Kelly Jackson: Silver Ferns defender on her move to the Queensland Firebirds

It was announced today that Silver Ferns and Central Pulse defender Kelly Jackson will play in the Australian Super Netball league, joining the Queensland Firebirds. 

The 2022 ANZ Championship player of the year was granted an exemption to continue to play for the Silver Ferns, despite playing across the Tasman. She followed in the footsteps of Grace Nweke, who was also named in the most recent Silver Ferns squad even though she played for the New South Wales Swift this past season. 

D'Arcy Waldegrave spoke with Jackson about the process of gaining an exemption to continue playing for the Silver Ferns, reasons for wanting to make the move over to Queensland and how involved she wants to be throughout the 2025 international window.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB. We were.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
In seven fifty one sports Look on news Talks EDB.
Let's talk now to Kelly Jackson. She's off to Australia.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
OHI, Kelly, Hi, how's it going.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
It's going good. I'm not going to Australia like you are,
but it's going good. He's some news for you out
of the fire after the Firebirds for twenty twenty six.
I suppose first and foremost you were you were flirting
this what back in May? I think it was reported
that you turned down offers and moved from Australia to
stay with the Ferns. So this has been bubbling for

(00:50):
quite some time. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Well, obviously over the last couple of years, I've had
various offers to head over, but ultimately paying for the
soil of services be my number one priority. But I've
been fortuning enough that I've revised their eligibility and criterias
and processes, so it really has opened the door and
I went through the egyption process was successful and I

(01:14):
was able to sign a contract with the Queensland Fibers,
which is really exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
What do they want to know? What was the process?
Won't tell us what you need to do, so what
hoops did you have to jump through?

Speaker 3 (01:24):
Ultimately, it was just a lot of discussions with no
Lean and our high performance staff at the Silver Ferns
to make sure that we're all aligned, that Australian clubs
are aligned with what the Silver Ferns want and their
vision and their program, and just making sure that it's
ultimately the best decision for us in our careers and

(01:45):
also that it benefits me with New Zealand and it
will like if we go over there and play against
and we'll got the ability to play against the best
sitballs in the world week in and week out. It's
I'm going to help us go on and off the
court so that it's an opportunity I'm really excited for.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
So when the exemptions started playing out, when Grace scott
Hers did the Firebirds ring you up and go quick
get an exemption? Did you run with it instead? I'm
going to have a crack. How did that operate?

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well?

Speaker 3 (02:14):
These discussions have been happening for a few months now,
so it's actually really nice to have it all out
in the open. The exhibtion processes started months to ago,
and yeah, I've just been working through that and working
through my options overseas and making sure that I'm hitting
to a club that bes the lines with myself and

(02:35):
also willing to help me in terms of my international goals.
So I'm really happy with my decision and fathers ready
to get a month at Brisbane Heath. It's going to
be a contrast to the Wellington wins, but I'm really
looking forward to it.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
You'll love it. So you've been in negotiations, so you
were reasonably sure that the eligibility clause from Netball newsand
was going to be pushed through. That's why you were engaged.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
Oh well, yes, Grace hitting over the last year really
put the heat on Nipple New Zealand in terms of
them having to make a decision and assess the options
and whether it's dorgal to let Silver Ferns players over there,
and just really grateful that they have allowed us to
do so. And I think it's really going to help

(03:25):
the game and ultimately help the Silver Ferns.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Do you think with yourself and Grace on there's going
to be quite a few Ferns now going Oh I
fancy a crack at that. I mean, you've talked amongst
the Polese ladies, if you talked amongst the silver Ferns
are out what the feeling is around the group Now
that they can possibly go to Australia.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
I think we will see a couple hit over there.
It's obviously a confidential process and everyone's out there to
protect themselves and protect their clubs. So I guess we'll
find out in the next few weeks what movements are
going to be. But you know, whatever movement's happened, and
if players hit on to Australia, it just gives opportunity

(04:08):
for players in New Zealand to have a crack at
as your premiership contract and gain more court time than
get start a given spots.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
So you know you'll been talking, but you can't let
the cat out of the bag because you don't want
to ruin your relationships. But there's there's definitely been foremost
in conversations here. No it's not no, no, no, okay,
you has asked that's the media. We can't help ourselves.
Good things come to those who ask they exactly. Your
your career to date has been astonishing. What you've won

(04:40):
what you've been awarded, and you said before that what's
good for your career? So at the right young age
of what twenty eight, this is just a one off
your way for one year two years, but you're likely
to go back. Where does that fit in the greend
to scale because you've got a lot of nepple still
to play.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
Kelly, you know, I've signed a one year contract, but
you know, looking back on my career, I've been in
this competition for eleven years. I spent five years in
the Magic, six years at Pulse and have very been
very fortunate and the opportunity both teams have been able
to give me and the development and growth Stu provided also.

(05:17):
But for me, I just think it's a really cool opportunity,
a really cool life experience. I've never lived overseas, so
that's going to be really fun and just been how
to go over there, put myself out of my comfort
zone and really challenge myself is something I'm looking forward
to and.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
We're looking forward to watching it as well. Kelly Jackson,
thank you very much for your time.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
There'd be from seven pm weekdays or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio,