WITH the three major netball competitions – Suncorp Super Netball (SSN), ANZ Premiership and Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) – done and dusted for the year, it is time to delve into the top prospects from around the courts. In our next edition, Draft Central will look into the most threatening defenders from the three major competitions and who will be the top options to take the starting bibs across a range of nations. The first two articles of this series were published prior to the Cadbury Netball Series between New Zealand and England, and as such we have selected the two nations’ top starters based off their best combinations throughout the three matches.

READ>> Top of the tables: Who are the top international goaling and defensive prospects?

READ>> Cadbury Netball Series: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

Note: All three competitions played a different number of games, meaning goals scored and match averages are not comparable across varying leagues

* Missing from upcoming international series’ due to pregnancy, injury or leave

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Australia

Likely starters: Jamie-Lee Price, Ash Brazill, Paige Hadley

Depth: Kate Moloney, Maddy Proud, Amy Parmenter, Verity Charles, Jess Anstiss

Liz Watson*

The midcourt is where things get tough for Australia. Despite boasting solid bookends in both goal circles, the centre bib has been the real bone of contention for a few years now with no real born and bred centre player and Liz Watson typically getting the nod over her preferred wing attack role. Where this becomes difficult is with Watson currently out injured, set to remain on the sidelines for what looks like the remainder of the year. Realistically, the best option to step into the role would be Jamie-Lee Price, with a number of caps to her name now, with Ash Brazill likely to take the wing defence role in turn. While there are a number of viable wing attacks across the list, if we go by international experience and recent form, the first in line would be Paige Hadley. The rest of the midcourt group actually backs up the initial trio quite nicely, with Kate Moloney and Maddy Proud both solid options to mix and match in centre and either wing attack or wing defence, while Amy Parmenter is a game changer at the worst of times so would be an exciting prospect to assist the back-end. Verity Charles and Jess Anstiss are both consistent figures to slot in through the midcourt, too.

Charles led the offensive charge this year in the SSN with 336 goal assists while Price (278) and Proud (257) also registered within the top five across the competition. No Diamonds counted within the top five for centre pass receives, intriguingly, though Parmenter did manage 71 deflections to be ranked fifth in the league and the only midcourter on the list. Hadley’s versatility saw her play an all-round season with 188 centre pass receives, 186 goal assists, six intercepts and five deflections, while there was no doubting Moloney’s impact in a rough season for the Vixens.

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New Zealand

Likely starters: Gina Crampton, Shannon Saunders, Sam Winders

Depth: Maddy Gordon, Claire Kersten, Kate Heffernan, Peta Toeava

New Zealand has had to readjust its midcourt over the past year or so with the departure of Laura Langman, but still have a plethora of viable midcourt options, and in particular, lots of versatility amongst their ranks. New captain Gina Crampton is a shoe-in for wing attack with her court craft, while Shannon Saunders is the next best for the position with her experience and ability to take the game on. With Crampton holding down the starting wing attack spot, Saunders is bumped into centre with plenty of viable options able to take her place – namely Sam Winders or Claire Kersten from a defensive point of view. Kersten is shunted to the bench with Winders taking the wing defence bib, with the niggling talent an undeniable star in the back-end, consistently working in overdrive and lurking around her opposition to cause a ruckus. Maddy Gordon, Peta Toeava, Kate Heffernan and Kersten make up the bench depth, with a couple of evasive options in Gordon and Heffernan able to set the court alight with their footspeed, while there  is no denying the impact of Toeava when she is in form, with the specialist wing attack unstoppable on the feed.

Toeava, Crampton and Saunders were the three most effective ANZ feeders this season on 662, 642 and 583 feeds apiece, proving their smarts while Crampton also sat second for centre pass receives showcasing her burst of speed to be effective at the first phase. Despite her defensive nous Winders was no slouch through the midcourt sitting sixth for feeds (465) while Kersten’s defensive capacity shone through in centre this year, registering 430 feeds. Heffernan was the only midcourter to register more than 20 intercepts for the season.

