Netball: Time-out ends as stars return to the courts in droves

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Former Silver Fern shooter Carron Jerram had not thrown a ball for five years, but she is leading a wave of former New Zealand stars returning to the top level of national netball.

Jerram, a mother of three toddlers and a fulltime accountant, has made the squad for the Cometz for next year's Coca Cola Cup - one of five ex-Ferns making comebacks in netball's showcase league.

The Cometz have lured back Jerram - who shot for New Zealand as Carron Topping - former Ferns captain Ana Noovao and ex-New Zealand triallist Mary Jane Araroa.

Sonya Hardcastle, who retired from netball last year, will return to play for her old Force team.

The Capital Shakers' new coach Tanya Dearns (formerly Cox) has enticed her old New Zealand team-mates Gail Parata and Debbie Matoe back to Wellington.

And long-time New Zealand squad member Yvette McCausland-Durie is back in the Western Flyers after having her first baby.

Jerram last played netball at the 1995 world championships and left New Zealand for Texas soon after she married former Waikato rugby player Richard Jerram. They came back to Auckland with two sons and a daughter.

"I never really retired, I just left," she said. "But I never touched a netball for five years. I think it's hilarious."

She has made a commitment to get fit before January, when all of the squads have to whittle their numbers down to 12.

The veterans have still left room for new faces in next year's league, and more South African stars are migrating east for the autumn.

Corlie Oberholzer, a Protea midcourter with 10 international caps, asked to join the Force line-up. Defender Leana du Plooy, who played in the World Seven here this year, has signed up with the strong Southern Sting squad.

Sky-scraping shooter Michelle Tupper will return from South Africa to the Magic side for a second year and new Fern Irene van Dyk is entrenched in Wellington with the Shakers.

Jamaican goal shoot Elaine Davis is coming back for another season with the Auckland Diamonds.

A swag of internal switches has changed the face of most of the franchises.

There is not a single Silver Fern left in the old champion Otago Rebels side - Belinda Colling has moved to the Canterbury Flames, Adine Harper to the Sting.

Anna Rowberry, recently dropped from the New Zealand side, has moved north and joined the Diamonds, as has her Rebels coach Georgina Salter.

The Sting look stronger than ever, picking up Harper, du Plooy and former Flames shooter Sonia Butler, to join New Zealand stars Bernice Mene and Donna Loffhagen.

Other final favourites are the Force, with six current or former Silver Ferns, and newcomers Nicolette Ropati, from the New Zealand A side, and World Seven shooter Monika Gabriel.

In the coaching ranks, Leigh Gibbs, the former Silver Ferns coach, who has been working with netball in Wales, comes home to coach the Flames again.

Lois Muir will replace Salter to coach a young Rebels side, and former Cometz player Tabitha Beaumont moves to her new leadership role.