Here If You Need - The Netball Pod

What do you do after 27 straight losses? West Coast Fever head coach Dan Ryan joins Emily Wilson and Nia Jones on Here If You Need to talk about rebuilding his career after Adelaide Thunderbirds and the lessons behind Fever's first Suncorp Super Netball premiership.

Dan shares his perspective on Jess Anstiss leaving Fever, how he recruits players and why the right environment matters. We discuss Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Shanice Beckford's return and spotting Donnell Wallam's potential at Leeds Rhinos, alongside his experiences with Manchester Thunder and Northern Ireland.

Plus, men's netball, the Australian Kelpies, a Constellation Cup assessment of the Diamonds and Silver Ferns, and quickfire questions with a very competitive guest.

The Constellation Cup discussion was recorded ahead of the series.

Follow Here If You Need on your podcast app for more netball conversations with Emily and Nia. Find us on Instagram at @hereifyouneednetball.

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Wales miss the Netball World Cup again and Nia Jones has lived this before. Are the lessons of 2017 being repeated?

Emily and Nia unpack what went wrong and what needs to change. Lisa Bowman joins them to share the Northern Ireland story: a 50–49 win over Wales, her return to international netball after eight years and the dream of playing at her first World Cup.

Plus Sarah Klau’s suspended sanction, the African qualifiers and leadership changes in British netball, including Sarah Boswell’s move to AO Thunder and Claire Nelson’s departure from the Netball Super League role.

Follow Here If You Need for netball analysis and conversations with the players behind the results.

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Here If You Need is back and there’s an entire NSL signing window to unpack.

Emily and Nia assess all eight squads for the 2027 season, debate the biggest arrivals and departures, and reveal which teams they believe could become genuine title contenders.

Is the NSL’s international-player rule holding the competition back? Did the signing window go on far too long? Which clubs recruited best—and which delivered the strongest announcement campaigns?

The pair also discuss Sharni Layton’s surprise move to Survivor, the AMEX grassroots funding debate, Sydney Sweeney’s controversial sports-betting campaign and the international netball coming up this autumn.

Plus, there’s some exciting podcast news: Here If You Need has officially joined the Sport Social network.

Listen now, then tell us who won the signing window and which four teams make your early 2027 top four.

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Men’s netball isn’t new, and it isn’t asking to take anything away from the women’s game. So why are boys and men still fighting for the opportunity to play?

In this special episode of Here If You Need, Emily and Nia are joined by men’s netball trailblazer Colyn Gordon and Nathan Dart, director of the world-first men’s netball documentary Rising to the Occasion.

Colyn reflects on discovering netball as a schoolboy in Jamaica, the abuse and physical violence male players endured, and the community that kept him coming back. He also explains how netball carried him through bereavement, cancer and some of the darkest moments of his life.

Nathan takes us behind the documentary and shares the stories that changed its direction, from boys being forced out of the sport they loved to the uncertain future of the Australian pathway.

Together, they explore:

• Why men’s netball has been erased from parts of the sport’s history
• What happens when boys reach the end of the pathway
• Whether netball can protect women’s spaces while welcoming men
• The commercial opportunity the sport is overlooking
• Why men’s and women’s netball can and should thrive together
• The players you need to watch
• Some Commonwealth Games predictions that have aged brilliantly… and others that haven’t

Plus, Lucy Goodman previews the 2026 UK Men’s & Mixed National Championships in Loughborough, with the players, teams and matches to look out for.

This interview was filmed in July, before the Commonwealth Games, so we’ve left the predictions in for your entertainment.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of bullying, physical violence, cancer, bereavement and suicide.

Watch Rising to the Occasion: https://storyboardproduction.gumroad.com/l/RisingtotheOccasion

Find out more about men’s and mixed netball: https://www.englandmmna.com/

Get tickets for Finals Sunday, 30 August: https://www.englandmmna.com/event-details/tickets-2026-uk-national-championships-finals-sunday

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The medals have been decided. Now Emily and Nia are ranking the Commonwealth Games top four—and Part Two comes with questions England cannot avoid.

