It hasn’t been an easy or traditional path to becoming an elite, world-class athlete, but for GIANTS Netball training partner Liam Forcadilla, persistence, and a desire to help grow men’s netball have underpinned a remarkable rise to the very top of the sport.
A former basketballer who grew up in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, Forcadilla admits that at just 19 he wasn’t even aware men’s netball competitions existed. Fast forward a decade and he has reached the pinnacle of the sport, recently being voted Netball Scoop’s World’s Best Men’s Netball Player for 2025.
A powerful and energetic midcourter, Forcadilla’s on-court brilliance most recently saw him play a key role in the Australian Kelpies’ successful World Cup preparations against South Africa in Johannesburg, with the Aussies taking out the series 3-0 on foreign soil.
“The South African crowds were insane, so loud and passionate and it was the most intense atmosphere I've ever played international netball in front of,” Forcadilla said.
“The South African men's team improved every game, and it was physical battles filled with that flair that African teams are known for. It was a new challenge for the Kelpies and we learnt a lot about different netball styles, and it's good to see the strength of African netball and I'm sure both sides will take learnings into the Men's World Cup campaign preparation.”
While he’s currently inspiring the next generation of male netballers, Forcadilla’s rise to the top of men’s netball was a journey that very nearly never happened.
“I was a basketball player and played championship division for the Newcastle Hunters (in what is now NBL1) when I was 19 before I made the switch to netball,” he reflected.
“I had joined a social mixed [netball] team at uni when someone involved with Men's Netball NSW happened to see me play and asked me to join the u20's NSW team for 2016. At that point I did not know that men's netball competitions existed.”
Forcadilla was soon hooked on the sport and despite the barriers in his way as a male in a heavily female-focused sport, he was hellbent on pursuing his newfound passion.
“There were definitely limited opportunities for boys and men to play netball, so I was making the four-and-a-half-hour round trip from Newcastle to Sydney three times a week to train with NSW and play in the NSW M-League,” he said.
Having certainly caught the netball bug, it didn’t take the enthusiastic youngster long to rapidly rise through the ranks, with Forcadilla’s talent seeing him soon named in numerous state representative sides, then underage national sides, and ultimately becoming a key piece of the Australian Kelpies.
Now, in 2026, Forcadilla sits firmly amongst the best of the best in men’s netball, even having captained the country last year as Australia became the Fast5 World Series Champions.
For Forcadilla, who is now based in Sydney, being a Kelpie has changed his life.
“My time being a part of the Kelpies environment has been nothing short of life-changing.
“I was a part of the first international men's test match to be televised, and to be a part of the rapid rise and growth of men's netball has been so inspiring. A massive reason why I still play is to continue to push the men's space to greater heights.
“The shift in perceptions around boys and men in netball is evident, with netball now the eighth most popular sport for boys and men in Australia (greater participation numbers than Rugby Union according to AusPlay statistics for 2024).
“To play in the Kelpies team in another first test series against South Africa, is something that I never would have believed could have been achieved when I first started playing netball 10 years ago.
“The Australian Men's Netball Program has taken me around the world. It has shaped me into who I am, shown me how to be strong within myself, taught me how to be a role model and leader and also given me my community that I want to give back to.”
Also a key part of the joy he has found in the sport is his relationship with GIANTS Netball, with the 29-year-old a valued and popular member of the club as one of its training partners once again in 2026.
“I was so lucky that [former GIANTS coach and netball icon] Julie Fitzgerald (assistant coach of the Kelpies at the time) asked me to be a training partner whilst on tour with the Australian Kelpies in 2024,” he said.
“I have loved being a training partner at GIANTS Netball for the last two years. Being a part of the orange family, and an extension of the team, has sparked more passion to the sport.
“I am the biggest fan of the girls and sometimes I still pinch myself when I take a step back and realise I am training with athletes I have admired and followed for majority of my career.
“I am so proud to be involved with GIANTS and be at an SSN club that actively champions their male training partners.
“It’s more than investment into my athletic development, it’s also investing in the visibility of the men’s game and that will hopefully inspire young boys and men in NSW to not only play netball but to barrack for the GIANTS.
“The GIANTS team and staff were able to attend the AMMNA nationals grand final last year to support me, and the girls have come courtside to cheer me on at NSW metro league too. I feel I am in the best form of my career since joining GIANTS as a training partner, the opportunity to be supported by all of the staff at the highest level of netball is something not many male netballers get the privilege of experiencing, and has really helped elevate my game to the next level.
“More than training and gym opportunities, the access to education on being an elite athlete, as well as wellbeing support has been a revelation for myself. Being at the GIANTS has inspired me to study a post-grad in Athlete Wellness and Management, so hopefully one day I can work in netball and give back to future athletes.”
While men’s netball has come a long way, Forcadilla admits there’s still much more work to be done.
“A core value of being a Kelpie is being a custodian of the game, to leave men’s netball in a better place than when we entered it. We have built an amazing program that would be equal to the elite women’s program, all without the resources and funding.
“The netball product we produce is full of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness - with the Kelpies setting the standard for the rest of the world. The growth of men's netball in Australia and globally over the last five years has been rapid and it has been amazing to experience that in my position within the Kelpies team.
With the men’s game still entirely self-funded and often costing players more than $10,000 per year to represent their country, Forcadilla says continued investment and support will be key to ensuring the sport can continue to grow.
