THE 2025 Netball Super League season is a mere fortnight away, and in the lead-up to the competition, Rookie Me Central will be previewing each of the teams’ campaigns by analysing how they may fare in this new era of English netball.

Next up are the Cardiff Dragons.

Cardiff Dragons 2025 Netball Super League Squad

Georgia Rowe
Phillipa Yarranton
Chelsea Beard
Elle McDonald
Beth Ecuyer-Dale
Khanyisa Chawane
Bethan Dyke
Leah Middleton
Jacqui Newton
Alex Johnson

It was not always easy for the Cardiff Dragons in 2024. They may have had their best finish since 2019, but they only picked up the six wins and found themselves finishing third from bottom on the ladder.

But going into this new era of British netball, the Dragons are trusting much of what they know, with seven of their 2024 squad pulling on the green dress again in 2025.

Georgia Rowe, Phillippa Yarranton, Elle McDonald, Beth Ecuyer-Dale, Khanyisa Chawane, Leah Middleton and Jacqui Newton are all returning to the Dragons in 2025.

Rowe and Yarranton have a well established partnership in attack, and will be looking to continue that into 2025.

The midcourt may have largely stayed the same, but there will be one massive presence missing after Nia Jones chose to retire. Ecuyer-Dale in particular is going to have to step up this year to fill the void.

In defence, last year Middleton and Newton really grew as a combination, and will be looking to grow again in 2025.

In addition to the seven returning faces, there are two formerly listed Dragons returning to Cardiff this season in shooter Chelsea Beard and midcourter Bethan Dyke.

The only completely brand new face to the Dragons this season is young defender Alex Johnson, who will be looking to get some solid minutes on court this season and really grow after spending a few years as a training partner of Loughborough Lightning.

While there is familiarity in the overall squad, the leadership of the side is new on and off the court.

After former coach Jill McIntosh was moved into a Coaching Consultant role, former Silver Fern Reinga Bloxham was appointed as the head coach for the Dragons this season.

The on-court leadership will have a distinct Aussie flavour to it. Aussie Newton is captain this season, and her deputies are McDonald and Middleton, with the former being an Australian-born Rose and the latter spending much of her childhood Down Under and going through the Australian netball pathway system.