A revered leader and one of the world’s best players, Jo Harten will lead GIANTS Netball into the 2022 season, her third year in the top position.
Just the second person to captain the club in the sixth year of the Suncorp Super Netball competition, 32-year-old Harten is coming off another club MVP award in 2021, her third award in five seasons.
A key member of the English Roses, Harten was part of the England team that won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and received an MBE for her services to netball in 2020.
In 2021 Harten played her 150th national league match and she has become one of the most successful figures in world netball.
Harten will be supported by Diamond Jamie-Lee Price as vice-captain, the first time the Bankstown junior has been named in a formal leadership position.
The 26-year-old is an inaugural player at GIANTS Netball and made her Origin Australian Diamonds debut in 2018 on her way to becoming one of the most dominant midcourters in the League.
Fellow NSW junior Maddie Hay, from the Sutherland Shire Netball Association, has also been named in the leadership group for the first time.
Hay, also 26, has been a training partner for the GIANTS since 2017 and received her first contract with the squad in 2020.
Coming off a career-best season, Hay is one of the most consistent wing attacks in the league scoring the third-highest Nissan Net Points across the entire competition in 2021.
Harten said it is an honour to continue to lead the GIANTS.
“It’s one of my greatest privileges to lead this group of athletes and I’m thrilled to continue as captain in 2022,” Harten said.
“It’s also a great endorsement of our culture as a club to see Jamie-Lee elevated to vice-captain and Maddie join the leadership group. I’ve watched the two of them grow both on and off the court since GIANTS Netball began and they both have so much to offer as leaders.
“This is a young, exciting group of home-grown talent and I can’t wait to get out on court and see what we can achieve together this season.”
Coach Julie Fitzgerald said she’s looking forward to the season beginning.
“Jo is one of the most revered figures in our game and there’s no better player and person to lead us into this season,” she said.
“We’re building a young core of emerging leaders around her in Jamie-Lee and Maddie along with other players who will continue to drive our culture and standards.
“After the disruptions of the past two years and a long pre-season, we just can’t wait to get out there for season 2022.”
The GIANTS open their 2002 Suncorp Super Netball campaign in a Grand Final re-match against the Swifts at Ken Rosewall Arena on March 26.
The GIANTS’ first home game will be against the Queensland Firebirds on Tuesday, April 12 at Ken Rosewall Arena.
#StandUnited with Jo, Jamie-Lee, Maddie and the entire GIANTS team in 2022 with a GIANTS Netball Membership. Learn more about the packages and sign up today!
