August 11, 2025 • 13 mins
Netball NZ have caved and allowed Grace Nweke to play for the Silver Ferns again.
Grace lost her eligibility when she headed over the Tasman to play for the NSW Swifts, but Netball NZ have decided to give it back.
Grace spoke to Jason Pine on Sportstalk.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Grace Weeky is officially back in the Silver Ferns fold
Cara conin, that's would be the take of the day.
I think, Grace Wrecky, how did she keep that alive? Yeah.
Gracewky has been named in an eighteen strong squad covering
the next twelve months after having her application for an
(00:36):
eligibility exemption approved under Nepple New Zealand's updated criteria. Grace
Weky played in Australia for the New South Wales Swifts
this year and has recommitted to them for twenty twenty six.
Squad named ahead of next month's home series against South
Africa includes five uncapped players, the shooting circle trio of
Phil de Vui, Martina Salmon and Savior Toohey, plus defenders
(00:59):
Catherine Hall and Caris Steithe, midquarters Petatyava Taylor Earl and
Mela Reeliu Buchan in a all feature. Despite limited time
on court for the Ferns in the last twelve months
or so, four players have joined outgoing captain Amelia Aaniic
Andasio in making themselves unavailable for twenty twenty five, Maya
Wilson to Pisus Shelby, Rickett, Jane Watson and Tiana Maturo.
(01:24):
The squad's going to be whittled down to between twelve
and fourteen players for Test one of the Tiny Jamison
against South Africa on the twenty first of September in Auckland,
and the new captain of course, will also be named
before that series. But the big story of the day
the inclusion of Grace Wickett, who joins us now. Grace,
congratulations on your selection today. How pleased are you that
(01:46):
Netble New Zealand's board have granted you this exemption to
play for the Silver Ferns.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, thanks so much. Yeah, naturally, I'm very very pleased
and very grateful to be able to I guess in
some ways that ma CA can habit. It was a
very challenging time about five months ago, you know, to
terms with the realities of playing in Australia and the
implications of taking the contract and losing maligibility, and so
(02:15):
I guess twelve months later to be able to be
back included in the squad and be excited about the
games we have coming up in the opportunity to contribute
through a year that I feel was sort of with
a lot of growth and challenge and new experience. It's
a really cool time and can't wit to get back home.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Can you tell us about the process of applying for
the exemption? What did that involve?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, so, I guess this spit most of the year
with my fingers and Tot's cross hoping that there would
be some sort of process stipulated. I guess the hardest
part was that there was prior to this, there was
not really a formal process that we could go through,
and so once they announced that they were going to
allow for applications to be considered, it all happened very
(03:00):
fast in terms of when need don outlining the criteria
and the Christians and answers we needed to provide and
speak to, and then it was a matter of putting
the application together and it sat with the wing you
Zel on board, and they came back to us quite
quickly with their response. But it was a pretty sceneless
process once you got into it. Obviously quite time sence
(03:21):
in it. As we were applying in the midst of
you know, verbal offer of intent from different clubs kind
of waiting to know what the landscape looked like in
New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
When you made the decision twelve months ago. I think
we might have even spoken shortly after you did. Did
you feel confident Did you have any indication as to
whether the eligibility rules would in fact be examined? Did
you have confidence that they would be.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
There wasn't an overwhelming sense of confidence, but there wasn't
an overwhelming sense that it was impossible. I felt that
I was making a decision that felt right for me,
and that's all I could do and all I can
control was my action, and so I felt comfortable with
my choice and comfortable with the repercussions, and obviously establishly
(04:11):
I was hopeful that it would be reviewed. And my
talk to Netble New Zellain, they spoke to, you know,
their best interest is ensuring the quality and the longevity
of the game in New Zealand, which I do understand
and respect, and so with that they would act in
a way that would fulfill those desires. I felt that,
(04:34):
you know, with the World Cup and Calm Games coming up,
maybe they were the opportunity to, you know, have some
more open discussions about what it looks like to play
for New Zealand and where you play your club netball,
and I'm very grateful that that had led to a
relaxing of the rules which had hopefully be in the
best interest of netball in New Zealand and the civil
(04:56):
fons performances.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, you were always very clear, Grace that the reason
you were going was to improve as a player. Do
you think that happened the season?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Absolutely. My reasons for going with both the improvement as
a player, but also as a person with a new
life experience and a change in scenery, and I think
I got that and drove I feel that, even just
especially in pre season, kind of grappling with the move
and the change in scenery and being away from my
(05:28):
support systems and all that I know and love in
Auckland was a huge challenge and I came away from
it with a lot of understanding of myself and my
confidence and my ability to be independent and to kind
of navigate new spaces on the court. I can confidantly
say I'm a bitter nitballer than I was when I left.