Why are the Roses still so far behind the leading nations despite their resources and centralised programme? Did the squad have enough depth? Is the Netball Super League preparing players for major tournaments? And what must England Netball do next, from player support to the search for a permanent head coach?

Then it is on to one of the great Commonwealth Games semi-finals: Jamaica making Australia look genuinely panicked, Courtney Bruce's role as netball's pantomime villain, and why one defeat does not erase the Diamonds' status as the sport's blueprint.

Emily and Nia also celebrate Jamaica's silver-medal story before unpacking New Zealand's perfectly timed gold-medal run, Noeline Taurua's remarkable return and the tactical move that turned Mila Reuelu-Buchanan into a championship-winning wing defence.

**Covered in Part Two:**

- Why England's fourth-place finish demands answers

- Whether England's programme and the NSL are giving players what they need

- The permanent head-coach search

- England's standout players and selection decisions

- How Jamaica made Australia panic

- Courtney Bruce: pantomime villain or essential box office?

- Why the Diamonds remain the blueprint

- Jamaica's underdog story and silver medal

- New Zealand's tactical masterclass

- Noeline Taurua's extraordinary gold-medal return

Part One ranks the teams from 12th to fifth.

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The medals have been won and now it’s time to say what everyone else is thinking.

In Part 1 of our Commonwealth Games wrap, Emily and Nia rank the teams that finished from 12th to fifth.

Nia gives her honest verdict on Wales’ tenth-place campaign, explains why she believes the warning signs were already there and considers what must change before World Cup qualification.

We celebrate Scotland’s breakthrough home Games, Tonga winning hearts, Uganda’s fearless attacking style and Malawi’s quality. We also revisit South Africa’s puzzling tactical decisions, the effect of the international ranking system and the signs that pointed towards New Zealand winning gold.

Part two, covering the tournament’s top four, is coming next.

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Lisa Alexander joins *Here If You Need* for a big conversation about the culture, pressure and standards behind one of netball’s most successful teams.The former Diamonds head coach reflects on changing Australia’s mentality, winning Commonwealth and World Cup gold, and the pain of the 2018 final. She gives her verdict on the current Diamonds squad, explains why she believes Australia are favourites, and names the teams capable of challenging them.Lisa also discusses international players in Super Netball, the fitness demands of elite netball, her impact at London Pulse, Steph Fretwell’s move to the NSL and whether she would consider a coaching role with England or Wales.Plus, Emily reacts to Nat Metcalf’s injury withdrawal, Ella Clark’s call-up, and what the late change could mean for the Roses.**In this episode:**- Nat Metcalf’s injury and Ella Clark’s opportunity- How Lisa changed the Diamonds’ culture- Why Australia are expected to win- Whether the selected squad is “a little bit safe”- The danger New Zealand could pose- Import rules and the future of domestic netball- Lisa’s time at London Pulse- Whether England or Wales should give her a call

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She's coming to the NSL… and Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane just gave us one of the most honest interviews of the summer, live from the Commonwealth Games Village.

This week on Here If You Need – The Netball Pod, Emily and Nia break down the NSL's biggest transfer shock and the London Mavericks mass exodus before Khanyisa joins us from Glasgow for a brilliantly honest conversation.

In this episode we discuss:

• Steph Fretwell's shock signing for London Pulse — and why it could be the perfect fit for both parties

• London Mavericks' mass exodus — five players leaving in one announcement, plus a proper tribute to Razia Quashie following her retirement

• Our completely unqualified speculation on who Mavericks sign next

• Bella Bayliss joining the Pulse midcourt — and what it could mean for Sophie Kelly

• Nia's verdict on Loughborough Lightning's "if we were a country" Commonwealth medal stat (while Emily attempts to follow the maths!)

