The 2022 Vitality Netball Superleague is approaching – and teams are busy building what they hope will be winning sides ahead of the new campaign.
Among the most confident team bosses is Severn Stars head coach Melissa Bessell, who has announced a full Superleague roster that she labelled a “powerhouse team”.
The side includes veterans like the England Vitality Roses technical coach, Liana Leota and New Zealander Car Tuivati, alongside new signings like Katie Harris and Nicole Humphries, signed from Wasps and Surrey Storm respectively.
With Summer Artman joining from Team Bath and Michelle Drayne making the switch from London Pulse, the Stars could be the team to watch this season.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bessell said:”I know that the team I have pulled together is not just exciting, but has calibre, spirit and experience.”
She added: “I am bringing together so much contrasting talent, which means I can choose incredible and show-stopping talent while changing the whole dynamics of the game. For me, that’s really exhilarating.”
Fans may want to get their netball hoodies in order to be kitted out ahead of the start of the new campaign.
Other teams hoping to do well will include Celtic Dragons, who have signed up South African attacker Lefebre Rademan from London Pulse and defender Annabel Roddy from Loughborough Lightning.
Keen fans will be closely watching the performances of both the English players and those from other Commonwealth nations ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next summer, when England will seek to defend the title they won on the Gold Coast in 2018.
England are certainly in good form after their recent 2-1 series win in New Zealand and will be seeking to keep it up when they host Jamaica in a three-match series between November 28th and December 5th.
The first match will take place at London’s Copperbox Arena and the last two at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.