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England

Likely starters: Serena Guthrie, Beth Cobden, Laura Malcolm

Depth: Jade Clarke, Hannah Joseph, Imogen Allison

Nat Haythornthwaite*

England has a heap of viable options to rotate through the midcourt, something they proved they are more than happy to do in their tests against New Zealand. The clear centre starter is Serena Guthrie, with the current Roses captain able to wreak havoc with her speed, aerial leap and timing. What Guthrie does best is cajole her side into action, leading from the front and combining well with the defensive end in particular. The centre also can play a key role in wing defence, with a tough decision between two in-form defenders in Beth Cobden and Imogen Allison, and Cobden just getting the nod with her greater experience. Laura Malcolm earns the wing attack start with Nat Haythornthwaite sitting out, and has proved she is capable of holding strong in the position despite typically playing a more defensive role through the midcourt. Veteran Jade Clarke and Hannah Joseph round out the bench alongside Allison, with Clarke in particular able to add a heap of experience to the midcourt, able to enter the contest in centre and have an immediate impact. What she lacks in Guthrie-like speed she brings a greater attacking sense, with Joseph able to play a solid wing attack option.

Cobden was the VNSL season MVP with her explosiveness and speed, racking up 64 deflections in her 22 appearances and averaging just over an intercept per match. Factor in just 11 unforced errors and an average of 5.6 penalties, and Cobden was one of the cleanest midcourt defenders around. Guthrie and Allison were a seamless combination for Team Bath, while Malcolm was consistent with 33 turnovers, 32 deflections and 20 intercepts for the season and both Clarke and Joseph proved to be huge impact players with their smarts and court craft.

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South Africa

Likely starters: Bongi Msomi, Khanyisa Chawane, Shadine van der Merwe

Depth: Tshina Mdau, Refiloe Nketsa, Izette Griesel

South Africa is one of the easier sides to select through the midcourt, with two consistent starters in Bongi Msomi and Shadine van der Merwe likely to pull on the respective wing attack and wing defence bibs. Both are highly different players, with Msomi a smaller body able to squeeze into unsuspecting positions and wreak havoc on the feed, while van der Merwe is a versatile defender who does her best work on the edge of the circle, using her footwork to get to the cross-court feeds. Of the remaining midcourters amongst the group, Khanyisa Chawane boasts the most caps and is likely to take the court in centre, bolstering the side with her great two-way running and ability to transition between an attacking or defensive mindset quick smart. Wing attack Izette Griesel would be next in line behind Msomi to take the court in the position, using her quick feet to reposition and find better space, while Tshina Mdau is another formidable attacking option and Refiloe Nketsa is a newcomer to the squad.

Only van der Merwe played in a competition with accessible stats this year, with the wing defence plying her trade for the Adelaide Thunderbirds and averaging an intercept per game across her 13 appearances this season, while the likes of Msomi, Chawane, Mdau, Nketsa and Griesel played elsewhere in South Africa.

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Jamaica

Likely starters: Adean Thomas, Nicole Dixon, Khadijah Williams

Depth: Shadian Hemmings, Shannika Johnson

Jamaica is an interesting nation to look at in the midcourt, with many of its stars holding ground at either end of the court and, given the form of Jodi-Ann Ward in defence, unlikely to hold her typical wing defence bib in the lineup. It will be interesting to see which of Adean Thomas, Nicole Dixon and Khadijah Williams earn the wing attack and centre bibs, with Thomas currently playing in the VNSL and proving her livewire ways do not stop. While she is most at home in wing attack, the midcourter can also transition back to wing defence to inject speed into the back end, opening up space for Dixon to play out in centre and Williams in wing attack for a different midcourt rotation. Shadian Hemmings can add another layer in wing defence with plenty of grit, while Shannika Johnson is a highly versatile option who can ply her trade in wing defence, goal defence and even goal keeper where required, in a similar vein to Ward.

Like above with South Africa, only one player in Thomas participated in a competition this season with accessible stats, with the midcourter playing 14 games for London Pulse this season and showcasing her cleanliness with just 13 penalties to her name across those appearances, along with two intercepts, three deflections and four turnovers.

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Picture credit: Getty Images