At just 27 years-old, Jamie-Lee Price is set to become just the 40th player, anywhere, to reach 150 games at national league level, and she’s packed plenty into the first decade of her career.
Beginning her professional career in New Zealand while still in high-school, Price paid tribute to two people she “trusts with her whole life” on the eve of notching the milestone against the West Coast Fever in Perth on Sunday.
Price’s elite netball career began with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the former ANZ Championship, with the daughter of rugby league great Steve Price based in New Zealand for over a decade of her childhood.
“I remember my first year playing professionally and I was still in school,” Price reflected this week.
"I got to train every day with legends like Casey Kapua, Irene van Dyk and Laura Langman, it was just an absolute dream of mine and I got to skip school sometimes for training.
“To even be able to debut that year against Kim Green, who now is someone who is such a good friend of mine and I got to play with as a teammate, was really special. For me, I’m just grateful.”
Price is content with her journey to 150 games - and the risks she took on her path to becoming one of the most damaging mid-courters in the game.
“My journey in New Zealand, I absolutely loved,” she said.
“I don’t think I’d be the person or the player that I am now without being in New Zealand or playing there.
“I look back and I really don’t have any regrets. Every decision I’ve made, I’m really happy with where I am now.
“I’m grateful that I listened to my gut and I wasn’t afraid of change.”
Price trusted her gut when she had a choice to make at the end of the 2016 season. Her Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald and teammate Jo Harten were heading across the ditch to start up the newest NSW franchise in the brand-new Super Netball competition.
She was just 20 years old and 44 games into her professional career, and could have been eligible to play for the Silver Ferns had she remained in New Zealand.
But she took the leap to become a foundation player at the newly-formed GIANTS Netball.
It’s a move Price credits Fitzgerald and Harten with helping her make.
“I think it’s really special and we have such a great relationship and bond and it’s something that we’ll have forever,” she said.
“I’m really glad Julie had the trust in me when she did ask me to come across the ditch to Australia and start up the GIANTS.
“I trust Jo and Julie with my whole life and whatever they say, I’ll definitely do.
"I’m really glad I’ve been able to play the majority of my career with those two, it’s something really cool.”
Price has played all bar one season of netball under Fitzgerald, with this week game 106 for the GIANTS. She has missed just one game in the club’s history - when she was ruled out under Covid protocols in round two last year.
She joins Fitzgerald and Harten as the last of the club’s originals - seven seasons into the new venture - with only her captain in Harten and defender April Brandley, who reached game 150 two weeks ago, more experienced than the young leader.
At just 27, she’s one of the most experienced players at the club, named as vice-captain ahead of last season and taking on the role as captain multiple times this season when Harten has been ruled out with injury.
"I feel really proud,” she said this week.
“It’s really hard to get to 150 games and there’s only been a handful of people that have got to 150 before.
“I’m really grateful I’ve been given the opportunities to step out on court and play the game that I love and so many games for the GIANTS as well.”
The 2023 season hasn’t gone to plan for the GIANTS group, and there’s Australian Diamonds World Cup selection right around the corner, but Price’s focus remains on leading the club to team success in the very near future.
“Winning a premiership, more than one, would be great,” she said of what she still wants to achieve.
“We’ve been so close for so many years and I definitely think we have the team and the capability of doing it, it’s just getting there.
“That’s a dream of any player that plays sport, they want to be winning.
“That’s definitely on my to do list, and it’s going to happen."
The GIANTS take on the West Coast Fever this Sunday at RAC Arena at 2:00pm (AEST).
