Tamsin Greenway’s Vitality Roses Watch
Written by News on 13/01/2019
“It is a huge six months for players, teams, coaches and for fans. It’s going to be spectacular and we’re going to be talking about netball like we never have before,” says Sky Sports expert Tamsin Greenway.
2019 started with a phenomenal opening day of the new Vitality Superleague season and now the Superleague is joined by a pivotal tournament for the Vitality Roses – the Netball Quad Series.
Head coach Tracey Neville has already named her 12-player squad for the matches against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia and the Roses’ first encounter is a meeting with the Silver Ferns live on Sky Sports Mix on Sunday from 5.30pm.
Here, Greenway marks your cards with five names to keep an eye on, both now, and over the coming months. Not all are established starters for the Roses, but, all demand your attention!
Serena Guthrie
She is the best mid-courter in the world and, if England have got any chance of winning the World Cup, she’s going to play an important part in that.
We get to see her every week now, she’s come back to Bath and she didn’t disappoint at Super 10. She’s a real winner and it’s not just what she does individually, it’s who she inspires around her. Her being here [in Superleague] gives our younger players an opportunity to play against her.
It’s a big year for Serena Guthrie. It’s a big risk her coming back to play in our league this year, she needs to stay at the top of her game, which I’ve no doubt that she will do.
It’s going to be a massive year and England need to make sure that she gets to Liverpool unscathed.
Geva Mentor
The world’s best GK. She’s many people’s favourite – she’s a legend.
In domestic netball, she’s left the Sunshine Coast and made a big move down to Melbourne. Again, England’s chances rely on the fact that she’s is going to be the best of the best and that’s what she has been for the past couple of seasons.
The Quad Series is another opportunity to see her, she didn’t play the Uganda Series, and she’s just so influential in England’s defensive end.
For those watching overseas this season, look at how Geva will be doing at the Collingwood Magpies. England need her, she’s lethal and just the best!
Rachel Dunn
She’s got back in for the Quad Series and has got six months to try and stay in there now and make that World Cup side – she didn’t go to the Commonwealths.
Rachel has been around for years. It’s her 14th Superleague season, she’s been in it from the very beginning.
Why I’ve picked her is that those, sort of, back up players are going to be massive in the next six months.
One, to push the youngsters coming through and those that are in the starting positions and two, to have a really valuable back up player that can go on [at the World Cup] against the likes of Uganda and teams like that, and can still win you the game.
I think she’s playing the game [netball] of her life at the moment, to think that she’s 36-years-old and she’s been in the game so long. She’s a credit to everybody’.
Rachel has been in, she’s been out and she’s worked her way back into the squad. I just think that we should celebrate that as well.
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis
Sophie Drakeford-Lewis is my outsider.
She wasn’t named in the long-squad of 26 and she’s not playing in the England A or Quad Series. However, she was absolutely outstanding for Bath on Saturday [against Celtic Dragons]. I actually think she is one of the players that could be knocking at that door.
There is a huge shooting group at the moment – your Ellie Cardwells, your Kadeen Corbins, Ella Clarks – that haven’t made it [into the Quad Series first-team squad].
But, for me Sophie Drakeford-Lewis is not only catching them up, she could ultimately overtake them by the time the World Cup comes around.
I don’t think that she’ll be going to the World Cup by any means but I think that we need to start looking at who England’s next goal attacks are and I think that she is one of them.
Fran Williams & Razia Quashie
I’ve put the two in together because they are the outsiders for the World Cup. There is a spot in the defensive end especially because of injuries – Jodie Gibson is not quite ready yet and Beth Cobden – they’re going to be battling to get back.
These two [Williams and Quashie] have been given a chance in the Quad Series and were given a chance against Uganda.
They both didn’t start for their Superleague teams at Super 10 but came on and made a huge impact. They need to be pushing to make sure that they’re starting in Superleague by the time World Cup comes around.
They want to be looking and saying, ‘right if there is a spot available are we fit and ready?’ and I think they’re my two youngsters that could, could potentially get that 12th World Cup squad spot.
Watch every game of the Netball Quad Series which starts on Sunday, coverage is live on Sky Sports Mix and Arena from 3.15pm. Sky Sports will also show every game live of the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup, July 12-21.
(c) Sky News 2019: Tamsin Greenway’s Vitality Roses Watch
