Netball: England squad announced for 2008/09 season

September 24, 2024

England Netball has announced the Senior England Long Squad for the 2008/09 season.

Eighteen players have been selected to work closely with National coach Sue Hawkins, in the run up to playing at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore.

Rachel Dunn, Pamela Cookey, Joanne Harten, Chioma Ezeogu, Joanna Binns, Tamsin Greenway, Karen Atkinson, Sasha Corbin, Jade Clarke, Sara Bayman, Naida Hutchinson, Ama Agbeze, Geva Mentor, Sonia Mkoloma, Louisa Brownfield and Eboni Beckford-Chambers secured their places in the squad for a second year, whilst Stacey Francis & Serena Guthrie will join as new additions to the team.

Sue said: “The competition in the run up to squad selections has been intense, with players demonstrating what they are made of throughout all the stages. The process has given the National Selectors and I an insight into how the players perform under pressure.

“I am confident that the Long Squad will represent the very best of British netball because they possess the skills and experience that is required of them.”

The new squad will see the introduction of two of its youngest players, Serena Guthrie and Stacey Francis from the England U21 squad.

Feeling comfortable in her new role Serena said: “Getting into the squad is the easy part, it’s staying in that is difficult. I have been training every day and played matches most weekends in preparation for the squad selections. It’s an especially busy time for me and Stacey as we have just returned home from an Australian tour with the U21 squad, standing us in good stead for the build up to the Youth World Championships in the Cook Islands in July 2009.

“It’s a great opportunity for the younger members who qualify for the Long Squad because we can give it all we’ve got as we’ve got nothing to loose.”

England Netball Long Squad 2008/09

PLAYER POSITION CAPS

Rachel Dunn	GS	25
Pamela Cookey	GS/GA	35
Joanne Harten	GS/GA	6
Chioma Ezeogu	WA	20
Joanna Binns	Centre Court	9
Tamsin Greenway	WA/GA	14
Karen Atkinson	WA/C	92
Sasha Corbin	WA/C	3
Jade Clarke	WD/C	51
Sara Bayman	WD/C	5
Naida Hutchinson	GK/GD/WK	4
Ama Agbeze	GK/GD/GS/GA	34
Geva Mentor	GK/GD	56
Sonia Mkoloma	GD/GK	74
Louisa Brownfield	GS/GA	26
Serena Guthrie	C/WD	2
Eboni Beckford-Chambers	GK/GD/GS	3
Stacey Francis	GD/WD/GK