Kiwi ace re-signs as Giant makes a Super move for love
Melissa Woods |
New Zealand shooting star Grace Nweke and Diamonds midcourt ace Jamie-Lee Price have decided their Super Netball futures, with the NSW Swifts and Melbourne Mavericks the big winners.
Nweke has re-signed with the Swifts after being granted an exemption by New Zealand Netball that makes her available for Test selection despite playing in Australia rather than at home.
The Melbourne Mavericks on Monday confirmed the arrival of Price from the Giants, with her signature following that of ex-Lightning shooter Reilley Batcheldor, who replaces Sasha Glasgow.
The newest Super side locked in Price after she announced her plans to move from Sydney to Melbourne to be with her partner, Collingwood AFL player Harry Perryman.
The departure is a blow for the Giants, with former co-captain Price winning their past three player-of-the-year gongs.
The 29-year-old, known for her physicality, has been a regular in the Australian squad for the past eight years, part of the line-up that won the last World Cup in Cape Town in 2023.
Mavs general manager Shae Bolton-Brown said the club, which finished second last in their second season, were determined not to miss out on signing Price once they heard she was moving south.
“When we heard that Jamie-Lee was keen to move to Melbourne, we knew this was a signature we had to get,” Bolton-Brown said.
“Obviously she is a world-class talent, but with a relatively young squad we think her leadership on and off the court is a really valuable asset as well.”
Nweke, 23, won the Swifts’ MVP award in her first Super season, but was initially reluctant to commit beyond a year, with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026, followed by the World Cup in Sydney in 2027.
Her form dipped towards the end of the season as the Swifts bowed out in the preliminary final, but head coach Briony Akle said Nweke would return an even better player in 2026.
“Grace has made a phenomenal impact on the Swifts and the whole SSN competition in a very short period of time, and I know we’ve only just started to see what she can do,” Akle said.
“It takes a lot of bravery to leave everything you’ve ever known and back yourself to thrive in a new and challenging environment, but Grace did that, and I know she will be even better in 2026.”
Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua was happy to have Nweke at her disposal.
“I was very pleased to see Grace apply for an exemption under the updated eligibility criteria and process, and we are thrilled that the Netball New Zealand Board approved it so she can play for the SiIver Ferns in 2025 and 2026,” Taurua said in a statement.
In other signing news, the Giants have secured dual premiership player Lucy Austin for 2026, the shooter shifting from the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
AAP
