Super Netball's Kiwi influx leaves sour taste for diehard Australian fans

Super Netball's 10th season will have a Kiwi flavour to it and just like the green fruit, it's left a sour taste in the mouth of diehard Australian supporters.

Nine New Zealand imports will feature in 2026 — granting them access to our high-performance system and regular game time against the Diamonds ahead of two major tournaments.

Meanwhile, a legend of the sport has raised concerns about the limited opportunity being offered to homegrown players as "marquee positions" are snapped up by our greatest rivals.

Half the league jumped at the chance to sign Silver Ferns stars once Netball New Zealand relaxed its eligibility rules in July, which had previously banned athletes playing outside of the country from being selected for the national team.

The strict policy was a key topic of conversation last season, after their best player Grace Nweke risked her international career to sign with the NSW Swifts in order to grow her game.

The 24-year-old goal shooter had an excellent debut campaign, taking the Swifts to the finals and finishing second on the goal scoring tally (718), before winning the club's MVP Award.

But there was no guarantee Nweke would return for another season, as it was easier to sacrifice Silver Ferns selection without any major tournament on the line.

Nweke needed Netball New Zealand's blessing to be in the running for a spot at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and next year's Netball World Cup in Sydney.

In the end, her desire to extend her time with the Swifts forced their hand, the blanket ban was lifted and replaced with a formal exemption process for any players interested in playing abroad.

This reluctant backtrack from the governing body, as well as the uncertain future of its own league has opened the floodgates.

Gina Crampton, Karin Burger, Maddy Gordon, Kate Heffernan, Kelly Jackson, Grace Nweke, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Whitney Souness and Jane Watson have all jumped from the sinking ship that is the ANZ Premiership.

It has dealt a 20 per cent pay cut to its athletes for 2026 and is running a condensed fixture for a second consecutive season due to a reduced broadcast deal.

Some of these players are genuinely vying for Commonwealth Games selection. Others have watched Super Netball from afar and are curious how they'll stack up. Then there's those that are here to simply try and chase a decent wage.

Whatever their reasons, we've never seen an influx from one nation as big as this in Super Netball before and it's hard to imagine it would be possible without the boldness of Nweke.

The Kiwi recruits will make up more than 10 per cent of the league's full-time contracted playing group and represent the majority of the imports ahead of Jamaica, England, South Africa, Tonga and Uganda.

Two New Zealanders will also take up leadership positions.

Souness was voted by her new teammates to be the Giants captain and Burger has been appointed as co-vice-captain of the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

"I think with Grace coming over it was like, 'Oh, we can actually do it as well,'" the 30-year-old told ABC Sport at today's season launch.

"It's cool to have that Kiwi flavour added … and see how our style goes in the competition.

"We all jumped at the opportunity because it's now or [never], you might miss out and not get the opportunity to experience this competition again.

"It's perfect timing for us to get this exposure before heading to the Commonwealth Games … I've been challenged in the pre-season, getting that real high performance intensity only helps you as a player … it'll be exciting to see how that helps us make selection."

Their impact on the 2026 season will be undeniable by sheer quantity and quality of players.

Former Diamonds captain Laura Geitz is frustrated that they'll likely secure starting positions too, edging out local talent.

"In terms of … the Australian Diamonds, I think we will really see some challenges there for the years to come," Geitz told Fox Sports.

"Goal shooters, goal keepers, those marquee positions are being taken by international players which really does play a huge influence on the girls in the Australian team and where those positions for them are … so watch this space."

This kind of debate is nothing new. In fact, it's been ongoing since the beginning of Super Netball and was particularly heightened after the Diamonds lost consecutive major tournaments at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and at the 2019 Netball World Cup.

But over the course of the next four-year cycle, the team managed to claw their way back to the top of the podium and they did this with a shortage of Australian shooters to pick from as the Super Netball import list grew and dominated the GS bib.

Netball Australia's view is its elite competition must stand on its own two feet, prioritising it as an entertainment product over what's best for the Diamonds and our next generation of players.

Even so, the conversation is more nuanced than that, because the better the league is, the more it leads to a higher standard of play for Australian athletes to test themselves against, better TV ratings and increased ticket sales — generating greater revenue, media coverage and overall exposure.

"This league was created — at the outset, a decade ago — with the aim to be the best netball league in the world and to do that you've got to have the best netball players in the world," retired Diamonds centurion and Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis told ABC Sport.

"I have to take my hat off, as a former Diamond who wants them to win everything all the time by 100 goals, and think, 'If it strengthens world netball, then that will strengthen Australian netball.'

"Since Super Netball has been established, we've seen England and Jamaica in major finals and we didn't see that much before, it was always Australia and New Zealand.

"So yes, we are contributing to the development of international players and that may come back to bite us, but for the moment I think a rising tide lifts all boats."

Last season there were 22 imports linked to Super Netball teams, this season there are 23.

It's much of a muchness.

Then there's the "Fire Ferns" nickname given to the Firebirds who have signed three New Zealand athletes — more than any other team — under Kiwi coach Kiri Wills.

It's unclear why this move has caused grumbles, when it doesn't feel that different to last year's West Coast Fever side which featured three Jamaican stars and didn't cop the same scrutiny.

Perhaps people's issue with the New Zealand influx is more to do with the intense trans-Tasman rivalry that has underpinned the history of our sport? Two teams consistently battling it out over the world number one ranking?

Are we less concerned about the high number of Jamaican imports because we're yet to lose to them at a major tournament?

Or is it the sense of feeling used that makes some of us disgruntled? Knowing Netball New Zealand only let their players join our league now theirs is on the verge of collapse?

All of this points to the desperate need for league expansion. More teams equals more contracts on offer, which is already on the cards for next year once the current broadcast deal expires.

Ellis was reluctant to put a time frame on when we will find out which new teams will join Super Netball in 2027 but said Netball Australia had brought independent assistants in to help go through the "huge" amount of submissions from interested parties wanting to acquire a licence.

"One of the drivers behind going out and seeking expressions of interest for expansion was that we know we need to provide more contracts," she said.

"That's clear from the amount of talented players who don't have Super Netball contracts … but that comes at a cost. We've got to make sure that we can afford it."

The opening game of the Super Netball season will take place between the Melbourne Mavericks and Giants this Saturday March 14.