Source: Radio New Zealand
From top-left clockwise, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Jane Watson, Whitney Souness, Gina Crampton. Photosport
Several top Kiwi netballers preparing to play in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league are still undecided about whether they will make themselves available for the Silver Ferns ahead of the sport’s biggest events.
Nine current and former Silver Ferns will test themselves in the Australian league this year, widely regarded as the world’s toughest domestic netball competition. It comes after Netball NZ loosened its eligibility rules last year, allowing players based overseas to remain eligible for the Silver Ferns through a formal exemption process.
Among the group snapped up by Australian franchises are several players who have elected not to make themselves available for national selection in recent years – Gina Crampton, Jane Watson and Te Paea Selby-Rickit.
The veteran trio each told RNZ they remain undecided on whether they would put their hands up for the black dress ahead of July’s Commonwealth Games and the 2027 World Cup.
Crampton, who is returning to the court with the NSW Swifts following the birth of her first child, joked she is just focused on “remembering how to play netball again”, while Selby-Rickit and Watson said they planned to take the season as it comes.
The loss of experienced players from the Ferns’ selection pool has raised concerns about squad depth in recent seasons.
Former Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio. Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT
Last year skipper and frontline star Ameliaranne Ekenasio stepped aside from the captaincy and made herself unavailable for the international season, saying she needed a break. Her decision came amid a turbulent 2025 season that saw Dame Noeline Taurua stood down as coach following an employment dispute with Netball NZ.
Ekenasio, who turned down offers in Australia to play for the Pulse in this year’s ANZ Premiership, has not ruled out a return to the black dress.
Remembering how to play again
Crampton admits she thought her chance of playing in the most competitive league in the world might have passed her by.
“I probably resided to that fact that that could have been the end. Last year before I fell pregnant I was really excited to play in the SSN, the world leading competition and now getting that opportunity again is very exciting, it’s a little bit daunting for sure. But even just being involved with a club like the Swifts, who have been historically very successful, I’m just excited to be involved and I can’t wait to see how we go this season,” Crampton said.
The specialist wing attack will play alongside Silver Ferns starting shooter Grace Nweke, who effectively forced Netball New Zealand to revisit its eligibility rules when she joined the Swifts last year.
The national body subsequently loosened its rules, which saw six players apply for and granted exemptions to still be able to play for the Silver Ferns.
Crampton and her partner Fa’asiu Fuatai have been based in Sydney since early 2024. That year Crampton was signed as a training partner with the Giants, and played one game as injury cover. The Giants then signed her on a full contract for the 2025 season before Crampton found out she was pregnant.
Gina Crampton last played for the Stars in the ANZ Premiership. Photosport
An opening came up at their cross town rivals for the 2026 season when Australian Diamond and New South Wales stalwart Paige Hadley announced she was pregnant.
Having given birth to baby boy Reggie just seven months ago, Crampton said pre-season had been tough.
“Sort of had a bit of and up and down journey so far, had a few niggles pop up and things. I guess it was a bit of a learning curve on the return after having a baby, but feel like I’m in a good place now, which has been really cool to get back into things and try and remember how to play netball again.”
After the 2023 World Cup where the Silver Ferns finished a disappointing fourth, Crampton took extended leave to join her rugby playing partner in New York, before they moved to Australia.
Would she consider making herself available for the Silver Ferns again?
“Oh gosh, I’m not sure I think you have to say whether you want to be available for selection or not and I haven’t said anything yet,” Crampton laughed. “So I’m not sure, it seems all a bit far away I guess in terms of just having a baby as well, so maybe something to think of.”
As a former Ferns captain Crampton said it was hard seeing the team surrounded in controversy at the back end of last year with the shock suspension of coach Dame Noeline Taurua.
Crampton spent most of her Silver Ferns career under Taurua, who was reinstated after a 51-day stand-off.
“That was really tough, obviously you could see the impact it had on the girls and how I guess everyone reacted to that but I think the awesome thing to see was how they banded together and they had a huge international season. Not being so close to it anymore, didn’t know exactly what was going on but I think the best thing that came out of it was how the girls played those games.”
Unexpected career twist
Te Paea Selby-Rickit was a Tactix stalwart. Photosport Ltd 2021
Shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit said she had enjoyed a better work-life balance over the past two years since stepping away from international netball after several years.
The 34-year-old arguably had the best domestic season of her career last year when she was a key cog in the Tactix side, which claimed a maiden domestic title.
Selby-Rickit is not sure yet if she will make herself available for the Silver Ferns, who have a huge two years ahead.
“I’m just trying to see how this season goes, if the body is all good and I’m still enjoying my netball I might make myself available but at this stage it’s 50/50, still thinking about it. Obviously a big couple of years and they’d probably want a couple of years of commitment so it’s a big decision whether I can commit to that or not but it’s definitely an option but waiting to see how I go,” Selby-Rickit said.
Playing in the SSN is an unexpected career twist for Selby-Rickit.
“Even over the last couple of years when I wasn’t playing for the Silver Ferns I didn’t really consider it, I thought it probably wouldn’t happen. But I’ve always loved watching SSN and admired it and wondered what if? So when the opportunity came up I couldn’t say no.”
No end date
Jane Watson was a key part of the Silver Ferns defensive end at the 2019 World Cup. © Photosport Ltd 2019
Watson has also got a career refresh after signing with the Sydney based Giants. The defender was in strong form for the Tactix last year when the side finally broke its title drought.
“Having played for them for so long, actually getting a win, in previous years we’d been very close, it was a very special moment for the club and the fans and all the people that came before us would have been stoked with that as well,” Watson said.
Watson thought 2025 was going to be her last year of elite netball before the Giants reached out to her just before the ANZ Premiership finals.
The 35-year-old, who has been joined in Sydney by her partner and three-year-old daughter, is not putting an end date on her career.
“I thought that I was supposed to be finishing a couple of years ago so who knows whether this is the last year or not we’ll just have to see what happens.”
Post the 2023 World Cup, Watson played two series for the Silver Ferns later that year but has not made herself available for the black dress since. But the 66-Test cap Silver Fern told RNZ that she has not retired from international netball.
Souness targets Silver Ferns recall
Whitney Souness spent several seasons with the Pulse in the ANZ Premiership. PHOTOSPORT
Former Silver Fern Whitney Souness also signed with the Giants, and was recently named captain before her first SSN season.
The 44-test midcourter missed out on Silver Ferns selection last year and is determined to push for inclusion before July’s Commonwealth Games.
“Not making it last season it was quite tough, it had been a hard season in the ANZ. For me it was probably the best time to go, I think it came at the right time for me to really push myself and what better way to do that than in the SSN competition so it’s been good timing for me to work my butt off and hopefully get back in that squad,” Souness said.
Knowing that she wanted to be considered for Silver Ferns selection, the 30-year-old applied for and was granted an exemption by Netball New Zealand.
“It was a bit of a different process, it was new, a lot of us had come over here so it was a bit of a different situation for me because I hadn’t made the squad so just a lot of comms with me and Netball New Zealand to make sure that I was available to still be part of the squad and have the opportunity to be part of it.”
Kiwis playing in 2026 SSN
- *Grace Nweke – NSW Swifts
- *Kelly Jackson – Queensland Firebirds
- *Maddy Gordon – Queensland Firebirds
- *Kate Heffernan – Adelaide Thunderbirds
- *Karin Burger – Sunshine Coast Lightning
- *Whitney Souness – Giants
- Jane Watson – Giants
- Te Paea Selby-Rickit – Queensland Firebirds
- Gina Crampton – NSW Swifts
* Have been granted an exemption
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
