Netball: Former Silver Fern Anna Harrison reveals why she came out of retirement to sign with the Northern Stars in ANZ Premiership

Anna Harrison. Photo / Photosport

Former Silver Ferns defender Anna Harrison is as surprised as anyone about her return to netball after signing with the Northern Stars for next season's ANZ Premiership.

Joining Harrison at the Stars next season will be Silver Ferns midcourter Gina Crampton, Elle Temu, Monica Falkner and Amorangi Malesala, in a bolstered squad with a strong mix of experience and youth.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave, the 37-year-old said she hadn't planned on playing professionally again after retiring in 2017, but everything changed after a "random phone call".

"I wasn't thinking anything of the sorts at the time," she said. "It was a random phone call out of the blue and I guess someone just needed to ask me to plant the seed.

"Never say never ... I thought I was done. You've got the role models of Temapara Bailey coming back, you've had Leana de Bruin who's stayed in the game for so long, Irene [van Dyk] staying in the game for so long, so I've had these role models around me so I've known it's possible."

Harrison said that it was a difficult decision but something she felt comfortable doing having settled in with her third child.

"Things change. I think we're done with children so I don't have to think about when I'm going to pop the next one in there. It wasn't an easy decision."

After a long career with the Northern Mystics, Harrison said there were no hard feelings about her former team and her signing with the Stars was purely due to her and the team's circumstances.

"I've given a lot to them [the Mystics] so it's going to be blooming weird playing them in the blue because I started down in Otago and only ever played for Auckland since. I'm still playing for Auckland but it's just in a slightly different colour. That will be weird.

"I didn't want to start fishing around to see who else wanted me ... the appealing thing from a Stars perspective is they've got their young defenders and [coach] Kiri [Wills] has been using experienced players for the last few years and she obviously sees the value [in it]. I've got some experience and I'm excited about using that with some of those young, up-and-coming defenders."

Harrison, who has been keeping fit by playing club netball this year, will also join the side in a mentoring role but she's not sure if coaching will be in her future.

"I've been an athlete for my whole life and not sure what else is out there and what I can do. I know I could sort of coach because I know the game and enjoy working with the people, seeing the improvement and all that kind of stuff. But I'm still trying to figure out if I actually want to or because it's all I know."

But as her sensational netball return with the Stars is anything to go by: "Never say never."