WITH a number of netball leagues across the world being suspended due to COVID-19, the Draft Central team is making a case for the top 25 players under 25-years-old across the netball world. With so much talent at our disposal, this countdown is purely opinion-based, taking into consideration recent form, individual potential and future development.
Draft Central’s Top International Young Gun is Shamera Sterling! Sterling is just on the cusp of the age bracket, and with some of the most impressive raw talent going around in the goal keeper position there was no way she could miss out on top spot.
Arguably one of the biggest stars in international netball at the moment, the 24-year-old Jamaican jumped onto the international scene with her daring and personality and has not looked back since. Sterling is a player that has the whole crowd holding their breath, waiting for her to make that big show-stopping intercept that will change the game – and nine times out of 10, she will do just that, making her an excitement machine working off the crowd with confidence coming in drove.
Standing at 190cm, Sterling is all arms and legs but makes it work, with an impressive burst of speed proving crucial in defence while her phenomenal hands over pressure makes her a massive threat to any player she comes across. Unfazed going into the contest, Sterling is quick and agile and while she finds herself contesting plenty of ball, her relative cleanliness is impressive. With plenty of personality coming out on the court, Sterling has plenty to improve on in the attitude department but that just goes to show how much room she still has to grow – making her a massive point of development with more time on the international stage.
Sterling has the speed off the stop to be the crucial link for any defensive unit, finding a load of loose ball with her long limbs and timing to intercept or deflect and gather the netball to take control and send the ball back up to attack. Sterling ended her debut Suncorp Super Netball season at the top of the 2019 leaderboard for deflections and defensive rebounds, storming onto the court and well and truly making each match her own with an ability to dominate the contest and change up the game with ease.
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Draft Central’s Top 25 International Young Guns:
25. Latanya Wilson (Jamaica)
24. Summer Artman (England)
23. Sophie Drakeford-Lewis (England)
22. Matilda Garrett (Australia)
21. Razia Quashie (England)
20. Sophie Garbin (Australia)
19. Imogen Allison (England)
18. Kelly Jury (New Zealand)
17. Tara Hinchliffe (Australia)
16. Aliyah Dunn (New Zealand)
15. Whitney Souness (New Zealand)
14. Amy Parmenter (Australia)
13. Cara Koenen (Australia)
12. Kate Eddy (Australia)
11. Kiera Austin (Australia)
10. Grace Nweke (New Zealand)
9. Kadie-Ann Dehaney (Jamaica)
8. Ine-Mari Venter (South Africa)
7. Kimiora Poi (New Zealand)
6. George Fisher (England)
5. Kim Jenner (Australia)
4. Maia Wilson (New Zealand)
3. Fran Williams (England)
2. Sigi Burger (South Africa)
1. Shamera Sterling (Jamaica)
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