(05:49):
I feel that I had a much better understanding of
the game, aside from just the goal shoot game, and
more of a critical way of looking at analysis and
tactics and more the voice and a license and my
voice when it comes to the wider team performance and
wider team structures. So I feel that that a confidence
(06:10):
and growth is so it's new for me. It's exciting
to have that. Going back to New Zealand, I feel that, Yeah,
I haven't really fully respected on my numbers, but I'm
sure that they would speak to a successful season of
netball and my goalshoot game. I feel that I've been
able to challenge myself to play differently and play out
(06:30):
of the circle with confidence and increase my goal offess
and just little things like that where I feel that
my game has shifted and I'm becoming a lot more versatile.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And tell us about the standard of the Super Netball competition,
not necessarily comparing it to New Zealand, but how did
you find the standard over there?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, the standard was very high. It was fantastic. I
think when something is so new and new, everything's kind
of novel. There's so much to learn and so much
excitement and that so I really enjoyed kind of understanding
the game they experienced, especially how different all of it's worth.
It been even getting around to the other teams and
seeing how they run things and just everything was exciting
(07:12):
because it was my first time experiencing it, and I
think having that fresh kind of perspective is also a
really nice positive of the whole journey and being able
to feel like it's my first time again and yet
the standard is very high. The game they experienced, just
the little things that go on really make for a
(07:33):
fantastic composition and I really enjoyed kind of getting a
feel for it.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, let's talk about the Silver Ferns. Busy time twelve
tests locked in three against South Africa next month here,
then Constellation cut home and away in October, then a
Northern tour with a couple of tests against Scotland three
against England. How important is it to have so much
high quality netball as you build towards Calm Games next year.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
It's huge. It's so important, and obviously it's very stacked
international calendar. It's my first time touring three series back
to back, especially without a full break in between and
that November tour, but it's so important, especially given the
group we have, with a lot of debutante or newer
players still finding their feet in the space, the opportunity
(08:20):
to just have that time on task and grow through
the lived experience of being on tour, being away, back
to that game, back to that camp. It's going to
be huge and I think every run involved will come
away from this year of civil friends netball so much
better for it and so much better equipped to take
on comm game. But I think especially been able to
(08:42):
go over to Scotland and kind of rehearse what that
will look like for the group that goes away for
common games in July will be hugely beneficial. We did
the same thing in Caplecate Town for the World Cup.
I just gone and I think that ability to to
be familiar and have that experience of tour life is huge.
(09:04):
And so it's exciting to have so much netball equally daunting,
and I know it's going to be a huge, huge time,
both specifically and mentally. But that's what what we do,
it's what we vive in. I think a women opportunity
playing so much testing it goal.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
There's no Amelia Rannick and ourso in the squad. She's
stepped away for twenty twenty five, which leaves you is
very much the senior member in terms of experience in
the shooting circle. So how much extra responsibility do you
think you'll have to take as a result.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yeah, not having meals is a huge loss for our group.
She is a fantastic leader, fantastic person and equally fantastic
player on the court. So it's a big gap, and
I feel that the players that have been there will
be able to flat and seamlessly. They've all had fantastic
seasons in various the positions in the shooting circle, so
(09:57):
it's exciting to see what new connections we can build
and how we can, you know, kind of afford to
new path will the attacking end of the Silver Ferns.
I think the way that I be my role there
is just to keep playing my game. Well. I know
that if I'm doing my job and performing as a
goal shooter, that is going to benefit and support and
encourage whoever I get to play goal who plays goal
(10:19):
tech with me, or whoever else is playing goal shooters.
Been able to impart the knowledge that I've gained over
my three or four years in the Silferon's Goal shoot
BB to encourage those girls to take the opportunity and
to explore and grow in the in that in that position,
I do feel that I will. I've been there. I
know what it's like to be new in the team,
(10:41):
and I mean it wasn't that long ago that I
was new in the team, So I think I can
relate to that in a way that's different to other
players and really just have that relationship off the court
to give them confidence and give them a sense of security,
because it is a very daunting environment, especially for these debutantes.
