Season 2024 has been far from what Gina Crampton expected.
In June 2023 the former Silver Ferns captain announced she would be taking a break from the sport – both internationally and domestically – to head to the United States to join her All Blacks Sevens partner, Fa’asiu Fuatai, in New York.
But after Fuatai’s New York Rugby team folded late last year, the talented sporting couple decided to proceed with a season abroad and found themselves calling Sydney home.
With all Suncorp Super Netball lists finalised by then, Crampton found an opening to join the GIANTS as one of four training partners.
Happy to take on that role, the overqualified 32-year-old has played her role in improving the standards of the training environment and stepping in when required.
After playing a few games for the club throughout pre-season the livewire midcourter earned a call up for Saturday’s round eight match against the Melbourne Vixens to replace injured co-captain Jamie-Lee Price.
Back in New Zealand at the time – on a two-game temporary replacement contract with former club Robinhood Stars – Crampton received the call from Julie Fitzgerald and quickly made the quick trip back to Sydney (and then Melbourne) to replace the GIANTS’ star midcourter.
Having played 150 games of National League netball in New Zealand as well as 68 games for the Silver Ferns, Crampton is no stranger to the main stage, however the 32-year-old admitted there were a few nerves ahead of her GIANTS debut.
“It was definitely the most nervous I've been in a long time,” she admitted.
“It’s a good thing though. You know it means something when you feel that way.
“I guess I've watched Suncorp Super Netball from afar for so long but to be amongst it was so cool – the massive crowd and the level of entertainment, it was really special.
“Obviously the scoreline wasn’t the greatest but there were definitely some good patches to take out of it.”
Crampton was injected into the game at the start of the second half, replacing Maddie Hay at wing attack and becoming GIANT #32.
With 13 centre pass receives and nine goal assists, the experienced campaigner tried her best to spark the trailing GIANTS.
Regardless of Saturday’s result, the former Southern Steel and Robinhood Star said she is loving every moment of her time in the orange and charcoal.
“It's been awesome to get to know the people properly. Like I've played against lots of these girls over the years but never really been able to share a space with them,” she said.
“The environment, the facilities, the culture - it’s all been great.”
Reflecting on the past six months - which has involved signing a training partner contract with the GIANTS, some back and forth to New Zealand to help out her former side and a Super Netball debut - Crampton said she’s just riding the wave.
“If you had of told me that was the plan at Christmas time, I would have definitely not believed you,” she said.
“But it’s super cool and I'm loving it.
“I think especially so late in my career that it’s sort of just about taking any opportunity.
“Things have really changed up for me but I'm enjoying it and stoked that this opportunity came up.”
It wasn’t a typical post-match recovery for the GIANTS’ latest debutant on Sunday, with the 151-gamer jumping back on a plane to return to New Zealand to fulfill the duties of her replacement player contract and play with the Stars on Monday evening.
