‘Talent is there’: Diamonds gun backs netball expansion with fear young Aussies could fall behind

Super Netball should consider expanding the competition in a bid to allow young Australians time to develop, Diamonds vice-captain Paige Hadley says.

With Netball New Zealand relaxing their international eligibility rules, eight Silver Ferns (former and current) have now signed on for Super Netball in 2026.

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That means there’s now seven nations that will be represented in Super Netball, but with only 10 contracted spots available per team it’s also limiting the deals offered to young Diamonds hopefuls.

Hadley believes it’s time to expand – with the current broadcast deal of four games per round finishing up at the end of 2026.

“The talent that we do have globally, but also on our own home shores is exceptional,” she told Fox Sports News.

“I do think there’s probably potential to have more teams in there to give those opportunities to have more players.

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“When I was coming through, there was 12 contracted players – not just 10. A lot of us sat on the bench those first few years and got the experience in the training environment and then stepped on the court.

“Now looking at 10 players in a team, you need to be ready to play week in, week out because there’s not many substitutions.

“I probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to do what I do if I didn’t get that opportunity early on in my career – to be there now 15 years at the Swifts, I would never have thought that.

“There needs to be a way to get our Australian talent out there, whether it’s in those development pathways or going internationally to New Zealand now or England to get that experience to able to come back and play in this best league.”

There’s been plenty of debate over whether the influx of Kiwi talent is denying Australian pathway players those opportunities that were there previously – and whether it will be at a detriment for future Diamonds success.

But Hadley believes it works both ways.

“Australia is going to have to find ways to be able to challenge and make sure at those other pinnacle events we’re the top performing team,” she said.

“Obviously as a Diamond, you look at Jamaica and England – every other country has come into our competition and continued to get better. I thought New Zealand were always going to find a way to open the gates for them – the pinnacle events are next year with Comm Games and then 2027 that World Cup is probably the highest pinnacle in netball.

“To be able to get their top players over here to experience the intensity, playing week in, week out against Australian players, Jamaican players … props to Grace (Nweke) for being able to come to Super Netball and sacrifice the opportunity to play for New Zealand initially. She knew that she needed to develop her game.

“There was a lot of Kiwis who wanted to do the same but were just wanting for the tick of approval to get that contract over here. We’re going to have to continue to find ways to beat them.

“Whilst it’s good for them – it’s also good for us, playing them week in, week out, find different things and ways to beat them in those personal match ups.”

What Super Netball looks like beyond 2026 remains unclear, with Netball Australia CEO Stacey West previously stating she’d be open to a trans-Tasman link.

“We will absolutely continue to explore what growth is for the league,” she said last November when asked on a possible link back to New Zealand.

“We have a really great relationship with Netball New Zealand. We meet on a whole range of issues every year … I think the relationship between the two nations is good and strong.

“We know the southern hemisphere game is in a really great position with incredible performances both on their side and our side of the ditch.

“We will continue to work through what might be possible.”

As it stands, there is no current limit in Super Netball on the number of imports teams can have.

In 2026, the Queensland Firebirds will lead that with five of their 10 contracted athletes recruited from outside of Australia. In total, of the 80 Super Netball positions 21 will be held by imports – up from 18 in 2025.