England international Laura Malcolm will join a new-look Trident Homes Tactix side as one of two new midcourt recruits for the 2023 ANZ Premiership.
Malcolm, who co-captained the English Roses in 2020 and is one of England’s most decorated players with four Superleague titles, confirmed her shift to the Tactix where she will team up with former Stars defender Greer Sinclair, who is also moving to the Mainland, along with established Tactix midcourter Kimiora Poi and Parris Petera who earns her first full contract with the red-and-black side.
With 38 Test Caps to her name, Malcolm said she would be fulfilling a dream of playing overseas and in the Premiership.
“It’s exciting to know that I’ll be training with and playing against a full cohort of New Zealand’s best athletes in the ANZ Premiership,” she said.
The midcourter, who can cover all three positions, made her debut for the Roses against Barbados in 2012 and has since earned 38 caps for the national side. She has also captained Manchester Thunder in the Vitality Netball Superleague, helping the side to an unbeaten season this year en route to a fourth title.
Malcolm, who was born in Wolverhampton, said the chance to experience a different playing style alongside new players and under a new coach was an opportunity she could not turn down and she was looking forward to pulling on the Tactix colours.
“There have been a few English players who have featured at the Tactix over the years, and they spoke so highly of the club and of Christchurch. So when I met with Marianne, I jumped at the opportunity,” she said.
“Lifting trophies with Manchester Thunder has been incredible, but it’s the personal growth and friendships that I’ve built at the club which I value most. My hope is that I continue to follow that path with the Tactix and I’m ready to embrace a new playing and coaching style so that I can take my game to the next level.
“And I also really love playing in a red dress.”
Sinclair said she was also looking forward to growing her game, earning a starting position, and developing as a player on and off the court.
“I really like the development that the franchise puts into their players, and they have such an experienced defensive end that I can’t wait to learn from. I think it will be an amazing new experience in my netball career,” she said.
In a Covid-impacted season, Sinclair found herself called upon by other teams as cover and wore both the Magic and Mystics strip this year as well as the purple dress.
“For someone who has been a bit all over the place in different franchises it will be good to focus on one team and I’m really excited that that team is the Tactix.”
Tactix coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek said she was looking forward to working with the new midcourt which offered plenty of options.
“Laura can obviously cover all three midcourt positions and will bring a bit of diversity to that area of the court which is really exciting. I saw her play for England and she’s a strong gritty player and will just bring that extra leadership to the midcourt as well having captained her country,” she said.
“Greer brings that extra height into the wing defence position but also offers plenty of versatility through the midcourt and is also an option for the defensive circle. We’ve seen her play goal defence and goal keep so it certainly gives us plenty of possibilities.
“With Kimi, she brings that established skill set and so much leadership while Parris has an enormous amount of potential. She’s got fantastic ball skills and the ability to learn quickly and deliver what’s needed on court. I think Parris stepped up every time she played at ANZ level this year.”
Trident Homes Tactix 2023 midcourt: Laura Malcolm, Parris Petera, Kimiora Poi, Greer Sinclair.
