Netball is a place for women to lead, belong, and represent something greater than themselves.
Hear from some of the sports’ female voices on why netball is more than just a game.
JAMIE-LEE PRICE
For Jamie-Lee Price, wearing the Diamonds dress has been a dream she’s carried since being a young girl.
One of the best defensive midcourters in the game, the Suncorp Super Netball athlete and Australian Diamond was awarded the 2025 Liz Ellis Diamond, becoming the 13th athlete in the sport’s history to receive the title.
The full circle moment led Price to reflect on her beginnings as a young aspiring netballer.
“I remember being the flagbearer for the Australian Diamonds in Auckland. The thing that stuck with me the most was Liz Ellis asking me ‘Do you want to play for Australia?’” Price said.
“It was a pinch me moment of realising this is exactly what I want to do, I love this sport.
“Those are the moments where I look back and think how lucky I am to have had those opportunities which have shaped me and motivated me to be where I am today.”
Receiving the Liz Ellis Diamond Award was a full circle moment for Price.
“To be able to play for the Diamonds and put on the dress every time you take the court is such an honour.”
LIZ WATSON
For Diamonds captain Liz Watson, her journey in netball has never been about metrics, but simply the sheer pride in representing your country.
Reaching her hundredth cap during the Diamonds Test Series against Jamaica meant more than just a number to her.
“You don’t really realise that not many people have done this,” Watson said.
“To hear the other names who have reached 100, they’re legends of our sport, they’re the people who have driven what netball is today, so it’s pretty special to be in that group.”
For Watson, being part of the Origin Australian Diamonds has been a journey of both personal growth as well as athletic achievement.
“Going into that leadership position as well, to have developed myself as an athlete but also a person,” she said.
“I just love playing for my country. That’s the bottom line, I’m representing Australia, to be able to do it for the 100th time is insane when you think about it that way.”
For Watson, her hundredth cap meant more than just a number.
Watson hopes in the next chapter she’s able to continue inspiring the next generation of netballers and representing her country.
ROMELDA AIKEN-GEORGE
For legendary Jamaican goaler Romelda Aiken-George, who has competed in 18 seasons and 245 national league games, netball has meant playing for her family and friendships.
Aiken-George cherishes her friendships with her teammates, returning this year to play for the West Coast Fever when asked by close friend Jhaniele Fowler-Nembard to take her place.
“My friends hold a special place in my heart, if Jhaniele was in the same position, she would absolutely do the same,” she said.
While Aiken-George is thankful for all her netball experiences, the 2024 SSN Grand Final stands out, where she took home the win with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, also winning Most Valuable Player.
But the most important part for Aiken-George was playing in front of her family, including her daughter Gigi.
“It was special because I wasn't just playing for myself, I was playing for Baby G,” she said.
“Everything I do is for her, she had no idea what was happening but it was pretty special to have that moment with her.
“My husband was there, and our little boy Harvey [Romelda’s stepson] cried.”
Aiken-George cherishes the moment her daughter saw her win a Grand Final.
For netballers like Aiken-George, the game is never just about playing for yourself, but all the people who support you along the way.
MONIKA ‘OTAI
Representing heritage and nation together, GIANTS Training Partner Monika ‘Otai shared how netball has given her the opportunity to represent her ancestry with pride.
‘Otai took on a vice-captain role in the Australian Pathways team at the inaugural Tala-Tutone Tour which took place in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, in November 2025.
“I’m a very proud Australian and Tongan, so this tour felt much deeper than a campaign,” 'Otai said.
“My mum is from Kolomotu’a and my dad is from Ma’ufanga. It meant everything to represent my heritage.”
For ‘Otai, netball is a space to honour her heritage and identity, embodying how the game can hold deeper meaning than purely competition.
“For me, it’s acknowledging my parents, my grandparents, my ancestors, and the country they walked on.
Competing in Tonga gave 'Otai a chance to represent her heritage with pride.
“I hope when Australians and Tongans see me hopping on the court, they see you can do both, you can represent your country and also your heritage.”
TIERRAH MILLER
Part of joining a netball team means becoming part of a unit which, during its strongest moments, can feel impenetrable.
This was the feeling for proud Yamatji and Noongar woman Tierrah Miller when she was first selected in the Australian First Nations Black Swans squad for the 2025 PacificAus Sports Netball Series.
