Former Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio has signed with the West Coast Fever for the 2027 Suncorp Super Netball season, citing the uncertain future of New Zealand’s domestic competition as the tipping point that forced her to look across the Tasman or face retirement.
An Easy Decision Born from Uncertainty
For the 35-year-old shooter, the choice to move to Perth was straightforward once the landscape at home fractured. With Netball NZ unable to provide any assurances that an elite domestic competition will run next year, top-tier athletes found themselves without contracts or guarantees.
Ekenasio co-captained the Pulse this season, but ANZ Premiership franchises have been left unable to offer employment for the upcoming year. Facing the very real prospect of hanging up her bib, she looked to Australia for a lifeline.
“I didn’t have anything here, nobody has anything here in New Zealand, so it just made total sense. I was definitely thinking that if I didn’t have any opportunities in Australia, and if there was no league here in New Zealand, I would have to retire.”
Ameliaranne Ekenasio, former Silver Ferns captain, via 1news
Timing and family logistics played a role in finally sealing the deal. Ekenasio noted that knowing her husband and two children will move over to Perth made the transition workable, allowing her to fulfill a long-held ambition.
“It always has been a dream of mine to go over and play in Suncorp, that was the main driver and to play with such an incredible team like the Fever, to have the opportunity, that was the massive draw card.”
Ameliaranne Ekenasio, via RNZ
Broader Exodus Across the Tasman Sea
Ekenasio is the first of several high-profile New Zealand players expected to announce moves into the Suncorp Super Netball league. The mass migration follows a strategic shift by Netball New Zealand, which scrapped restrictions around players competing overseas after failing to secure a viable domestic pathway for 2027.
Other Silver Ferns stars are locking in their futures abroad. Current captain Karin Burger has confirmed she is staying for a second season with the Sunshine Coast Lightning. Meanwhile, midcourter Maddy Gordon told the Queensland Firebirds she is accepting an offer elsewhere, and shooter Grace Nweke is departing the NSW Swifts after two seasons for an unannounced club.
On the retention side, Kate Heffernan is expected to remain with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, and defender Kelly Jackson is set for a second year with the Queensland Firebirds.
Heartbreak for Grassroots Development
Despite the opportunities opening up for elite internationals in Australia, Ekenasio voiced deep concern for the wider playing group left behind. Of the 60 players contracted across the six ANZ Premiership teams this year, the vast majority will not secure spots in the Australian or UK leagues.
“I’m just devastated for all of the girls, I am so heartbroken for netball in New Zealand. We are the leading women’s sport in New Zealand and I know we’re competing with so many other sports now, but to see the sport go downhill.”
Ameliaranne Ekenasio, via 1news
Without a professional domestic league, the path from weekend club fixtures to the international stage becomes obscured. Ekenasio pointed out that netball courts remain jam-packed on Saturdays, leaving aspiring players without visible stepping stones to emulate their Silver Ferns idols week in and week out.
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