Newcastle defender Dakota Thomas has committed to the NSW Swifts as a Training Partner (TP) for the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season.
A QBE Swifts Academy Graduate, Thomas has been a standout player on the Netball NSW pathway and one of the brightest talents in the Netball NSW Premier League where she currently plays for the ERNA Hawks.
The 23-year-old defender arrived in the Swifts Academy via the NSW 17U and 19U teams and first became a TP in 2022.
She was also part of the Swifts squad which contested the 2023 Team Girls Cup in Queensland, and has been called into the senior game-day squad as injury cover but is yet to take the court in a Super Netball game.
Thomas said playing with, and opposing, some of the world’s best players was the best place to develop her game.
“What I love most about being part of the Swifts is how united as a Club we are,” Thomas said.
“Briony and the coaches have created an environment where Training Partners are integral to what the Swifts are trying to achieve, and it’s really easy to buy into.
“It’s pretty cool getting to train alongside Sarah Klau, Maddy Turner and Teigan O’Shannassy and defending a player like Helen Housby on a daily basis is an education in itself.
“But it isn’t just about learning as there is a lot of trust and faith shown in us and we are expected to hit the ground running if we’re called on. That is a real show of faith and trust in the environment, and that’s why I’m so happy in it.
“I am also very proud to be representing the Hunter region, a place that is steeped in netball tradition. There are a lot of regional athletes in the Swifts setup and I am proud to be one of them.”
