Toni Anderson and Latika Tombs will both return for another season and will be joined by four of New South Wales’ most promising young stars in Matisse Letherbarrow, Sophie Dwyer, Clare Iongi and Claire O’Brien.
In 2020, GIANTS Netball training partners will have involvement in both the full squad as well as the GIANTS Netball academy.
Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald is renowned for her development and belief in training partners. All former training partners either now with full contracts or on-court experience at Super Netball level.
Toni Anderson
After having one of her strongest seasons in 2019, Anderson returns for a second year as a GIANTS Netball training partner. An already capped Suncorp Super Netball player, Anderson was given a spot in the 2017 GIANTS Netball team and took the court on four occasions. The versatile defensive player spent 2018 abroad in the UK Superleague competition, before returning home for a spot as training partner and year in the Deakin University Australian Netball League.
Latika Tombs
At 19 years of age, Tombs will return to GIANTS Netball for a second year of development and exposure to elite netball. The strong midcourter is a powerful player with safe ball delivery and execution. 2019 saw Tombs captain the 19U New South Wales side at the National Netball Championships as well as test her game in the Deakin University Australian Netball League.
Matisse Letherbarrow
17-year-old Matisse Letherbarrow has a promising netball career ahead of her. The 188cm shooter has been playing in the Australian Netball League since she was 16 years oldand was selected in the 17U Australian Squad in both 2018 and 2019. She captained the NSW 17U State Team at the 2019 National Netball Championships and would be expected to line up for her state in the 19U age division again in 2020.
Sophie Dwyer
An exciting talent in the netball scene will call GIANTS home in 2020. Dwyer, 18 years old, will be eligible for another year of 19U National Netball Championships next year and was recently invited to Netball Australia’s Development Camp alongside fellow GIANTS Kiera Austin, Amy Parmenter, Kristiana Manu’a and Sam Poolman. In 2018, Dwyer lined up for the NNSW Waratahs, taking home the player of the final despite being in the losing side.
Clare Iongi
Clare Iongi will have her first look into a Suncorp Super Netball Squad when she joins GIANTS Netball as a training partner in 2020. Iongi is a very athletic player and has been described as exciting to watch. In 2019 the 19- year old defender was a member of both the 19U New South Wales State team, Netball NSW Waratahs and was also coached by GIANTS Netball Assistant Coach and Academy Manager Jenny O’Keeffe in the NSW Premier League.
Claire O’Brien
O’Brien will join the GIANTS Netball setup as a training partner despite already having 13 Suncorp Super Netball caps to her name. After suffering a season-ending injury in 2018, the now 22-year-old midcourter spent 2019 completing the final stages of rehab and claiming a silver medal in the Deakin University Australian Netball League with the Netball NSW Waratahs. O’Brien came through the representative ranks alongside fellow GIANTS players Parmenter and Austin and was also a member of the last Youth World Cup team that participated in Botsawana in 2017.
