photo taken from @ldnmavericksnetball on instagram
The modern dress in netball has been worn as part of the uniform since the early 2000’s but in recent years, there has been a change from the tradition. Players from the very top of the game to the grassroots level are starting to dislike the figure-hugging short design that it tends to have.
In 2022, it was said that in the following year, Netball Australia would change to a new “inclusive” uniform including the option to have a singlet, bodysuit, shirt and skirt, shorts or long pants. This would therefore recognise the personnel preferences, religious beliefs and the different climates but in the Commonwealth games, they all wore dresses and this took a turn.
In a game versus England in the Commonwealth Games is where the malfunction first came apparent with many players pulling them down: “I feel like, as a netballer, I’m always tugging my dress down… Obviously we’ve noticed lots of the comments from other people, but on the court we’re used to dresses coming up and down.” says Australian Sophie Garbin.
Netball Uniform has always been a growing problem, whether that is sports bras or different colour shorts under the dress showing a different colour to the dress itself.
England and Manchester Thunder Shooter Eleanor Cardwell has always been an advocate for change in the sport and the use of sports bras with her saying: “When I’m comfortable in my kit, I perform my best. Why should you wear clothes that don’t fit correctly or feel horrible?”
London Mavericks changed confidence for women in the elite level sport as in 2025 it was announced that they would change the way their kit is designed from 2026 onwards. Dresses are still in, with many still wearing the option but they also included the option of shorts, skorts, leggings and longer vests, including a variety for everyone.
The team believe that it will make the sport more welcoming to the young generations that are scared from the sport year after year because of the way that the dress will suit their body type.
Ex-London Mavericks and England defender Razia Quashie said to the BBC that: “I always train in leggings and that’s what I feel most comfortable in, rather than the traditional dress.”
“To be able to wear this on the court in a match is something that I know will help me feel my best, which can only have a positive impact on performance.”
She also stated that the new choice will help the youngsters stay involved, allowing them to dress in a kit that would suit them best rather than an outfit that might be unflattering or uncomfortable, dragging them away from the sport.
Netball is a rapidly growing sport for females and to continue the growth, the uniform needs to be inclusive for everyone involved.
Celebrations | Photo taken from @eleanor_cardwell on instagram
Manchester Thunder claimed their fifth Netball Super League win at Manchester’s Co-op Live against London Pulse as they won 54-51. Coming on during the game, Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match, Sophie Fawns was the standout player throughout and changed the game.
After a dominant season, Manchester Thunder are now tied with Team Bath for Netball Super League titles and their first title since the undefeated 2022 season. With the Co-op Live hosting the final, it held a backdrop for the future of netball in the North West.
Manchester Thunder won the toss with Amy Carter taking the first ball as centre and the home side took full advantage in the opening minutes. Quick passing across the shooting circle helped with the pace of the game with Eleanor Cardwell dominating in the goals across the four players. With three super shots and seven one-pointers for Eleanor Cardwell, Thunder were three points ahead going into the first break of the afternoon with them also using every player possible on the court effortlessly transitioning between thirds.
Alicia Scholes and Taylor McKevitt battled together across the court throughout the period and beyond with Halimat Adio vocal on the court for Pulse as Vice Captain. Funmi Fadoju was gamechanging throughout as she has been all season with multiple pickups and intercepts to help London Pulse fall just three off in the first quarter.
End of Quarter One: Manchester Thunder 15-12 London Pulse
Starting the second quarter, there were no changes with London Pulse’s Liv Tchine chasing away with one-point shots but in the Amex Super Shot zone, failed to convert. This was the same for Sophie Kelly as she only put two goals on the board throughout the 15 minutes but worked well with Liv Tchine to get her tally, in the quarter, to 13 goals. First goal for Eleanor Cardwell came six minutes in, proving just how dominant Pulse was in the second quarter with Alicia Scholes firing a pass to Tchine around 9 minutes left on the clock from one side of the court to the other.
A Tactical Change for Manchester Thunder saw Sophie Fawns come in at Goal Attack or Thunder with 7 minutes 45 on the clock and changed the game for the home side. After just one super shot in that quarter, she fired more and more in as the game went on. Various pick ups happened in the game from both Zara Everitt and Josie Huckle with Sophie Fawns performing an intercept in the centre third just before the Amex Super Shot period. Both Pulse defenders continued to double stack in the circle as they have done all season leaving Sophie Fawns open at times as they focused on shooter Eleanor Cardwell.
