queensland Firebirds goal attack is  one of the most athletic and dynamic goalers in the world with her natural flair and tenacity constantly on show. although she did not take the court throughout the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball season given her pregnancy there is no denying that the tall timber is a game changer able to rip the ball out of the air and create attacking forays. She is a real livewire inside the circle able to body up on her opponent or use her turn of speed to break free. Bueta is both a playmaker and scoring machine having increased her accuracy and volume under the post in recent years to really elevate her game to the next level making her an obvious choice for Taylah. The Australian Diamonds goaler also has the capacity to swing into goal shooter and ply her trade with her vertical leap and rebounding ability making her incredibly hard to match-up against.

2019 SSN stats:
394 goals (96 per cent), 10 rebounds, 131 goal assists

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All three goal attacks ooze that element of class and x-factor able to take the court and change the course of a game in a heartbeat. With speed to boot and a unique flair all the goalers are able to back themselves under the post and use their array of skills to dazzle their opponents. The goal attack often plays that supplementary role in the goal circle while also showcasing their worth and talent to bring the ball down the court attacking as another attacking midcourt option. Housby is more of a midcourter that can float into the circle which will play nicely into Jarrad’s hand given the selection of Fowler while Ekenasio’s partnership with Maia Wilson brings a Silver Ferns flavour to Sophie’s squad. The selection of Bueta alongside Cara Koenen gives an Australian feel and offers plenty of height inside the circle.

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

Centre
Goal shooter
Wing attack
Wing defence

Click here to listen: Goal attack