THERE are a number of stars that have pulled on the dress for South Africa over the past decade and while some may have retired, others are still fighting strong and plying their trade in their respective leagues whether it be the Vitality Netball Superleague or the Suncorp Super Netball. Draft Central has compiled a 10 player squad filled with athletes that have competed for the SPAR Proteas in the past five years.

South Africa

GS: Lenize Potgieter
GA: Maryka Holtzhausen
WA: Bongi Msomi
C: Erin Burger
WD: Precious Mthembu
GD: Karla Pretorius
GK: Phumza Maweni

BENCH: Sigi Burger, Shadine van der Merwe, Zanele Vimbela

Sharpshooter, Lenize Potgieter is a commanding threat under the post with her strong holds and body positioning able to keep defenders at bay. Boasting an unconventional shooting style, Potgieter can produce at a high volume and most importantly converts at a high accuracy credit to her composure and strength. Joining her in the goal circle is Maryka Holtzhausen with the goal attack complementing the likes of Potgieter under the post given her long range shooting. Holtzhausen oozed class with ball in hand and was a real playmaker in the attacking third with her impressive timing and vision to either slide into the circle or set up forays for her side.

The midcourt has a balance of speed and endurance with Bongi Msomi a real livewire in wing attack. Slicing through the court with her nippy footwork and pace, Msomi can turn any game on its head, able to open up the attacking third and weave the ball down into the circle. With speed aplenty, Msomi’s delivery into the circle is another crucial element of her gameplay, able to keep the defenders guessing thanks to her quick release around circle edge. Erin Burger was a real threat in the centre boasting a mix of speed and gut running to link the attacking and defensive units with relative ease. A strong figure defensively, Burger was able to win her fair share of ball and quickly transition it through the court credit to her spatial awareness and high netball IQ. She was never out of the contest and was a real threat through the centre while Precious Mthembu is in at wing defence. Mthembu was a highly versatile midcourt defender that could slide back into the goal circle if needed. With long arms and quick feet, Mthembu’s dynamism saw her put in the hard yards around circle edge to regain possession and disrupt attacking forays.

It is no surprise that the defensive end is headlined by superstar Karla Pretorius with the goal defence renowned for her silky skills and ball-winning capabilities. Able to cover the court within the blink of an eye and use her go-go gadget arms to reel in errant passes, Pretorius is a force to be reckoned with. Never out of the contest, the talented defender is in a league of her own with her fancy footwork and change of direction on constant show. The goal keeper position falls to Phumza Maweni with the lanky defender using her slight frame to be an aerial threat in the defensive circle and swat away passes. Her ability to go up for the rebound and block out her opponent is second to none while her deceptive speed enables her to gobble up intercepts.

The bench is littered with impressive targets such as towering goal shooter, Sigi Burger who has proven to be a key pillar under the post with her long reach and height. Burger can score quickly and with great ease making her an easy selection. Shadine van der Merwe was unlucky not to get the starting wing defence spot but is still a handy option credit to her read of the play and tenacity, paired with her versatility. The final spot goes to Zanele Vimbela with the defender able to take full advantage of her long arms to create turnovers and deflections.