Half-time: Manchester Thunder 25-27 London Pulse
Photo taken from @londonpulsenetball on instagram
Changes from Thunder happened prior to the quarter with Cerys Finn came on as Goal Defence and Lois Pearson came back on but in the Wing Attack position with this changing the game. Cerys Finn defended against Sophie Kelly really well as she only put one one-pointer on the board with London Pulse missing opportunities throughout this quarter, slipping a two goal lead and tilted it to Thunder’s favour by six goals.
Gracie Smith had an intercept and pick up to her name with Sophie Kelly having a turnover in the quarter. Thunder had multiple passes around the court, making it difficult for Pulse to follow what they were doing with fresh legs helping the movement throughout the fifteen minutes.
End of Quarter Three: Manchester Thunder 42-36 London Pulse
Sam Bird did not change the lineup at all during the 60 minutes, and stuck with the same starting seven for majority of the season which confirmed a challenge for Alicia Scholes who just came off the back of an ankle injury and was yet to play a full game until then. Taylor McKevitt and Josie Huckle continued to intercept the ball ahead of the Pulse attackers with Pulse pressured to take shots and passes at times.
Manchester Thunder used all players when in the shooting third and even coming up to the centre third to change the flow of the game, with Funmi Fadoju reading the situation and adding another intercept to her list. After the second time out of the game, Pulse looked to try and attack with three super shots in a row for Sophie Kelly but a mis-timed pass from Alicia Scholes to Liv Tchine wasn’t read from the Goal Shooter. A Supershot from Eleanor Cardwell secured the win for Thunder and a one-pointer on the buzzer from Sophie Fawns earned her Player of the Match after her impressive performance throughout.
Ahead of the revamp in 2025, England Netball and Netball Super League 2.0 introduced the new U23 league, NXT Gen. This replaced the old U21 NPL League where emerging talents broke through with the NXT Gen consisting of nine teams, all of the Netball Super League sides and the addition of Team Bath. The 2025 competition was a tight one with Loughborough Lightning being champions.
The competition starts tomorrow (23rd January) prior to the new Super League season, with most teams playing the same side they would face in the league as they would in the NXT Gen. This essentially creates a “double header” sort of atmosphere with fans able to watch the game with their match ticket.
Last season, the Netball Super League player pool was reduced with 11 teams becoming 8 and 12 player squads becoming 10 which made it more of a struggle to get into the first team. The league allows players to continue to play under club settings but also will let them have a pathway towards the first team. 15 players are allowed in each side and four of the 15 can be older than 23, the players can also be called up as a temporary replacement into any of the eight NSL sides.
This season has introduced the Super Shot after its debut in the NSL during the 2025 season. For the last five minutes of each quarter, players who score from the zone will get two goal points instead of the usual one. There are also no draws so if a score is level at the end of play, it will continue until a team goes three points ahead with a win equalling three points and a loss having one point. If a game ends with five goals or less between them, there will be one extra point to the losing side.
Many of Team Bath’s players moved on since their removal from the league prior to the revamp but some stayed with the group and joined their NXTGen side. Current Co-Captain Ellie Ervine played for the side in the Netball Super League during her debut season in 2024 wearing the centre court positions. She was competing alongside her studies at University of Bath and stayed with the side while finishing her studies. She is a player to watch this campaign aiming to put the “gold” in blue and gold and using her NSL expertise to help her side improve from last season.
Some players play alongside university, have been in the NSL squads previously or even have played in the senior squads as temporary replacements. Some Players to watch across the league would be London Pulse’s Hannah Gibson, Team Bath’s Ellie Ervine, Manchester Thunder’s Shannon Mahlik, London Maverick’s Hannah Knightbridge and Loughborough Lightning’s Ellen Withington.
Loughborough Lightning winning squad from 2025 | Photo taken from @lborolightning on instagram
After coming through the ranks at Pulse, Hannah Gibson stays with the NXT Gen squad for another season becoming Vice Captain for this season. She was with the England Squad for the World Youth Cup in Gibraltar last year where they won bronze and the attacker looks to help her side this year in the league and even play in the senior side with her skills. She was also NXT Gen’s Player of the Season in the inaugural year.
