Meet some of the ANCs rising stars

By Stephanie Smarrelli and Erin Lyons

The inaugural Australian Netball Championships are well underway in Traralgon where some of the nations best netballers have gathered to showcase their skills.

There are 10 teams competing from various states and territories including Victorian Fury, Collingwood Magpies, GIANTS Academy, QBE Swifts Academy, West Coast Fever Reserves, Capital Darters, Tasmania, Sunshine Coast Lightning, Southern Force and Queensland Sapphires.

This means there's a wealth of talent on display, including the future stars of the game.

Here's who you should have your eye on.

ZOE DAVIES - COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES (GD/WD)

Zoe Davies had endured her fair share of knock backs in her journey to netball's elite. While many selectors didn't believe in her, she did, and in the end she's proven any doubters wrong.

Having only picked up the sport at age 15, the dynamic defender had tried "almost every sport" before giving netball a crack.

"(My parents encouraged me) to try a different sport and give it a go... and mum was always playing netball," she said.

"She said 'right well, you're growing up now let's have a go at netball'."

After a few knock backs from a number of state level clubs she was offered a scholarship at City West Falcons.

"That was where everything started for me. It was an eye opener because being out in the country you think that's all it is," she said.

"I was very tall in the country and I'm only six foot so coming down to Melbourne... I was now a midcourter (players WD/GD) and I couldn't believe it. It's a completely different ball game."

Zoe first stepped through the doors at Collingwood in 2021 as part of its academy program. Being part of the SSN environment, she says, has changed her life.

And when asked about what motivates her, it's her will to win and desire to play her role.

"My motivation on court is I know that if I can play my role to the best of my ability the person behind me is going to get that intercept," she said.

"I just love that it's more about the team... knowing the harder I push the harder they're gonna push," she said.

EMMA COSH - WEST COAST FEVER (WA/GA)

Coming off the back of a premiership in the Suncorp Super Netball, Emma Cosh, who spent much of the season on the bench, said she was determined to make the most of the court time gifted to her at the ANCs.

"The ANCs are really important for me to go back to what I'm focusing on and get some court time and focus on what my strengths are and what the things I need to improve on are," she said.

"It's a really good challenge for me and I hope I can improve and get better at the things I've been working on."

Raised in Geraldton, Emma knows the importance of sport in the country environment. She started her career at the Midwest Tigers before moving to Perth after finishing high school so she could study teaching and also progress in her netball career.

After a few knock backs at state trials she eventually scored herself a spot in the team before she was picked up by the West Coast Fever as a training partner in 2020.

And like many good things in life, they don't come without sacrifice.

When the pandemic hit, Emma gave up her fulltime teaching role to join the West Coast Fever team in the Queensland hub.

"And that was where I made my debut," she said.

"I ended up playing six rounds and from there I was offered a contract."

Emma has returned to teaching, a balancing act when you're also an elite sportswoman.

"I ended up getting permanency at a school so that's really helped. The school was extremely supportive with my sporting commitments," she said.

SHELBY MILLER - TASMANIA (C)

Tassie native Shelby Miller started her netball career in the defensive circle but when her peers started growing at a rapid rate, she had to re-assess.

"I love defending but everyone else kept growing and I stopped so I didn't really have a choice in the matter that I was going to be the midcourt," she jokes.

The journey across the Bass Strait was certainly not taken alone, her biggest supporters were also in tow.

"My nan comes to every game and she's travelled here too. She's always there for a big big cuddle," Shelby said.

Shelby, like many of her competitors and teammates, is using the ANCs to get a gauge of where she stands on a national stage.

"Playing in Tasmania, it's definitely a level down compared to the other states so I absolutely relish these opportunities," she said.

"For the younger girls it's about development and experience. Whereas for the older ones, we want to come away and see where we need to be and what we need to do."

The midcourter was very quick to answer when asked about what she enjoys most about the sport.

"You're all there for a common goal. You have the same interests and it's not all competitive... there's so much fun and joy that comes with it. It's really nice to have that," she said.

SHARNI LAMBDEN - VICTORIAN FURY (WD/GD)

Stepping out on court for the Melbourne Vixens this year was probably the biggest highlight of Sharni Lambden's career so far.

"I've always been looking for that day since I was a little girl," she said. "That's my favourite achievement and the most memorable."

When it comes to the ANCs it's all about getting back out there after Covid disrupted the last two years.

"It's good to see all teams come back together and play and just to see the standard of players that are coming through. It's been an awesome competition so far," she said,

In terms of players that inspire her, Sharni offered a nod to Diamond and Collingwood Magpie Ash Brazill.

"She's someone I've trained with and she really took me under her wing. I look up to her and how she plays," she said.

And how does Sharni start every game day?

With a giant bowl of oats of course.

"I make it every morning with peanut butter, strawberries and banana," she laughed.

LILY GRIBBLE - SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING (GD/GK)

When the national netball championships were cancelled during the Covid pandemic, it hit Lily Gribble hard.

But with the ANCs well underway Lily has been able to test her skills at the highest level nationally - below the SSN.

"Being in all of the underage state teams meant that I got the opportunity to participate in the underage Australian squads," she said.

"But making it to this next level... playing at ANC, that's something I've never done before and I've never come up against this kind of competition."

And being surrounded by the best, Lily naturally doesn't have too look far for inspiration.

"I have taken inspiration from those right around me this year," she said.

"My friends like Reilley Batcheldor (are inspiring) because she got to play in the SSN this year and I've always been in all the underage teams with her so she's a big inspiration for me as well."

JACOBA CLOUGH - SOUTHERN FORCE (GA/GS)

Jacoba Clough's rise to competing in the ANC has been a whirlwind.

She started her career in Queanbeyan before deciding to move to South Australia in 2018 to be with her family.

It was there that she joined the Southern Force squad.

"It was really exciting to be able to then hit the court for the first time at that level. It was definitely a bit of a shock at the start but I've had such a good experience there," she said.

Jacoba has also been playing in the South Australian Premier League which has offered her some consistency given many cancellations to national competitions due to Covid.

One of her favourite things about competing at the ANC is being exposed to the different styles of netball each state plays.

"I really enjoyed being able to play against such a different variety of opposition," she said.

"I've known people from every team I've played against so it's good to see it all brought together."

Netball has taught Jacoba many things, namely resilience and hard work.

"It's not always smooth sailing. You do get hit with a lot of roadblocks," she said.

"But I just to keep going no matter what."

NALANI MAKUNDE - CAPITAL DARTERS (GS)

Nalani started netball by "accident" and her Capital Darters teammates would be thankful that the star shooter almost fell into the sport.

"I originally started netball kind of by accident because I wanted a day off school for sport," she said.

"I was in Year 10 at the time and went to one of the carnivals with school and through that kind of got encouraged to come and trial for state teams.

"I was lucky enough to make the Under 17 ACT state team and through that I got thrown right in the deep end."

The talented shooter's inspiration comes from Melbourne Vixens goal shooter  Mwai Kumwenda.

"She's born in Africa, raised in Africa and came over to play netball. The work she does by taking the sport back to Malawi (is inspiring). She's a resilient person and quite inspirational," she said.

It's Mwai's resilience that really motivates Nalani to be the best she can be.

"It's about how I overcome a bit of adversity. If you play netball you're going to face a lot of knock backs. It really builds character and has taught me to keeping fighting," she said.

You can watch the ANCs live and free on Kayo Freebies.