By Sophie Taylor
A month ago, we had one reigning premier and a clean slate for Super Netball 2027.
Now: eight squads locked and loaded for the upcoming season, and not without some key signings and departures.
Now that the dust has settled – which teams have come out on top?
We run through each club’s new signings.
2026 TEAM TRACKER
Adelaide Thunderbirds
IN: Jazmin McKay, Sanmarie Visser
OUT: Matilda Garrett, Tayla Williams
The reigning premiers have had very little turnover during a massive signing period, shaping them up for another dominant year after dropping just one game in 2026.
While they will feel the immediate sting of the departure of Matilda Garrett, they welcome back South African Sanmarie Visser, a former replacement for Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, who has great connection with much of the squad already.
Factor in the dominant connection of Sterling-Humphrey and Latanya Wilson, and the Thunderbirds will have no troubles in the defensive end.
Jazmin McKay is another fresh face, following mum, Sarah Sutter, in her Thunderbirds footsteps as the club continues its tradition of elevating South Australian talent.
The rangy defender can play a variety of roles, and while she isn’t necessarily a like-for-like for departing midcourter Tayla Williams, she adds a valuable addition to the group.
Most importantly, the Thunderbirds have maintained their premiership attack with all four of Elmeré van der Berg, Georgie Horjus, Lauren Frew and Kayla Graham signing on.
That said, only Horjus offers a pure wing attack option with the rest of the midcourt all very defensive-minded – could this be the one hole in the Thunderbirds’ foolproof plan?
Melbourne Mavericks
IN: Zara Walters, Tyler Orr
OUT: Uneeq Palavi, Maddie Hay, Molly Jovic
The Mavericks are the new kids on the block, no more, with the entry of the Sydney Sirens bumping them to older sibling status.
They will hope to build on a promising season with their 2027 squad, shuffling around the pieces ever so slightly after a finals debut this year.
Like the Thunderbirds, they were relatively untouched by a cutthroat signing period.
The Mavericks have bolstered their ranks and smartly jumped on Zara Walters as a key addition to the attacking third before adding the cool head of Tyler Orr.
The duo should slot in reasonably well to the established Diamonds connection of Jamie-Lee Price and Amy Parmenter, while Shimona Nelson and Reilley Batcheldor will hope to continue to deliver on a solid start to their shooting combination.
In the shooting circle Sacha McDonald will shift to a more traditional goal attack role – rather than doubling as a wing attack – following the departure of Uneeq Palavi.
Stability was clearly a key focus for the Mavs after a huge season, making for a massive 2027 from the – no longer – new kids on the block.
Melbourne Vixens
IN: Ash Ervin, Caris Stythe, Tayla Williams, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Amelia Walmsley
OUT: Zara Walters, Rudi Ellis, Lily Graham, Emily Mannix, Kate Eddy
New Super Netball era? Enter Vixens.
Their cap on non-Victorian players is gone, and the Vixens have taken full advantage of it, welcoming three New Zealanders and a couple of interstate talents to the fray.
Caris Stythe (defence), Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (midcourt) and Amelia Walmsley (goaler) will take up positions in each of the thirds, enabling the existing Vixens units to evolve around them.
The focal point for opposition teams will be the new-look defensive unit, with Jo Weston the only player returning to the fold.
That said, she will be joined by Stythe and Ash Ervin, with both players boasting key points of difference to Weston and what teams have seen from the Vixens over the past decade.
Diamonds starters Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin are bolstered by the addition of Walmsley, while the stability of Kate Moloney and Hannah Mundy will be critical amongst the movements.
NSW Swifts
IN: Lucy Voyvodic, Mary Cholhok, Rudi Ellis, Jordan Cransberg, Matilda Garrett
OUT: Teigan O’Shannassy, Grace Nweke, Sharni Lambden, Maddy Proud, Maddy Turner
The Swifts have had a full overhaul heading into 2027 with five departures from the club.
Matilda Garrett and Rudi Ellis will join Sarah Klau in a fresh defensive end, continuing the club’s trend of an all-Australian defensive partnership and leveraging connections from past Diamonds squads.
Mary Cholhok is a solid like-for-like for the departing Grace Nweke and is set to be joined by a solid attacking duo in Helen Housby and Grace Whyte – two players more than capable of taking the game on.
Jordan Cransberg and Lucy Voyvodic will inject some fresh speed into an experienced midcourt unit and should slot in seamlessly with the Swifts’ experienced campaigners.
Despite the changes, the Swifts are a well-oiled machine even with key players departing the club.