Manchester Thunder’s Shannon Mahlik was performing alongside the senior squad last season and hopes her experience in the squad will help the thunder side this season. The shooter has been part of the pathway since she was 12 and proves to be a player to watch this season and hope her shooting skills will help her side.
Hannah Knightbridge made the move to London Mavericks this season after being with London Pulse in the past. The centre and wing attack performer was England’s captain in the Netball Youth Cup and after her season with London Pulse in the NXT Gen last year, she is a player to watch helping the movement across the court from the centre pass to the shooting third.
Ellen Withington is a player to watch this season after moving from Birmingham Panthers to Loughborough Lightning for the 2026 campaign. During last season, she made her debut for the Panthers and helped her side when needed during injuries, eventually replacing Gabby Marshall towards the end of the season. She hopes to bring her midcourt expertise to her new side and bring her quick transitional skills between defence and attack.
The games are shown on englandnetball.tv with fans also able to watch the games when in attendance watching the senior side in the NSL. The website offers fans to watch the NXT Gen games as well as the younger players in action such as the PL1 and NPL. Users can pay between £49.99 to £69.99 for a yearly pass depending on the leagues and single tickets cost £5.99 per match with the ticket valid for 2 days after.
To round off 2025, the current number four faces New Zealand (current number 2) and Jamaica (current number 3). The squad will remain the same across the two series, but against Jamaica, Natalie Metcalf returns to the roses after her maternity leave. Imogen Allison misses out on selection this time round due to Injury.
England face New Zealand (world number 2) for the Vitality Netball International Series in Manchester and London.
They first face each other this weekend at the Copperbox Arena, London. 15th November sees the first test with a first centre pass at 5pm with the two returning the following day (16/11) with pass starting at 3pm. They finish the series in Manchester at the AO Arena on 19th November, with the first centre pass at 7pm.
Vitality Netball Horizon Series:
Jamaica are the next opponents for the Vitality Roses who currently sit 3rd in the World rankings. There will be two games in Jamaica and two games in England across two weeks. They first are tested in Kingston Jamaica on the 6th December with a start of 10.30pm before returning the following day to start at 11pm.
The two then face off at the Copperbox in London across the 13th and 14th December (starting at 2.15pm and 2pm respectively). All games across the two series will be shown on Sky Sports for followers of the sport in the UK.
photo taken from @englandnetball on instagram
Players to Watch across the series:
Funmi Fadoju:
After a stellar season with London Pulse in the Netball Super League, the defender looks to carry on what she started. Her performances on the pitch helped her pulse side win the treble for the first time of the new era (Super Cup, Regular League and Final). Her passing and defending, on and off the ball, makes her one to watch across the two series.
Eleanor Cardwell:
The shooter returned to Manchester for her third stint after being in Australia for two seasons (Adelaide Thunderbirds and Melbourne Mavericks respectively) ahead of the 2026 season. The shooter has won silver at the Netball World Cup and Netball Nations Cup as well as winning the NSL with Thunder on 4 occasions and her calm under pressure shooting will help the side against New Zealand and Jamaica respectively.
Jaz Brown:
After her performances for Birmingham Panthers in 2025, she found her spot on the England Netball squad for the first time and moved to the NIC Leeds Rhinos for the 2026 season. The defender is clinical on the ball and challenges a number of shooters when in the circle to prevent goals raining in, proving her one to watch across the season.
20 teams head to Gibraltar this weekend as the Netball World Youth Cup kicks off. The teams were placed into pool groups of five in November and will play in a round robin format until the final days of the week tournament.
Each team will play each other once in their pool groups with the games being able to end in a draw. Based on their pool rankings, teams are reshuffled so if a team finishes fifth they still are in with a chance as they are placed into pool J to battle it out for 17-20th place. These games will also be played in a round robin format and can also be played to a draw.
In the pool stages, if you finished 1st or 2nd, they will be playing for 1-8th with the 3rd and 4th place finishers will be playing for a place between 9th and 16th. These games will not be allowed to be drawn (maybe even having extra time) and will be played in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.
Games will be shown on NetballPass and YouTube for Free. The final three days of the competition and closing ceremony will be exclusive to NetballPass.