So it's exciting. I'm very grateful to be in a
(11:02):
position where I can give back to the rest and
these new players and hopefully make this transition has been
quite seamless. So I'm looking forward to the opportunity to
be more than just to morey about more than just
my spouts and really give back and lead.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Now they're veryucky to have you just spack to supernal.
Did you take many super shots? What did you leave
that to others?
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yeah? I did not take very goody. It's it's complicated,
I think. I I mean, I promise you I was
banking them at training, but I think on game day.
On game day, it's a different story. And yeah, it's
definitely an area of my game that I am determined
to grow. I look at next season as an opportunity
to not just be you know, super shot time's or
(11:50):
how can we help fucking Grace help so we can
get the ball to the super shot shooter. I want
to be as much of the target and a threat
as my goal attack and that will take time and
you know, training, but I really do that that is
the goal to eventually be a really wrong weapon in
that time. But yeah, it's a really different game with
(12:10):
that sub show. It changes the way you play, it
changes the way you think about the game. And so
still a growth area and lots of learning you.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Had there, all right, and just to finish as well
as the news today of your inclusion in the Silver
Ferns news that you've also recommitted to the Swifts for
next year. Was that a Was that a difficult decision
to make or were you always keen to go back?
Speaker 3 (12:35):
That was not a difficult decision to make. I have
really enjoyed my time in Sydney. It hasn't been about
challenge and hasn't been without you know, the homesickness and
I guess questioning what I'm doing, But I think overall,
I feel like I'm in the best place right now
to keep growing my netball and challenging myself. It's a
(12:55):
fantastic city, there's fantastic players and stuff, and I've really
kind of I think I've done the hardest part of
having to be new Inspiress. Year two, I hope and
steel will be a lot more seamless and enjoyable than
year one, and so especially finishing the way we do that,
we do have unfinished business. I know, when it's ripe
(13:16):
and I'm filling the throat, I think still of that
finish and so I am very excited to be back
and to give twenty twenty six a good run and
compete and go for that premiership another time.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Well, I know netball fans here in New Zealand, Grace
are delighted with the news today that you'll be wearing
the black dress again, starting in the Tiny Jamison Trophy
next month. All the best for the international season ahead,
busy as it is, and thank you for taking the
time for a chat tonight.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
My pleasure.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Thank you, no, thank you, Grace. Grace wiki there.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays. We'll follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio,
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Grace Weeky is officially back in the Silver Ferns fold
Cara conin, that's would be the take of the day.
I think, Grace Wrecky, how did she keep that alive? Yeah.
Gracewky has been named in an eighteen strong squad covering
the next twelve months after having her application for an
(00:36):
eligibility exemption approved under Nepple New Zealand's updated criteria. Grace
Weky played in Australia for the New South Wales Swifts
this year and has recommitted to them for twenty twenty six.
Squad named ahead of next month's home series against South
Africa includes five uncapped players, the shooting circle trio of
Phil de Vui, Martina Salmon and Savior Toohey, plus defenders
(00:59):
Catherine Hall and Caris Steithe, midquarters Petatyava Taylor Earl and
Mela Reeliu Buchan in a all feature. Despite limited time
on court for the Ferns in the last twelve months
or so, four players have joined outgoing captain Amelia Aaniic
Andasio in making themselves unavailable for twenty twenty five, Maya
Wilson to Pisus Shelby, Rickett, Jane Watson and Tiana Maturo.
(01:24):
The squad's going to be whittled down to between twelve
and fourteen players for Test one of the Tiny Jamison
against South Africa on the twenty first of September in Auckland,
and the new captain of course, will also be named
before that series. But the big story of the day
the inclusion of Grace Wickett, who joins us now. Grace,
congratulations on your selection today. How pleased are you that
(01:46):
Netble New Zealand's board have granted you this exemption to
play for the Silver Ferns.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, thanks so much. Yeah, naturally, I'm very very pleased
and very grateful to be able to I guess in
some ways that ma CA can habit. It was a
very challenging time about five months ago, you know, to
terms with the realities of playing in Australia and the
implications of taking the contract and losing maligibility, and so
(02:15):
I guess twelve months later to be able to be
back included in the squad and be excited about the
games we have coming up in the opportunity to contribute
through a year that I feel was sort of with
a lot of growth and challenge and new experience. It's
a really cool time and can't wit to get back home.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Can you tell us about the process of applying for
the exemption? What did that involve?
