Netball
Adrian Warren 4y

Silver Fern Kayla Cullen joins NSW Swifts

Netball

Super Netball champions NSW Swifts have added New Zealand international Kayla Cullen to their 2020 roster.

A World Cup silver medallist in 2015, the 27-year-old Cullen has won 47 Test caps.

Cullen made one appearance for the Swifts in 2019 as a temporary replacement, coming off the bench to play wing defence.

She has the chance to occupy that position permanently, with fellow Silver Fern Katrina Rore going home and Kate Eddy switching clubs.

"With Kate Eddy moving to the Vixens and Katrina Rore back in New Zealand, we needed a top-class operator to come into our defensive end, and Kayla has a massive body of work behind her so fits that bill perfectly," Swifts coach Briony Akle said.

Cullen has played more than 100 senior games across the trans-Tasman and New Zealand competitions.

She lives in Sydney with fiance, Cronulla and New Zealand rugby league star Shaun Johnson.

"I love living in Sydney and buy into the vision Briony and her team have," Cullen said.

"They've had an amazing 2019 and I know they want to go better again in 2020, which makes me very excited."

Swifts have retained all other key members of their 2019 squad including their three overseas attack-end players, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Helen Housby and grand final MVP Sam Wallace.

They are expected to name a replacement in next year's early rounds for captain Maddy Proud. She suffered a season-ending knee injury halfway through their 2019 campaign and is unlikely to be ready to start their title defence.

The Swifts' 2020 roster includes three Diamonds squad members, defenders Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner and midcourter Paige Hadley.

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