Netball World Youth Cup Ball | photo taken from @netballworldcup on instagram
Take a look at the 20 teams:
Pool A:
Pool A consists of New Zealand, Gibraltar, Malaysia, Cook Islands and Zambia. The Cook Islands have reached 3rd place which remains their highest international achievement meanwhile for Gibraltar, the U21 made their debut in the Challenge Cup and came away with a gold medal.
Malaysia: Haisya Abdul Qayyum, Izzazrin, Ahmad Yani, Nuriz Amir Din, Eileen Kong Inn Ci, Farwiza Mohd Fauzi, Maizaturizwana Mohd Ridzuan, Adalia Mustazal, Ellysa Norman Effendy, Fatin Rahmad, Pavitrah Sathiaseelan, Humaria’ Shaharuddin and Akhma Suhhaimi.
Gibraltar: Alexandra Dellipiani, Anna Howard, Natasha Mena, Sophia Shacaluga, Cellene Griffins, Demi Zammit, Neima Roberts Cantrell, Sophia Purkiss Galan, Arabella Duck, Emma Torres, Freya Artell and Lorena Davidson.
New Zealand: Amelia Walmsey, Charlotte Manley, Ella Southby, Josie Seymour, Kaiya Kepa, Kate Taylor, Khanye-Lii Munro-Nonoa, Laura Balmer, Losa Fifita, Sarah Guiney, Serina Daunakamakama, Taiana Day.
Pool B:
Pool B contains Australia, Samoa, Scotland, Singapore and Northern Ireland. Australia have competed in every WYC since the tournament’s debut in 1988 and have won it four times, the last was in 2009. Samoa finished in 11th last competition and Singapore has competed in the competitions since 2009.
Northern Ireland: Catelyn Burns, Joy Ebbinghaus, Emilia Gordon, Tillie Irvine, Mia Lanigan, Zoe Maynard, Rosa McCloskey, Ana Mulholland, Alice O’Brien, Mica Quinn, Eva Ramsey, Immi Shaw.
Singapore: Charlotte Megan Rui Lee, Faithmaria Ifeoma McKevin Lawrence, Divya Mathilda B, Tian Ning Faith Tay, Kimberly Jing Ting Koh, Li Xuan Lee, May Xin Tham, Naeya Chandra Sanders, Norah Paul Gabriel, Tessa Shu Hui Teh, Yasmin Iman Binte Rizal Idwin, Zulfa Rashad D/O Rayhan.
photo taken from @netballni on instagram
Pool C:
Pool C has England, Jamaica, Tonga, Wales and Sri Lanka. England’s highest place is 2nd in 3 tournaments (2009, 2005 and 1992) and Jamaica will be in their sixth World Cup. Tonga are welcomed to their first WYC with Wales competing in the competition since 1988.
Lastly, Pool D has Fiji, South Africa, Malawi, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago. Barbados have competed in five competitions (including the last competition in 2017) and their highest finish was 7th in 2013. Fiji’s highest finish was in 2017 after they placed fourth and hosted the first Netball Youth World Cup in 1992 with South Africa having consistently finished in 5th place in the competition.
South Africa: Jade Atkins, Renezia Andrews, Ametisse Bandu, Kyla Dames, Mbali Diphoko, Lisa Ingwersen, Luca Keun, Bianca Lubbe, Nonkcubeko Mjaliswa, Phophi Nematangari, Zahrah Noah, Giada Prinsloo, Luane Smith, Karla Victor and Kiara Van Eeden.
Some players to watch from each home nation would be Hannah Knightbridge (England), Wales’ Dani Carr, Zoe Maynard from Northern Ireland and finally Scotland’s Cerys Finn.
Knightbridge is England’s captain and after her season with London Pulse in the NXT Gen, she is a player to watch helping the movement across the court from the centre pass to the shooting third.
Dani Carr had a stellar season with the Team Bath NXT Gen squad after finishing second in the inaugural competition and her shooting excellence will help the Welsh feathers in Gibraltar.
Zoe Maynard from Northern Ireland has been in the ranks for a while now as she looks to help move her side from the centre third and create goals after helping Team Bath in the Senior PDP set up.
Finally, after her time with London Mavericks in the NSL, Cerys Finn is looking to help the thistles defend as many chances as they get and help their Scottish side get a good place in the rankings.
