MELBOURNE - New Silver Ferns skipper Anna Rowberry might have played in the Australian league next year but for a change in her fortunes in recent months.
Melbourne Phoenix coach Lisa Alexander yesterday confirmed that she had approached Rowberry about filling a hole in her squad.
"I rang her up to ask
her about her movements over the next year," Alexander said.
"She told me I was a year late.
"She said she would probably have considered it if I had rung her last year, because of where she was at with her career in New Zealand, but now things are looking up for her."
Rowberry, 26, was named this week as New Zealand captain for the two-test series against South Africa.
The appointment completed a major turnaround for the 64-cap veteran, who spent 18 months on the outer before being recalled to the Silver Ferns this year for the series against Barbados and then for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Phoenix, the defending champions, have lost the services of wing attack Fiona Doran, who is returning home to Tasmania.
Alexander said there was a dearth of up-and-coming midcourters in Australia.
She had made the approach to Rowberry about a week ago.
"We very much respect Anna's ability."
Rowberry would have been the first Silver Fern to play in the six-year-old Commonwealth Bank Trophy competition if she had signed for Phoenix.
But Alexander doubted that many New Zealand netballers would be crossing the Tasman in the foreseeable future.
"Anything is possible, but I think the major issue at the moment is that Netball Australia would probably not be encouraging it.
"They see the present situation as giving us a competitive edge."
Netball Australia executive director Pam Smith said there was nothing preventing overseas players being signed up if they met the eligibility requirements.
"Our priority is towards our own, but we have had some overseas players before," she said.
"It's not something that the coaches have actively pursued because of the wealth of talent here."
- NZPA
