Olympic dreams of netball's rising stars

By Linda Pearce 

When Grace Whyte was in Year 11 and forced to choose between the two sports in which she was a multiple NSW junior representative, one thing basketball offered that netball could not was the chance to compete in an Olympic Games. 

Nothing has changed, at least not for now. But as the numbers on the Back the Bid pledge of support nudge past 33,000 signatures received by the Australian Olympic Committee, the campaign for inclusion in Brisbane 2032 continues.  

“It is disappointing that netball isn’t in the Olympics yet, but hopefully (it will be),’’ Whyte, the NSW Swifts’ emerging GA/WA, told netball.com.au ahead of the quest to regain the World Youth Cup, starting on Saturday in Gibraltar. 

“We’re so focused on this World Cup at the moment that we’re not having huge chats about it, but it would be an incredible thing if it was to be in the Olympics in 2032 and a goal I think we’d all be keen to work towards. 

“It would be awesome.’’ 

Indeed, the dozen wannabe Diamonds who left for Europe on Monday after a four-day camp at the AIS under head coach Cathy Fellows should all be at or near their career prime when the sporting world converges on south-east Queensland in seven years time. 

There is a keen awareness within the squad of how many of their predecessors have gone on to represent Australia at senior level, where the Commonwealth Games (next edition: Glasgow 2026) and the Netball World Cup (Sydney to host in 2027) are currently the pinnacle events. 

Six are already on Suncorp Super Netball lists, including Whyte, who grew up in the NSW Riverina town of Tumut, played representative basketball in Albury, and has Olympic memories from the couch of local legend Lauren Jackson starring for the Opals, plus the Women’s Rugby Sevens and modern pentathlete Chloe Esposito winning gold in Rio in 2016. 

“I always thought some day I’m hopefully going to get there, and hopefully when the time comes I’ll be there. We’ll all be there,’’ she said of the current 21/U cohort regarding  Brisbane 2032. 

Defender Scarlet Jauncey shared similar sentiments, as a keen Olympics watcher now working as a part-time receptionist in the high performance environment at the WA Institute of Sport that is home to Paris 2024 pole vault gold medallist Nina Kennedy and others. 

The inaugural captain of the First Nations team the Black Swans, a West Coast Fever Reserves player and the first Indigenous athlete in two decades to be selected in Australia’s World Youth Cup team, the proud Yaruwu woman listed track legend Cathy Freeman and basketball great Patty Mills among her Olympic heroes. 

“It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to be in, but obviously picking netball as my sport it hasn’t in the past been in the Olympics,’’ Jauncey, 19, said. 

“So that would obviously be a massive dream come true to be able to play netball and represent Australia at an Olympic Games… I’ve definitely thought about it. It sort of seems like such a faraway sort of thing, but something to look towards if it does ever happen.’’ 

What’s happened for Jauncey in the past 12 months, which led to the 19-year-old claiming the inaugural Dr Eve Fesl First Nations Black Swans Award, has been nothing short of “hectic and full on”, and thus a little hard to process. 

“But I’m just so grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way, and I’ve been able to be a part of so many different groups and amazing teams and representing not only my culture but my country in these different teams,’’ she said, listing Indigenous stars Beryl Friday and Donnell Wallam as netball inspirations. 

“Having this step forward and playing in an Australian team definitely does give me hope for the future and I guess gives me that extra drive to keep working hard. To be able to eventually try and make that Diamonds team is the end goal and (WYC selection) does give me that extra little push for the future.’’ 

So too for Victorian shooter Lily Graham, who was a member of the Melbourne Vixens’ 2025 Suncorp Super Netball premiership team in just her second season, as she develops into a valuable impact player adept from long range. 

The almost 20-year-old is also part of a talented sporting family, with sister Grace having just started a professional basketball contract with successful UK Super League club Sheffield Hatters. 

“Obviously everyone’s dream is to be a Diamond when you’re in this environment, so I’d love to make it all the way, but I just know this is what I’m focusing on right now,’’ Lily Graham, who also dabbled in basketball as a junior, said. 

She too backs Olympic inclusion, despite knowing from a young age that it was not an option for netballers, so instead was driven to strive for events such as World Cups and Commonwealth Games. 

Before departing for Gibraltar, Graham was good-naturedly reminded by previous World Youth Cup silver medallists Jo Weston (2013, in a team containing Courtney Bruce, Paige Hadley, and the then Gretel Tippett) and Kate Eddy (2017, alongside Jamie-Lee Price, Jess Anstiss, Alice Teague-Neeld, etc) that securing Australia’s first gold medal in the 21/U competition since 2009 is a non-negotiable.  

The 2021 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19. 

There was also more general advice from the senior Vixens: have fun, enjoy the experience and play well. 

Tippett, now mum-of-three Gretel Bueta, represented Australia in three junior basketball world championships before crossing to netball and claiming the Liz Ellis Diamond and 2022 Commonwealth Games gold. 

The dynamic yet unconventional Queenslander was one of Grace Whyte’s childhood idols, and if Bueta never looked back after switching sports, then nor has the promising current Swift had any regrets about the choice she made as a schoolgirl. 

“I’m very content with my decision,’’ Whyte, who is  World Youth Cup-bound after 20 Suncorp Super Netball games in two seasons as a training partner and then 11th player very much on the rise, said. 

“I’m loving netball, love Swifts and all netball has to offer.’’