THE 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Season is only a matter of weeks away, and in anticipation of the new season we here at Rookie Me Central are going to take an in depth look at each of the sides and preview what this year may have in store for them.

Today’s preview is all about the NSW Swifts.

2022 was one of those seasons for the Swifts that certainly ended better than it started.

Although they could not replicate the highs of the 2021 title-winning season, considering their poor performance in the 2022 Team Girls Cup and losing star shooter Sam Wallace in Round 1, to finish fifth and be right in finals contention for most of the season is a huge achievement.

Anyone could have been forgiven for calling the Swifts’ season a write off after Wallace’s injury, but the Swifts were on a mission to prove that notion wrong and if one final super shot from the Melbourne Vixens had gone in, the Swifts would have played finals. They were that close.   

But, time to put 2022 behind them and look ahead to 2023.

One thing that will help the Swifts is the continuity of the side heading into a new campaign.

There has only been one change to the 2022 side, and even then it is not really a change in the traditional sense like some of the other teams.

After Wallace went down with injury last year, Sophie Fawns came into the team and in partnership with Helen Housby and Kelly Singleton really proved she belonged at SSN level.

With Wallace set to come back at some stage this season one shooter was always going to get squeezed out, and luckily for Fawns she did enough to prove she should earn a full time spot for 2023.

As such, it was Singleton who got squeezed out, but has subsequently signed with Collingwood as a temporary replacement player for while Nyah Allen is out injured.

This does leave the Swifts slightly vulnerable in the shooting department if either Fawns or Housby also goes down injured before Wallace comes back, but they do have a very experienced training partner to call upon in Romelda Aiken if disaster were to strike.

2023 NSW Swifts Squad

Sarah Klau
Teigan O’Shannassy
Maddy Turner
Tayla Fraser
Paige Hadley
Maddy Proud
Allie Smith
Sophie Fawns
Helen Housby
Sam Wallace