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, so, I guess this spit most of the year
with my fingers and Tot's cross hoping that there would
be some sort of process stipulated. I guess the hardest
part was that there was prior to this, there was
not really a formal process that we could go through,
and so once they announced that they were going to
allow for applications to be considered, it all happened very
(03:00):
fast in terms of when need don outlining the criteria
and the Christians and answers we needed to provide and
speak to, and then it was a matter of putting
the application together and it sat with the wing you
Zel on board, and they came back to us quite
quickly with their response. But it was a pretty sceneless
process once you got into it. Obviously quite time sence
(03:21):
in it. As we were applying in the midst of
you know, verbal offer of intent from different clubs kind
of waiting to know what the landscape looked like in
New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
When you made the decision twelve months ago. I think
we might have even spoken shortly after you did. Did
you feel confident Did you have any indication as to
whether the eligibility rules would in fact be examined? Did
you have confidence that they would be.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
There wasn't an overwhelming sense of confidence, but there wasn't
an overwhelming sense that it was impossible. I felt that
I was making a decision that felt right for me,
and that's all I could do and all I can
control was my action, and so I felt comfortable with
my choice and comfortable with the repercussions, and obviously establishly
(04:11):
I was hopeful that it would be reviewed. And my
talk to Netble New Zellain, they spoke to, you know,
their best interest is ensuring the quality and the longevity
of the game in New Zealand, which I do understand
and respect, and so with that they would act in
a way that would fulfill those desires. I felt that,
(04:34):
you know, with the World Cup and Calm Games coming up,
maybe they were the opportunity to, you know, have some
more open discussions about what it looks like to play
for New Zealand and where you play your club netball,
and I'm very grateful that that had led to a
relaxing of the rules which had hopefully be in the
best interest of netball in New Zealand and the civil
(04:56):
fons performances.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Well, you were always very clear, Grace that the reason
you were going was to improve as a player. Do
you think that happened the season?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Absolutely. My reasons for going with both the improvement as
a player, but also as a person with a new
life experience and a change in scenery, and I think
I got that and drove I feel that, even just
especially in pre season, kind of grappling with the move
and the change in scenery and being away from my
(05:28):
support systems and all that I know and love in
Auckland was a huge challenge and I came away from
it with a lot of understanding of myself and my
confidence and my ability to be independent and to kind
of navigate new spaces on the court. I can confidantly
say I'm a bitter nitballer than I was when I left.
(05:49):
I feel that I had a much better understanding of
the game, aside from just the goal shoot game, and
more of a critical way of looking at analysis and
tactics and more the voice and a license and my
voice when it comes to the wider team performance and
wider team structures. So I feel that that a confidence
(06:10):
and growth is so it's new for me. It's exciting
to have that. Going back to New Zealand, I feel that, Yeah,
I haven't really fully respected on my numbers, but I'm
sure that they would speak to a successful season of
netball and my goalshoot game. I feel that I've been
able to challenge myself to play differently and play out
(06:30):
of the circle with confidence and increase my goal offess
and just little things like that where I feel that
my game has shifted and I'm becoming a lot more versatile.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
And tell us about the standard of the Super Netball competition,
not necessarily comparing it to New Zealand, but how did
you find the standard over there?
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Yeah, the standard was very high. It was fantastic. I
think when something is so new and new, everything's kind
of novel. There's so much to learn and so much
excitement and that so I really enjoyed kind of understanding
the game they experienced, especially how different all of it's worth.
It been even getting around to the other teams and
seeing how they run things and just everything was exciting
(07:12):
because it was my first time experiencing it, and I
think having that fresh kind of perspective is also a
really nice positive of the whole journey and being able
to feel like it's my first time again and yet
the standard is very high. The game they experienced, just
the little things that go on really make for a
(07:33):
fantastic composition and I really enjoyed kind of getting a
feel for it.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Well, let's talk about the Silver Ferns. Busy time twelve
tests locked in three against South Africa next month here,
then Constellation cut home and away in October, then a
Northern tour with a couple of tests against Scotland three
against England. How important is it to have so much
high quality netball as you build towards Calm Games next year.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
It's huge. It's so important, and obviously it's very stacked
international calendar. It's my first time touring three series back
to back, especially without a full break in between and
that November tour, but it's so important, especially given the
group we have, with a lot of debutante or newer
players still finding their feet in the space, the opportunity
(08:20):
to just have that time on task and grow through
the lived experience of being on tour, being away, back
to that game, back to that camp. It's going to
be huge and I think every run involved will come
away from this year of civil friends netball so much
better for it and so much better equipped to take
on comm game. But I think especially been able to
(08:42):
go over to Scotland and kind of rehearse what that
will look like for the group that goes away for
common games in July will be hugely beneficial. We did
the same thing in Caplecate Town for the World Cup.
