Silly season for Super Netball is just around the corner. As it stands every player is off contract and with the introduction of the Melbourne Mavericks, as well as the existing seven teams looking to bolster their rosters for a charge at next season's title, expect plenty of changes.
Whether it be players that were contracted, future stars ready for their first contract or World Cup standouts looking to make their mark on Super Netball that clubs are chasing, it's set to be one of the biggest player movement periods since the league's inception.
ESPN takes a look at the positions and players that should top each teams' wish list to contend for the championship in 2024.
Adelaide Thunderbirds
Adelaide Thunderbirds can look to bolster the club's roster by recruiting a strong backup wing attack to take the pressure off Georgie Horjus. The addition would allow Horjus to swing into goal attack when needed, which may be an option with Eleanor Cardwell, Masie Nankivelle and Tippah Dwan departing the club. So it'll depend on Tania Obst's plans for the front end as to where they recruit. If Obst wants to move Horjus back into that goal attack role then they'd be looking for two midcourt positions and a goaler.
If the Thunderbirds want to keep with the structure that won them a premiership, then it'll be two goalers and one midcourt position that they'll be in search of.
If the latter is the option that Obst takes, it may be hard to lure a well-established player across to the Thunderbirds, knowing that they'll likely sit behind Horjus in the pecking order out at wing attack. There are some up-and-coming stars across the country that could fill the role.
Jordan Cransberg is one who has been a training partner at the Vixens and Fever over the last two years. The latter is where she made her Super Netball debut in Round 9 against the Swifts, then a few weeks later against the Thunderbirds, Cransberg got the start in centre but has shown at VNL level for the Melbourne University Lightning in 2022, that she can be a real force at wing attack when needed.
Another option is Leesa Mi Mi who debuted for the Queensland Firebirds back in Round 10 when the Firebirds took on the Fever in Perth. Mi Mi remained in the team until the end of the season, featuring in the club's wins against the Giants and Vixens. Much like her older sister Jemma, she's got speed to burn and smarts to feed the ball into the goalers with pinpoint perfection. Mi Mi also has the makings of a future club captain, having captained the Brisbane North Cougars to a premiership in the Sapphire Series this year and most recently has been named captain of the Queensland Sapphires for the ANC Championships.
Although both of the above have been linked to other teams, they'd be the type of player that the Thunderbirds would be looking at if they wanted to play Horjus as more of a goal attack with the potential of a strong attack line.
An option with no ties to a club for 2024 is Annie Miller, with reports that she'll be let go by her current team Sunshine Coast Lightning. She'd be a good fit for the Thunderbirds if they're looking to bring in an attacking midcourter. Her speed and creativity will be a real asset to the Thunderbirds and she'd complement Horjus whether it's a wing attack - goal attack combination or a wing attack - centre combination.
Giants Netball
The Giants' defensive end clearly needs help with former Diamond April Brandley calling time on her career, but the midcourt is another area they will need to focus on, in particular, another attacking midcourt option.
In the games that the Giants lost, it was mostly in the midcourt where the opposition was able to nullify the impact of Jamie-Lee Price and Maddie Hay, with their other midcourt option Amy Sligar more of a wing defence/centre, meaning the Giants will need more depth in that wing attack position.
Assuming reports eventuate that former Magpie Jodi-Ann Ward will join the Giants to replace Brandley or Lauren Moore who's on the move, it's more likely that if they do go on the lookout for a wing attack it will be a local product, keeping that close connection with the NSW pathway thriving.
Lili Gorman-Brown who was a Swifts training partner in 2023 and replaced Allie Smith while the Victorian was out with a foot injury, may be an option. Gorman-Brown can cover both wing attack and centre, where fans saw her for the Swifts in 2023 providing good midcourt cover for the likes of Paige Hadley and Maddy Proud.
Other players who could fit that role are Tayla Fraser and Annie Miller, both of whom are NSW products with the latter a training partner with the Giants in 2021. Although the pair could sit behind Maddie Hay in the pecking order, once she recovers from a knee injury. With Hay the go-to wing attack since Kim Green retired at the end of 2019.