Expect them to come out with a point to prove, especially with the Sydney Sirens joining the fray.
The reigning premiers remain mostly unchanged heading into 2027.
Queensland Firebirds
IN: Cara Koenen, Tabitha Packer, Kimiora Poi, Lily Graham
OUT: Imogen Allison, Mary Cholhok, Maddy Gordon, Emily Moore
The Firebirds will look a bit different next year, changing up their attack and midcourt in an intriguing switch-up from what the Firebirds of old have looked like.
Cara Koenen adds a completely new post-up shooter aspect to the Firebirds lineup in a departure to the tall holding shooter the club has targeted in recent years.
Her connection with Te Paea Selby-Rickit will prove crucial, while former Vixen Lily Graham adds extra long-range punch and back-to-back Grand Final appearances to boot.
Selby-Rickit will be a crucial link between attack and midcourt, especially in the preseason, given the amount of turnover and new challenges feeding into the circle.
Kimiora Poi and Tabitha Packer bring different levels of experience to the midcourt, with Poi returning to Super Netball after a replacement player stint in 2019 as Packer earns her maiden squad elevation.
Packer’s youth and high ceiling mean she will have nothing to lose when she steps on court, opening up exciting opportunities to shine alongside the defensive prowess of Kelly Jackson and Ruby Bakewell-Doran.
Sunshine Coast Lightning
IN: Olivia Wilkinson, Georgia Heffernan, Jess Anstiss, Maggie Caris
OUT: Gabby Sinclair, Cara Koenen, Mahalia Cassidy, Ash Ervin
The Sunshine Coast Lightning made plenty of big moves during the signing period, with the acquisition of Silver Fern Georgia Heffernan crucial to their attacking rebuild.
She joins Donnell Wallam and young star Olivia Wilkinson in the new-look circle, with Wilkinson’s ability to play both goal shooter and goal attack adding extra punch to the new combination.
Jess Anstiss is a huge addition to the midcourt, adding an extra level head to a relatively young midcourt unit and providing a defensive centre option to counter-punch Liz Watson’s attacking nous.
The defensive combination of Courtney Bruce and Karin Burger started to show what they were capable of throughout last season, meaning they could be dangerous in 2027.
Add in the defensive skill and potential of Maggie Caris, who comes across from the Vixens in a straight swap from Ash Ervin, and there’s lots to look forward to with this squad.
Sydney Sirens (formerly GIANTS Netball)
IN: Amy Sligar, Sophie Dwyer, Molly Jovic, Grace Nweke, Jodi-Ann Ward, Erin O’Brien, Hope White, Matisse Letherbarrow, Claire O’Brien, Teigan O’Shannassy
OUT: Jane Watson, Casey Adamson, Lucy Austin, Whitney Souness
The Sydney Sirens will enter the competition for the first time in 2027, hoping to bring a flash of something new to Sydney.
Having taken over Netball NSW’s GIANTS Netball team licence for 2027, the SEG-owned Sirens will be led by GIANTS-contracted head coach Nerida Stewart for it’s first year, bringing across six former GIANTS in the process.
The new additions are intriguing to say the least.
Former Swifts bookends Grace Nweke and Teigan O’Shannassy have swapped red for coral to become foundation players for the Sirens.
Former pathways player Claire O’Brien returns to Australia after a successful stint in New Zealand, which included international caps with the Silver Ferns, while Molly Jovic will return from pregnancy in a new state after departing the Mavericks.
With additions to each area of the court and a reasonable amount of stability despite being a new club, expect the Sirens to come out with a point to prove next year.
West Coast Fever
IN: Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Maddy Gordon, Zoe Cransberg, Shanice Beckford
OUT: Romelda Aiken-George, Jess Anstiss, Olivia Wilkinson, Jordan Cransberg, Sasha Glasgow
On paper, West Coast Fever have all the makings of a champion team.
Four new entries to the team, including an overhaul of what was a solid attacking lineup, will force a shakeup in how the Fever go about their business.
Add in the inclusion of Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard – who is missed off the “Ins” list because she was initially named for 2026 – and there’s a clear vision to goal from anywhere on court.
Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Shanice Beckford both add long-range shooting to the mix and most importantly, provide very different options to post.
In a danger sign to everyone else in the competition, Fever have kept hold of their entire defensive unit.
Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney have fine-tuned their combination over the past few years, while sisters Sunday and Ruth Aryang bring elite athleticism and versatility across all three defensive positions.
Maddy Gordon takes Fever’s international player tally to six of their 10, making for a team of stars heading into 2027.
2026 TEAM TRACKER