For Miller, selection was about more than making a team list.
“I’m excited because it’s history,” Miller said.
“The whole team is full of Indigenous girls from all over Australia and that makes it more exciting.
“I got to play alongside them, and we all have something in common we can relate to.
"It means a lot representing them and not just my community but First Nations netballers all over Australia as well.”
The Black Swans fought fiercely across the tournament, delivering victories over the PNG Pepes and Tonga Tala, proving they were there to leave their mark.
For Miller, being part of the Black Swans means being part of history in the making.
The Black Swans are ready to rise again in 2026, showcasing when culture and opportunity come together, incredible things happen.
LILY GRAHAM
For the next generation of netballers, following in the steps of inspiring female role models is part of what makes the journey so special.
In 2025, Graham became the youngest player in Suncor Super Netball history to earn a championship medal, after making her debut with the Melbourne Vixens the previous year.
Shortly after, Graham represented Australia at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar, where Australia took home the gold for the first time since 2009 and Graham was named player of the tournament.
“I can’t really remember much of the day because of the nerves and excitement, but after the game, we did not stop screaming,” said Graham.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Moving into another year with the Vixens, the talented young goal shooter is excited to nurture her relationships with mentors.
“I’ve got a good shooting end in Sophie and Kiera,” she said.
Lily Graham has learned from and been inspired by teammates such as Sophie Garbin.
“I’m very grateful to be working with them and learning from them. They’re such good role models.”
During her debut in 2024, Graham knew she was surrounded by supportive women who wanted to see her shine on court.
“The girls were so excited for me,” she said.
“They got around me, I could see in their face their excitement for me to be on court and knowing they were there for me made it even more special.”
From role models passing on knowledge to celebrating the wins of younger generation, Graham’s journey reflects netball at its best – growing as an individual and as a team.
UINITA TAUHALALIKU
For Uinita (Nita) Tauhalaliku, netball has been a guiding light shaping her sense of self and fuelling her ambition.
As the Sport Development Coordinator for Tonga Netball Association, Tauhalaliku knows firsthand how umpiring strengthens netball communities and empowers the women who step into the role.
In 2025, after 13 years of waiting and preparation, Tauhalaliku earned her B-Badge umpiring qualification, supported by the Australian Government through Netball’s Ocean of Power – a program which invests in women sport leaders, officials, and administrators across the Pacific.
Receiving the B-Badge umpiring accreditation was a momentous achievement for Tauhalaliku.
Tauhalaliku became Tonga’s most qualified umpire, and one of only three people in the Pacific to hold this accreditation at the time.
“I kept pinching myself thinking ‘am I really here?’. Before, it felt like just a dream. Now it’s a real career pathway. And once you’re on that ladder, you can keep climbing,” she said.
“With the right support, our girls can be leaders, umpires, coaches - anything. My dream is to see a whole new generation stepping forward, confident that netball can take them anywhere.”
Tauhalaliku knows the lessons learned through umpiring reach well beyond the game, developing confidence and skills in women that translate beyond the court.
OLIVIA PAGE
Some of netball’s most powerful milestones aren’t measured in scores or statistics, but in the self-confidence it ignites.
This rings true for athlete Olivia Page, who was appointed a vice-captaincy role in her fourth appearance in the Marie Little Shield.
Introduced in 2013, the Marie Little Shield competition has provided the chance for female athletes with an intellectual disability to compete at the national level each year in three days of competition.
For the athletes who take part, it’s an opportunity to build confidence and shine on the national stage.
Olivia Page was appointed to vice-captain for her fourth Marie Little Shield.
“When I was younger, I could never play sports because of my epilepsy and I couldn’t go out into the sun, but when I was about 16, I found out about the Hidden Gems Academy and I wanted to start playing a sport,” Page said.
“I feel amazing. I feel so lucky to be representing my state team. It makes me feel stronger in my home life and stronger in my work life, as well.”
For every woman taking part, netball is more than competing in a game, it’s a chance to feel connected with your teammates, a sense of pride, and belong to something bigger than yourself.
Marie Little Shield is supported by Confident Girls Foundation, an organisation harnessing the power of netball to support girls to build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills.
Learn more about the 2026 International Women’s Day theme HERE.
