The GIANTS are pleased to announce their training partner cohort for the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season.
Three new faces will join returning GIANT Charli Filder, as Julie Fitzgerald bolsters her extended squad with a mix of experience and next generation talent.
Headlining the signings is Silver Fern Gina Crampton.
The international midcourter announced in June 2023 that she would be taking a break from the Ferns and the ANZ Premiership competition in 2024 to be with her partner who plays professional Rugby.
Following a relocation to Sydney, the 32-year-old reached out to the club to see what opportunities there were for her to join the squad.
The former Silver Ferns captain is predominantly a wing attack but is also an effective centre. The livewire midcourter has 70 international caps to her name and showcases her skillset through her speed, drive off the line and adept feeding ability while executing her well-performed attacking duties.
Crampton will add a wealth of experience to the GIANTS environment and act as an exceptional training resource for the GIANTS’ midcourt on a weekly basis.
The GIANTS have also added one of the most promising goalers in the Netball NSW pathway, elevating GIANTS Academy athlete Monika ‘Otai to a training partner.
The 18-year-old continued to cement herself as a star of the future in 2023, as she had a jam-packed year representing New South Wales at the National Underage Championships, captaining the Australian Fast5 team at the Commonwealth Youth Games and playing for the GIANTS Academy at the Australian Netball Championships.
The Academy graduate is a tall, mobile shooter who can play across both positions and is not afraid to turn and shoot.
Another New South Wales talent has signed with the club, with Manly Warringah product Kelly Singleton returning home after a season with the Collingwood Magpies.
The 24-year-old first entered the Super Netball scene when she joined the Swifts extended squad during the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
At 180cm tall, Singleton is a smart and versatile attacker who can play as both GA and WA.
The trio of new signings join Charli Fidler who continues to remain earmarked by Julie Fitzgerald as a future GIANT.
The Eastwood-Ryde junior enters her third season as a training partner after a strong campaign with the GIANTS Academy in the Australian Netball Championships in Moreton Bay last year.
Fidler – who is set to represent the new South West Mounties Magic in Netball NSW’s Premier League competition - is a dogged-defender who reads the play well and in return wins plenty of ball for her team both inside and outside the circle.
GIANTS head coach Julie Fitzgerald said she was thrilled to confirm her extended squad for the 2024 season.
“This year we approached our signings a little differently but I'm certainly excited by who we’ve been able to sign as training partners,” Fitzgerald said.
“All four of them join us at different stages of their career but all will complement our training environment and contribute to what we’re trying to achieve not only this year but into the future as a club.
“Adding someone like Gina [Crampton] into our environment is a huge boost. To have someone of her calibre and experience on the court for our midcourt to train against on a weekly basis will only have our squad better placed for the talent they are set to come up against this season.
“Similarly, Kelly [Singleton] enters our setup with Super Netball experience through her time with Collingwood and Swifts. She’s a ready-made talent who fills the void of a style of player we don’t currently have on our list and will bolster our wider squad.
“I’m excited by the addition of Monika [‘Otai] and for her future to be linked with the orange and charcoal. She’s a promising young netballer with a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing her development over the next 12 months as I believe she will relish from all the services provided in our high-performance environment.
“And lastly, we have Charli [Fidler] who returns for her third season. She continues to show her potential as she makes great strides in her development and is a player who continually makes the most of her opportunities.”
Following the announcement of the training partners and the return of Netball Nations Cup Champions, Jamie-Lee Price and Sophie Dwyer, the GIANTS will look to have their full squad together for the first time next week.
