Illawarra netballer Taylah Davies has been given a second shot at the big time and she plans on grabbing it with both hands.
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The 22-year-old has won a contract to play for Australian netball’s newest team, Western Sydney-based outfit Giants Netball.
The “dream gig’’ comes almost two years after Davies’ time playing for cross-town rivals NSW Swifts came to an end.
But a fitter, hungrier and more determined Davies is confident of having more success with the Giants in their inaugural National Netball League campaign.
“I’m very excited. I can’t wait to wear orange next year and represent the Giants Netball,’’ Davies told Fairfax Media.
The former Swifts player and State team captain is one of the youngest on the 10-player-playing roster headed by head coach Julie Fitzgerald.
“I was lucky enough to be contracted with the Swifts for one year [2014] and that was really good,’’ Davies said.
“Obviously that was my rookie year so it was good to get a taste and experience elite netball. Now I’m looking forward to pushing on and hopefully earn a spot out on court.’’
Getting this second shot at elite netball has been difficult for Davies.
A serious knee injury [right ACL] put an end to her replacement player gig with the Swifts in 2013 but she still won a full contract with the team in 2014.
She enjoyed her rookie season with the Swifts but was back playing for the NSW Waratahs in the ANL in 2015.
“I loved playing for the Waratahs and was honoured to captain the team,’’ Davies said.
“I got lots of court time which allowed me to keep working hard on my game which helped me pick up this contract with the Giants . I’m really looking forward to the season. It has been a hard year and I’ve put in a lot of work, especially with the guys at BaiMed Performance Centre in Wollongong.’’
Davies starts pre-season training in November, with the new Australian only, eight-team National Netball League hitting the ground in February, 2017.
But before then she will be at North Wollongong Beach for the Beach Netball event on October 14-16.