Athletes abroad: The ‘door that opened’ for Davies

By Sophie Taylor

“Across the world? I can't do that.”

Those were Zoe Davies’ initial thoughts when offered a contract with the Leeds Rhinos for 2024.

In professional netball, there are no easy decisions, but for the tenacious young defender, this one was a given.

“I just got to a point where I was like, okay, I have a chance here to be paid as a full-time athlete or I might, potentially, if I’m lucky, get a position as a training partner (in Suncorp Super Netball),” Davies said about weighing up the decision.

A small-bodied defender hailing from Bendigo in regional Victoria, Davies has always been one to take opportunities where she can build on her skillset.

Picking up a netball for the first time at age-14, Davies quickly worked her way through the Victorian junior and senior pathways before continuing her progression as an adult, earning a Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) call-up with the Collingwood Magpies in 2022 and playing three games for the club as a training partner during the 2022/23 seasons.

But with the 2024 season gradually edging closer and unsure of opportunities on home soil, the 26-year-old decided to make a huge leap of faith ahead of the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball signing period - departing Australian shores to accept a full-time contract to the UK’s premier netball competition, the Netball Superleague (NSL).

“When I first got a taste of SSN, I knew I could do it. I knew I could be in a team,” Davies said.

“With Collingwood folding, it took a bit of that away because a lot of the teams were already established and there was a lot of talk about who was going where and what was happening.

“In England, their signing date is pretty much a month before SSN even opens. That was the other big thing - you have to choose. You don't have the opportunity to say, oh, I'll just wait for SSN.”

With the breakdown of Collingwood’s netball program and the enormous talent pool across Australia, Davies found herself asking the question: where to next?

“Picking the Rhinos was a big thing because you're leaving Australia, and SSN is classified as the best league in the world,” Davies said.

“As a small defender, there weren’t really any openings (in Australia) and I started to feel that and know that, and I guess this opportunity came up.

“I didn't have that reassurance that I had an opportunity still in SSN, and I think still being a younger athlete, getting the chance to play in another country doesn't just come around for many people.

“It's also a change and a new style where I get to grow my netball and in a different way than learning the Australian way.”

Former teammate and England Roses centurion Geva Mentor helped Davies find her feet, letting her in on a then little-known secret – Mentor herself had decided to head home to the UK. From there, the decision was relatively simple.

“The first person I did reach out to was Geva because she's from England," Davies said.

“Speaking with Geva and her letting me know, hey, I'm going back, let's do it, gave me that reassurance of okay, like, let's do it. Let's go (to Leeds) together.

“Maybe this is that door that's opening that I've just got to take. Don't close it. Let's just take a step through that door and see what's on the other side. A bit ambitious.”

The Rhinos’ 2024 squad is a completely fresh side compared to their 2023 season, which Davies said made the transition that much easier.

“It’s a brand-new team. Some of the girls knew each other, but none of them had been in a core group together, so I think that was quite exciting knowing that we were all new,” she said.

Things really fell into place once Mentor arrived in January, kickstarting preparations for what Davies is hopeful will be an eventual top four finish.

“When G finally came, it was the final piece of the puzzle. The last four or five weeks have been full on in the respect of really getting to know each other, really starting to nail the centre court plays, the defence plays,” Davies said.

“It’s that trust in each other that teams develop over years that we need to start to develop in the next two to three weeks really, if we want to be top four.”

While Davies had some ideas of what the opportunity could be like, it could not be farther from her initial expectation.

“So far it's cold and my expectation was snow, but I've only gotten two days of snow. It's been quite sad,” Davies joked.

Davies also noted how the NSL clubs operate with a team of 12 which she said has its benefits.

"it’s amazing because the bench players can do anything. We’ve pretty much got the entire court covered on the bench,” she said.

“They might have a preferred position, but they're given the guidance and the confidence to be able to go out and play in their second position.”

With this insight and the nous of Rhinos head coach – former New Zealand player and current England Roses assistant coach Liana Leota – Davies is hoping she can add to her bag of tricks before returning to Australia – whenever that may be.

"I'm growing into a more mature athlete. You do start to play a lot smarter, and I think this style of netball is challenging me… which is quite exciting. Because when I hopefully do come back to the SSN, I'll be able to put two and two together,” she said.

Davies’ ambition and willingness to “step through the door” has paid off, with Davies more than enjoying the experience so far, especially as training preparations continue to ramp up with the 2024 NSL season just around the corner.

The second half of the recent Netball Nations Cup was played in Leeds, marking an exciting opportunity for the new-look team who played a practice match against New Zealand as the Silver Ferns prepared for the second leg of the series.

“Playing New Zealand was a highlight (as a team), but also individually. I really wanted to see how I could go against an international team.

Playing New Zealand was a real big eye opener that I can do it, and I've got this.”

Davies said it also proved to her how much her team has grown since coming together a few months ago, expressing pride in the work ethic and effort displayed across the court.

“Coming away from it we saw as a team so many players step up in a way we've never seen before. We watched a lot of grit happen, we saw a lot of resilience,” she said.

“We trained based on what we were expecting and coming up against them, we didn't shy from that. That was the most exciting thing, seeing your team come up against such a strong team, the number two in the world, and watching them absolutely put their hearts on their sleeve and literally just play amazing netball was just awesome to be a part of. It's quite hard to describe (that moment).”

Davies says the Leeds Rhinos community has accepted her with open arms, with the culture also a massive positive for the young defender.

“I remember my first training, going in and it was a Monday weight session and there were only the local girls around. And I think there were five of us in the end, and one of them came and gave me a hug right away and I’m a hugger too,” she said.

“I guess the community, like the culture of the club - they are so connected and they're invested in their netballers, in their rugby and in all the staff as one big unit and I think that's a big thing to come into.

“There are so many new girls, but yet we all feel part of a club which is something special.  I do need to give the gratitude to Leeds Rhinos on how they have connected everyone and like made that culture.”