The Premiership-winning midcourt pairing of Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley will co-captain the NSW Swifts in 2021 as the six-time Premiers finalise preparations ahead of the Suncorp Super Netball season.
This year will be Proud’s third as a Swifts captain while Hadley will be experiencing the leadership role for the second time, having taken the captain’s armband for the second half of 2019’s Premiership campaign when the former's season was cut short by an ACL injury.
Proud is in line to play her 100th elite club game this year, while Hadley racked up 100 games in 2020’s Queensland hub, becoming the Swifts’ ninth centurion in the process. Both players are also part of the current Australian Diamonds squad.
Fellow Australian international Maddy Turner will continue to be part of the leadership team in 2021, a role she has held since 2019.
While Proud has been the stand-alone Swifts captain for the past two seasons, head coach Briony Akle said the rolling-player nature of the modern game meant co-captaincy was imperative.
“I think when you look at the Swifts, we aren’t short of leaders,” Akle said. “As well as Maddy, Paige and Maddy Turner, we also have players like Natalie Haythornthwaite who was England captain last year.
“But with so many interchanges going on in each game I want to ensure we have a dedicated leadership voice on court all of the time. I don’t want people looking to the sidelines to get orders.
“Both Maddy and Paige bring different, but essential, qualities to the leadership space.
“Maddy has done an immense job since taking over from Abbey McCulloch before the 2019 season, and Paige has grown alongside her.
“Now we are in the fortunate position where both can excel in their respective areas and take pressure off each other, with Maddy Turner also adding an additional layer of support.
“There is so much more to professional sport than taking the court and training. You have media duties, sponsor duties and community engagement which is all part of the job.
“Our players love what they do and are keen to do everything to support the game, but as captain you always have that extra demand.
“Maddy and Paige are very close and drive the collective nature of this team and club, and working in tandem as captains can only strengthen us."
The Swifts start their 2021 Super Netball campaign on the road against the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane on Sunday 2 May.