I just gone and I think that ability to to
be familiar and have that experience of tour life is huge.
(09:04):
And so it's exciting to have so much netball equally daunting,
and I know it's going to be a huge, huge time,
both specifically and mentally. But that's what what we do,
it's what we vive in. I think a women opportunity
playing so much testing it goal.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
There's no Amelia Rannick and ourso in the squad. She's
stepped away for twenty twenty five, which leaves you is
very much the senior member in terms of experience in
the shooting circle. So how much extra responsibility do you
think you'll have to take as a result.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yeah, not having meals is a huge loss for our group.
She is a fantastic leader, fantastic person and equally fantastic
player on the court. So it's a big gap, and
I feel that the players that have been there will
be able to flat and seamlessly. They've all had fantastic
seasons in various the positions in the shooting circle, so
(09:57):
it's exciting to see what new connections we can build
and how we can, you know, kind of afford to
new path will the attacking end of the Silver Ferns.
I think the way that I be my role there
is just to keep playing my game. Well. I know
that if I'm doing my job and performing as a
goal shooter, that is going to benefit and support and
encourage whoever I get to play goal who plays goal
(10:19):
tech with me, or whoever else is playing goal shooters.
Been able to impart the knowledge that I've gained over
my three or four years in the Silferon's Goal shoot
BB to encourage those girls to take the opportunity and
to explore and grow in the in that in that position,
I do feel that I will. I've been there. I
know what it's like to be new in the team,
(10:41):
and I mean it wasn't that long ago that I
was new in the team, So I think I can
relate to that in a way that's different to other
players and really just have that relationship off the court
to give them confidence and give them a sense of security,
because it is a very daunting environment, especially for these debutantes.
So it's exciting. I'm very grateful to be in a
(11:02):
position where I can give back to the rest and
these new players and hopefully make this transition has been
quite seamless. So I'm looking forward to the opportunity to
be more than just to morey about more than just
my spouts and really give back and lead.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
Now they're veryucky to have you just spack to supernal.
Did you take many super shots? What did you leave
that to others?
Speaker 3 (11:25):
Yeah? I did not take very goody. It's it's complicated,
I think. I I mean, I promise you I was
banking them at training, but I think on game day.
On game day, it's a different story. And yeah, it's
definitely an area of my game that I am determined
to grow. I look at next season as an opportunity
to not just be you know, super shot time's or
(11:50):
how can we help fucking Grace help so we can
get the ball to the super shot shooter. I want
to be as much of the target and a threat
as my goal attack and that will take time and
you know, training, but I really do that that is
the goal to eventually be a really wrong weapon in
that time. But yeah, it's a really different game with
(12:10):
that sub show. It changes the way you play, it
changes the way you think about the game. And so
still a growth area and lots of learning you.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Had there, all right, and just to finish as well
as the news today of your inclusion in the Silver
Ferns news that you've also recommitted to the Swifts for
next year. Was that a Was that a difficult decision
to make or were you always keen to go back?
Speaker 3 (12:35):
That was not a difficult decision to make. I have
really enjoyed my time in Sydney. It hasn't been about
challenge and hasn't been without you know, the homesickness and
I guess questioning what I'm doing, But I think overall,
I feel like I'm in the best place right now
to keep growing my netball and challenging myself. It's a
(12:55):
fantastic city, there's fantastic players and stuff, and I've really
kind of I think I've done the hardest part of
having to be new Inspiress. Year two, I hope and
steel will be a lot more seamless and enjoyable than
year one, and so especially finishing the way we do that,
we do have unfinished business. I know, when it's ripe
(13:16):
and I'm filling the throat, I think still of that
finish and so I am very excited to be back
and to give twenty twenty six a good run and
compete and go for that premiership another time.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Well, I know netball fans here in New Zealand, Grace
are delighted with the news today that you'll be wearing
the black dress again, starting in the Tiny Jamison Trophy
next month. All the best for the international season ahead,
busy as it is, and thank you for taking the
time for a chat tonight.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
My pleasure.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Thank you, no, thank you, Grace. Grace wiki there.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays. We'll follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio,
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