• Lightning's social media strategy versus Mavericks' new player announcement approach

Then Proteas captain Khanyisa Chawane joins us to talk about:

• Life inside the Commonwealth Games Village

• South Africa's brutal 14-flight preparation block against Australia, New Zealand and England

• Why beating England has given the Proteas belief they can reach the semi-finals

• Chasing South Africa's first-ever win over Australia at a major tournament

• Leaving LexisNexis Dragons after her contract wasn't renewed — "these things happen in sport"

• The pressure and honour of captaining a passionate nation after Bongiwe Msomi

• Rising stars to watch: Carla Victor and Sanmarie Visser

• Working under Jenny van Dyk and following in Norma Plummer's footsteps

• Her hero, go-to song and the Dragons memory she'll never forget

• Beer pong, board games or dancing — where she'll actually end up this summer

Plus:

• How to watch the Commonwealth Games netball on HBO Max and TNT, plus a ticket discount code

• Why Nat Metcalf's absence from England's send-off has us suspicious

• Nia Knows: why did coaches used to hand out kitchen roll instead of towels?

• Our Commonwealth Games Top 12 predictions — purely for fun, with absolutely no bragging rights on the line

• A bonus episode with Lisa Alexander drops on Friday!

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube.

📲 Follow us on social media for clips, behind-the-scenes content and more.

#Netball #NSL #NetballSuperLeague #CommonwealthGames #KhanyisaChawane #SouthAfrica #EnglandRoses #LondonPulse #LondonMavericks #StephFretwell

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The Commonwealth Games are almost here, but before the action begins, there’s plenty to unpack.

Emily and Nia break down another huge week of NSL transfer news, including Imogen Allison’s move to Nottingham Forest, Manchester Thunder’s completed squad, the latest vacancies at London Pulse, Dragons and Panthers, and where the biggest remaining names could land.

AND Anna Stembridge reveals some big in-camp news!

Then it’s time to look ahead to Glasgow.

Scotland head coach Kath Tetley and shooter Niamh McCall join us to discuss Scotland’s ambitions on home soil, the tactical identity behind the Thistles’ rise, why Kath is “allergic to resets”, and why they believe they can challenge the world’s best.

We also catch up with England Roses Imogen Allison and captain Fran Williams, who reflect on life in Australia’s Super Netball, returning to the NSL, England camp, leadership, and whether this England squad believes it can finally win Commonwealth Games gold.

Finally, England head coach Anna Stembridge joins us with an update on Sharni Layton’s surprise withdrawal from the coaching team, and we discuss what it could mean for England heading into the tournament.

This episode includes:
• The latest NSL transfer news
• Commonwealth Games squad analysis
• Scotland Thistles exclusive interview
• England Roses exclusive interviews
• Anna Stembridge on England’s coaching setup
• Gold medal predictions

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Formed in secret, told she didn't have the right to do it, now representing 75 of the NSL's 80 players… meet the woman running netball's equivalent of a union.

This week on Here If You Need - The Netball Pod, Emily and Nia sit down with Liz Bloor, founder of the Netball Players Association, for a rare look behind the curtain of pay, contracts and player welfare in the NSL.

Liz Bloor joins us to talk about:

• How the NPA was actually founded - in secret, in a basement hotel room in Loughborough
• England Netball's response when they found out ("you don't really have the right to do this")
• Growing from a spreadsheet and 59.2% sign-up to 75 of 80 NSL players
• Why compulsory medical insurance for NSL players didn't exist until the NPA pushed for it
• Injury pay: how a 5-week cap became the rest of your contract
• Why players are still "not the best" at reading their own contracts
• The signing window problem - and why she thinks it's built backwards in favour of clubs
• How NSL rest and recovery compares to Australia and New Zealand
• Do you actually need an agent? Liz's honest take
• The maternity policy gap netball still hasn't fixed
• The mental health support most players don't know they have access to
• Image rights, sponsorship money, and who actually benefits

Plus:

• NPA's paddle tournament fundraiser at the Commonwealth Games
• Her surprisingly serious golf handicap
• The one NSL club she's naming and praising on air

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube📲 Follow us on socials for clips, chants and more

#Netball #NSL #NetballSuperLeague #EnglandRoses #LizBloor #NPA

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