Showing posts for: Shadine Van Der Merwe
PREVIEW | NSL Round 6 – one third of the season done and dusted

IT is already the one third mark of the 2024 Netball Super League season, and as always there are some particularly intriguing matches on the menu this weekend. GAME OF THE ROUND Manchester Thunder vs Loughborough Lightning Another top two clash, and a replay of one of last year’s semi finals, it is sure to […]

Pecking order starts to settle in NSL

THE action over the weekend in the Netball Super League certainly helped give fans a better idea of how each team is tracking this season. In a match that was tight by comparison to others, the Saracens Mavericks got on the board in 2024 with a 53 to 44 goal win over the Leeds Rhinos. […]

2024 Netball Super League Preview – Manchester Thunder

THE 2024 Netball Super League season is almost upon us, and to celebrate the build up to the season, Rookie Me Central will be previewing each of the 10 competing teams and seeing how this year might unfold for them. It is the halfway mark of the preview series, and today’s team is the Manchester […]

Thunder trusting the status quo ahead of 2024

MANCHESTER Thunder became the penultimate side to finalise their 2024 Netball Super League squad, with a few new faces set to don the yellow dress in 2024. There are eight members of the 2023 third place finishing side that are returning to the side in 2024. Lois Pearson, Amy Carter, Taylor McKevitt, Natalie Metcalf, Ella […]

Singapore cracks through for first win

SINGAPORE has finally broken through for its first win over the tournament, scraping home against Sri Lanka in the second preliminary group stage by just three goals. The lowest ranked nation at the tournament way down in 28th, Singapore was able to knock off the 15th placed Sri Lanka in a thrilling, topsy-turvy contest, 55-52. […]

Scotland shakes off Barbados for bounce-back win

AFTER a heartbreaking loss to Malawi the day before in the 2023 Netball World Cup, Scotland responded in the best way possible, defeating Barbados by nine goals in a hard-fought contest. The Thistles and Bajan Gems had a fantastic tussle throughout the first half, and it took until the second half for the higher ranked […]

2023 Netball World Cup preview: South Africa

THE 2023 Netball World Cup is almost here, and to help count down to the tournament we here at Rookie Me Central will be previewing all the competing teams and seeing how they might fair at the tournament. Today it is all about the tournament hosts South Africa. HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA AT THE NETBALL […]

Jo’s unique Trip to a Super League return

THERE are few people in the Netball Super League quite like Severn Stars’ player-coach Jo Trip. Not only is she a one-of-a-kind defender from the other side of the world, but she is one of only two playing coaches in the league, with playing coaches themselves a rare site in modern elite sport. Although when […]

Potgieter left shocked by “horrible” Thunderbirds axing

SOUTH African goal shooting star Lenize Potgieter has sensationally declared the Suncorp Super Netball as “not normal netball anymore” and described her dumping from Adelaide Thunderbirds as a “rubbish feeling”. In an exclusive interview with Rookie Me Central, Potgieter said she was “quite shocked” to not earn another contract with the Thunderbirds after what she […]

NSL Player Focus: Shadine Van Der Merwe (Manchester Thunder)

LAST weekend saw Manchester Thunder bring Loughborough Lightning’s undefeated run to an end, and one key part of the Thunder’s win was defender Shadine Van der Merwe. The experienced South African played a crucial role in quelling the influence of key Lightning players, which allowed the Thunder to move ahead on the scoreboard and take […]

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