The Tasmanian Magpies will kick off its inaugural campaign in this year’s new-look Australian Netball League when the team takes on the Victorian Fury in Round 1 on the 18th February.
The squad of thirteen comprises some of Tasmania’s most elite netballers as well as the five Collingwood Magpies training partners. The girls came together for the first time at their training camp in Melbourne over the weekend in preparation for their match against the Fury.
Netball Tasmania’s CEO Julia Phillips said, “it’s a wonderful partnership that offers the Collingwood Magpies the opportunity to have a team in the ANL and gives Tasmanian athletes access to a high performance pathway to the Suncorp Super Netball and beyond.”
General Manager of Netball for the Collingwood Magpies, Jen McIntyre says “it’s a really exciting time for both the Collingwood Magpies and Tasmania. The partnership will see the Collingwood Magpies SSN Round 10 match against the Queensland Firebirds played in Launceston at the Sliverdome which will be exciting for Tasmanians to see world-class Netball.”
This year’s ANL competition has also been revitalised to enhance opportunities for talented athletes to develop their skills to a Suncorp Super Netball league standard.
The Tasmanian athletes will be exposed to greater training facilities and access to experienced coaches that will provide them with the skills they need to follow the pathway into the SSN league. It will also be a great opportunity for the Collingwood Magpies training partners to get in some much-needed match play.
McIntyre says, “All the girls are super excited to hit the court and the team’s looking like the surprise pack of the competition.”
Each round of the ANL will consist of two matches in the seven-week season, culminating in a finals weekend to be held in Perth on the 8th and 9th of April.
The Tasmanian Magpies will debut on the 18th February against the Victorian Fury at Hisense Arena at 5pm before the Collingwood Magpies battle it out against the Melbourne Vixens.
The final ten athletes to face off against the Vic Fury will be announced in the coming days.
Tickets for ANL games are to be advised.