Chelsea Pitman is the most likely option as per Code Sports' Linda Pearce, having started her career in New South Wales as a pathway product. She's got that flare and speed in the front line that the Giants would love, as well as an existing connection with captain Jo Harten through the England Roses.
The pair was a part of the drought-breaking team that won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It's also not the first time Pitman has donned the orange dress with Pitman having joined the Giants as a temporary replacement player for a match back in 2021, when the team was out with COVID.
Melbourne Mavericks
When you look at the successful expansion franchises across several leagues, they've been able to create a strong core group of players and then add some elite-level talent to polish it off. Whether it be Western United in the Women's A-league or Sunshine Coast Lightning in Super Netball, they almost created a blueprint for starting up a successful expansion.
The marquee talent is expected to be headlined by England Rose and reigning grand final MVP Eleanor Cardwell, who will join her mentor Tracey Neville, who signed on as the club's inaugural head coach.
While Cardwell and those signed in that marquee bracket will be important, so will the 8th, 9th and 10th players. One Victorian product who's stood out over the last twelve months is Gabby Sinclair, who had a strong 2023 over in the UK, where she dominated.
Sinclair wasn't offered a contract by the Magpies at the end of 2022, with the club signing rookie Nyah Allen. She then signed with the Super League team Celtic Dragons (now known as the Cardiff Dragons) and was one of their key players.
Reports have Sinclair joining the Mavericks for 2024, as most likely the third shooter, playing the role of the impact player, coming off the bench and making an immediate impact. Her game smarts as well as the ability to shoot long-range is what make her such a good player and under the guidance of Neville and Cardwell she will go to a new level in 2024.
Melbourne Vixens
There's currently a gap at the Melbourne Vixens, with sharpshooter Rahni Samason departing the club to go across the ditch to play for the Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership. With Samason missing the entire 2023 season, Kim Borger came in as the replacement player, but wasn't able to see much court time, which meant there wasn't that much of a fallback option if the goal circle of Kiera Austin and Mwai Kumwenda wasn't working.
When the Vixens won their championship in 2020 they had a strong trio in Tegan Phillip, Caitlin Thwaites and Kumwenda with the three able to rotate through in the goal circle and no matter who was on the court, they'd perform. Assuming Kumwenda decides to play on into 2024, the Vixens may be looking to get back that strong rotating shooting end.
One player that would be at the top of the Vixens' list to secure, as well as the most likely, is Sophie Garbin. With it being all but confirmed that the sharpshooter will be in the Vixens colours next season, it'll be a chance for Garbin to get regular time in her preferred position of goal shooter. There's a possibility that Garbin could play a similar role to what Thwaites did in 2019 and 2020, spending some time out at goal attack when needed to possibly shake up the attack end. Adding that dangerous combination of Garbin and Austin that fans saw in the gold medal match, it would be a sight for sore eyes for Vixens fans.
NSW Swifts
It's not so much about players that the Swifts will need to retain, it's more about locking down as much of the team as possible. Helen Housby may be one of the highly sought-after players in the competition after a strong 2023 season with the Swifts and a stellar World Cup campaign that led her to the Player of the Tournament title.
While they were at times missing some spark at wing defence during the finals series, Allie Smith's likely return from a foot injury, that kept her sidelined for the majority of the season, will give the team another option out at wing defence that can win the ball back when needed or wear down her opponent.
It's been confirmed that midcourter Tayla Fraser will be looking elsewhere for season 2024, so the Swifts will now be looking to bring in her replacement. There are a few options the Swifts could look to bring in, Tongan captain and Firebirds training partner Hulita VeVe would be a great option for the Swifts, if she hasn't been snapped up by the Firebirds who are looking at her to replace Gabi Simpson.
The defensive mid-courter has proved she's got what it takes to excel at the Super Netball level. While playing a lot more at centre for the Firebirds and Tonga, Veve had a strong campaign out at wing defence for the Queensland Sapphires in last year's Australian Netball Championships where she played a key role in her side finishing with a gold medal.
