Former Silver Fern Whitney Souness the latest to ditch ANZ Premiership for Australia

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Former Silver Fern and top netball coach Margaret Foster has declared New Zealand’s domestic netball league, the ANZ Premiership, is no longer an elite competition.

Australia’s Super Netball teams have raided the ANZ Premiership by signing top Silver Ferns after Netball New Zealand relaxed its eligibility policy.

Until now, the country’s best netballers had to ply their trade in New Zealand to be available for Silver Ferns selection.

The decision to allow players to be picked from overseas was made after star goal shoot Grace Nweke joined the NSW Swifts in a trailblazing move last season and amid uncertainty about the financial future of New Zealand’s domestic competition.

Te Paea Selby-Rickit has jumped the ditch after winning the Premiership with the Mainland Tactix.

The impact has immediately been felt with several Silver Ferns following Nweke’s lead and jumping at the chance to test themselves in Super Netball, which is widely regarded as the sport’s pinnacle club competition.

The Queensland Firebirds have been the biggest beneficiary of the rule change, with their Kiwi coach Kiri Wills signing no less than three Silver Ferns to strengthen her team after they finished last in 2025.

Silver Ferns in Australia

Grace Nweke (re-signed with NSW Swifts)

Grace Nweke blazed the trail for New Zealand’s netballers to play in Australia by signing with the Swifts last season, even though it made her ineligible for Silver Ferns selection at the time. The Silver Ferns’ star goal shoot has re-signed for 2026 after leading the Swifts to the finals series and scoring 718 goals, the second highest in the competition. She is now eligible to play for New Zealand again.

What they said: “Grace has made a phenomenal impact on the Swifts and the whole SSN competition in a very short period of time and I know we’ve only just started to see what she can do.” - Swifts head coach Briony Akle.

Whitney Souness (Central Pulse to Western Sydney Giants)

The Pulse announced on Tuesday evening that their veteran midcourter was leaving and the Western Sydney Giants were quick to announce the signing of Whitney Souness soon after. The former Silver Fern will team up with Jane Watson who has also joined the Super Netball club. Souness will come up against her former Pulse team-mates Kelly Jackson and Maddy Gordon, who have also headed to Australia to play for the Queensland Firebirds.

Central Pulse veteran Whitney Souness is the latest player to head to Australia.

What they said: “For me, it’s a big step. Anyone who knows me, knows that Pulse is special to me and in my blood. But from my netball perspective, it’s just about how can I play my game, grow my game, see what more I have to give and get to challenge myself in the Aussie league and all the international players that I’ll come across as well.” - Souness.

Karin Burger (Mainland Tactix to Sunshine Coast Lightning)

Arguably the most consistent defender in the ANZ Premiership in recent times, Burger is finishing up after five seasons in the red and black of the Tactix. The Canterbury based Tactix announced the Silver Fern’s departure on Monday and it’s now been revealed that she has inked a deal with Australian Super Netball side the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

Kelly Jackson (Central Pulse to Queensland Firebirds)

Karin Burger is leaving the Tactix and the ANZ Premiership behind for the a fresh start in Australia.

The two-time Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award was the first player to join Nweke in Australia after Netball New Zealand relaxed its selection policy, reuniting with former New Zealand under-21 coach Kiri Wills at the Queensland Firebirds for 2026. The towering goal keep won two Premiership titles with the Pulse and captained the team to an elimination final this year.

What they said: “I’m very lucky that they’ve revised their exemption processes, and it’s allowed me to jump over there. Grace definitely opened the door for us.” - Jackson.

Maddy Gordon (Central Pulse to Queensland Firebirds)

Gordon has followed her Wellington team-mate to the Firebirds in a double blow for the Pulse. The live-wire midcourter has played 84 games for the Pulse since her debut in 2019, winning the Premiership on three occasions; 2019, 2020 and 2022. She was voted Premiership player of the year in 2023.

What they said: “I’ve been in Wellington now for eight years and I’ve been loving it but I think I just need a change. I need a push, I need a challenge, I need to be taken out of my comfort zone and I think that’s what Australia and the Firebirds will do for me.” - Gordon.

Silver Ferns centre Maddy Gordon has signed with the Queensland Firebirds from 2026.

Kate Heffernan (Southern Steel to Adelaide Thunderbirds)

The Southern Steel co-captain and versatile midcourter is joining the Adelaide Thunderbirds after seven seasons with her hometown Premiership team. Heffernan has been a shining light in a struggling Steel side and amassed more than 100 Premiership appearances.

What they said: “I'm incredibly proud to play all of my ANZ Premiership games for my home team and this decision to take my netball in a new direction has not been made lightly. It will be so tough to leave my Steel family and I am grateful for everything the franchise has done for me.” - Heffernan.

Te Paea Selby-Rickit (Mainland Tactix to Queensland Firebirds)

The former Silver Ferns shooter has completed the Firebirds’ roster after joining fellow New Zealand internationals Jackson and Gordon in Queensland. Selby-Rickit has made the move to Australia after helping the Mainland Tactix break their long drought by winning the Premiership for the first time three weeks ago. A World Cup winner in 2019, Selby-Rickit is not part of the current Silver Ferns setup, so she did not have to seek an exemption from Netball NZ to play overseas.

What they said: “Te Paea is excited to show what she can do in SSN and I know the Purple Family will be eager to see what she can deliver on court. Te Paea completes a roster which will help us build on the foundations we established in 2025.” - Firebirds coach Kiri Wills.

Jane Watson (Mainland Tactix to Greater Western Sydney Giants)

The Tactix defender was influential in their win over the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership grand final last month and has decided the time was ripe to draw a line under her career in Canterbury. A World Cup winner in 2019, Watson hasn’t played for the Silver Ferns since 2023. Like Selby-Rickit, she did not have to seek an exemption to play overseas, as she is not part of the current Silver Ferns setup.

What they said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Giants for the 2026 season. This marks a new chapter in my career, and it’s going to be a great opportunity to challenge myself both on and off the court. Change often brings growth, and I’m really looking forward to testing myself in a new setting, working with different coaches and team-mates, and continuing to evolve as a player and a person. I’m looking forward to contributing to the team’s goals and bringing my experience into a fresh environment.“ – Watson