The other is pathway product Lili Gorman-Brown who featured in seven games for the Swifts including the heartbreaking Grand Final loss to the Thunderbirds. Gorman-Brown already having that understanding of the Swifts' environment and game style will be a smooth transition if that's the path they choose to go down, which seems most likley.
Queensland Firebirds
Star goaler Gretel Bueta has decided to step away from netball for season 2024 which means the Firebirds are in the market for a strong starting goal attack. Emily Moore proved to be a great addition to the Firebirds lineup last season but the Queensland club will want a solid starting goal attack to take the pressure off Donnell Wallam in the goal circle or even in the midcourt. In 2022, Bueta was the Firebirds' go-to option on the centre pass with 365 centre pass receives, more than anyone in the league that season.
The most likely option is former Firebird Tippah Dwan who has been linked to a Brisbane homecoming. Dwan made a name for herself in 2020 when Bueta was on maternity leave with her first child and has the smarts and movement around the court that the Firebirds are after. Not to mention the existing on-court connections with the likes of Kim Ravaillion, Lara Dunkley and Macy Gardner and Dwan's ability to nail the super shots.
Another option would be Sasha Glasgow, if she chooses to head to Queensland. Glasgow knows how to play with a tall holding shooter, playing alongside Jhaniele Fowler at the Fever. Combining with Wallam (if she signs on) would create a lethal goal circle, then pairing that with the rest of the Firebirds end, it'll be an exciting time for Firebirds fans.
Sunshine Coast Lightning
Unfortunately for the Lightning, 2023 didn't have the consistency that the team would have liked when it came to players. Losing Reiley Bacheldor during the ANC tournament in 2022, Tara Hinchliffe a few months later during Team Girls Cup, then Hinchliffe's replacement in Shannon Eagland all to ACL injuries, the Lightning struggled.
So for the Sunshine Coast Lightning, it's less about a certain aspect of the court than it is to keep a few of the club's young guns. Ava Black who was a training partner for the Lightning last season was able to come into the side as a replacement player for Eagland. Black was able to have a strong impact in the Lightning midcourt which set them up to have a successful back end of 2023.
With Hinchliffe (hopefully) returning from injury, which is where the vacancy opened up originally, there's no guarantee that there would be a spot in the 10. Although, well beyond 2024, Black will be a real asset to the Lightning's midcourt.
Another player the Lightning will need to lock in is Ash Ervin, who has the capabilities to be a future Diamond and there's no doubt a few of the other clubs will be sniffing around to sign her. With reports having Lightning as Courtney Bruce's destination, it'll be like a mini apprenticeship for the 20-year-old, who could learn off the defender of the tournament at the World Cup.
West Coast Fever
One of the biggest shocks over the offseason has been the retirement of Verity Simmons with the 32 year old deciding to depart the sport after 11 seasons for the Fever and the Queensland Firebirds.
The centre position could be up for grabs at the start of the season or the second and most probable option is that Jess Anstiss will start in centre, while pushing Sunday Aryang out into wing defence. With the new recruit expected to play that impact role, coming from the bench.
One option could be Zoe Cransberg, the sister of Jordan. Cransberg has been a part of the Fever outfit for two seasons, after joining the club as a training partner in 2022 before making her debut in Round 6 back in 2022. She stood out at the Team Girls Cup at the start of the year when she paired with Jordan in the midcourt. Zoe Cransberg is a versatile midcourter but her strength is in the centre, where she can use her creativity and flair.
If it's not [Zoe] Cransberg another option is Annie Miller who's already been mentioned a few times in this article but will slot in well at the Fever. Millers' speed and creativity when it comes to her movement would complement Alice Teague Neeld nicely in the middle which will see a strong midcourt dynamic forming. She's also got Super Netball experience after spending the last two seasons at Sunshine Coast Lightning where she played across wing attack and centre.