Netball Unlocked Podcast

After a stint away, Chloe is back in time to chat through an exciting Round 9 of Netball Super League action as table leaders Loughborough Lightning clinched a Top 4 spot.

In the news section, Paul and Chloe begin with a spirited discussion about the rise of Next Gen athletes across the league, as injuries continue to dominate.

They also reflect on the AMEX announcement and South Africa's extended international squad, with the Commonwealth Games looming.

In the review segment, Chloe and Paul look back on the round where the top four teams all notched wins, including Nottingham Forest, who conceded a bonus point in their victory over NIC Leeds Rhinos.

Attention then turns to Round 10, where a 'Battle Royale' awaits, as London Pulse take on Loughborough Lightning, with a possible Top 4 berth on the line should the reigning champions be victorious.

A must-win game for LexisNexis Dragons against Forest also dominates the discussion, with just eight points separating Nottingham and last year's semi-finalists, London Mavericks.

With Chloe taking a well deserved break there is plenty to get through so Paul has not one but two guests.
London Pulse NextGen captain Phoebe Maslen joins the podcast to take us inside life in the NextGen League and her decision to join Pulse and move to London.
As well as her season so far Phoebe talks about her England ambitions, her netball journey that already features Wasps, Team Bath and Pulse.
Our second guest is ABC Sports Journalist Brittany Carter who has all the drama from Australia - including the very latest on a brand new TV deal, and what it means for Super Netball expansion.
There is plenty to get through on the SSN season so far, the push for Olympic inclusion, the Commonwealth Games race for gold and whether it might be time to see more Aussies in the NSL.
As well as all that Phoebe helps us round up Round 8 in the Super League with wins for each of the top four as Lightning, Pulse, Thunder and Forest strengthen their grip on a play off place.
And we finish by looking ahead to the next round of action as Forest travel to Rhinos, Panthers host Pulse, Thunder and Mavericks meet in Manchester and Dragons look to stop Lightning's perfect season.

We've reached the halfway point of the Netball Super League season, so Paul and Chloe liven up the latest episode with a Team of the Season...so far.

We debate the positions where there is plenty of competition for places, the positions where decisions are not so clean cut, and come up with the seven that have impressed us most so far.

For good measure, Chloe has done the sums and found out who has the most team of the week nominations, and we will invite you - the listeners - to choose your team from our shortlist on socials this week!

We also review Round 7 as Pulse get the better of Mavericks in the London derby with the thoughts of Jemma Donoghue and Sam Bird. Thunder pick off Rhinos, Lightning stay perfect with a win over Forest, and Panthers beat Dragons in a thriller for their first win of the season.

We zero in on the impact injuries are having on the NSL squads so far this season, consider the news of an incorrect score in the Lightning-Forest game and weigh up some England options emerging so far this season.

All that plus a look ahead to Round 8, as Panthers host Forest, Mavericks travel to Lightning, Dragons head to Manchester to play Thunder and Pulse welcome Rhinos to the Copper Box.

After a few months of chasing and aligning schedules, Paul and Chloe are joined by Cat Tuivaiti for the latest Unlocked extended interview.

After a lifetime in the sport, there is plenty to discuss in an hour-long conversation that takes in Cat's netball journey, the state of the game across the globe right now - and plenty more besides.

We kick off with how Cat chose netball - over volleyball, no less - and how the early years and experiences in the pathways shaped not only her playing career but the person she is.

Having played for Samoa, New Zealand and Tonga - and played in the ANZ, SSN and NSL - there is arguably no one better placed for a health check on netball's current landscape.

We ask...Is SSN doing what it needs as the No 1 league in the sport? How can the NSL and ANZ position themselves to move forward?

We touch on the international game, and a tumultuous few months for England and New Zealand.

Why her role with Fox Netball is helping Cat get under the skin of the game before she takes the leap into coaching and the incredible support from her husband - and volleyball foe - Jimmy, that has allowed her live an incredible life.

Round six of the Netball Super League has been and gone, leaving Chloe and special guest Gabby Marshall plenty to discuss.

In a bumper episode, the conversation begins with a focus on Gabby and her sudden retirement from netball following her mild traumatic brain injury last season. 

She opens up on the extent of her symptoms, why, in her own way, she is grateful for what happened and the work she is now doing with the Netball Players’ Association to help future athletes.

Talk then turns to the round six action with Chloe getting out her tactics board to illustrate how league leaders Loughborough Lightning were able to top AO Manchester Thunder. We hear from Thunder head coach Karen Greig and Lightning’s co-captain Beth Durant in exclusive post-match interviews.

We also get insights from Philippa Yarranton as Gabby and Chloe break down LexisNexis Dragons’ second win of the season over Nottingham Forest, with a shoutout to their game-changing moving circle, before moving on to discuss London Mavericks and London Pulse’s respective victories over NIC Leeds Rhinos and Birmingham Panthers.

With that all done, Chloe and Gabby turn to Round 7, which will mark the midway point of the season, with some juicy matchups in wait. There will be a London derby at the Copper Box as well as a Battle of the Roses up in Manchester.

Settle down with your leftover Easter chocolate for this one.

Another round of Netball Super League action is in the books, and Sky Sports commentator Lucy Goodman joins Chloe Merrell and Paul Prenderville to review the major talking points.

Ahead of their Round 6 showdown, Loughborough Lightning stay perfect with a win over Birmingham Panthers, and AO Manchester Thunder find their best performance of the season to sink Nottingham Forest.

Champions London Pulse prove too strong for NIC Leeds Rhinos, while London Mavericks get the better of an arm wrestle against LexisNexis Dragons in Cardiff.

There’s the usual round-up of netball headlines, as Chloe dives in on the latest round of SSN and an immediate entry into the ‘top eight netball games of all time’, Lucy offers her thoughts on the England Roses coaching fall-out, and there’s a debate over expansion in Australia and what it means for the global game.

As ever, we round off the week with our preview and look ahead to Round 6, where all eight teams are in action on a loaded Saturday.

Forest and Dragons meet at the Motorpoint Arena in the second double header of the NSL season, which also features first against second as Lightning face Thunder.

Pulse vs Panthers, and Mavericks hosting Rhinos, brings the curtain down on a bumper offering from the Unlocked gang.

Round 4 in the Netball Super League brought us our first extra time game of the season, and left only one team unbeaten - and one team still chasing a win.

Chloe and Paul get stuck into the talking points from the week, as the dust settles on the coaching changes for England Netball and injuries begin to bite in the NSL.

Chloe picks out the major talking points from the week in Australia as SSN delivers more early drama.

Back in the UK, LexisNexis Dragons picked off a win over Rhinos - can the Welsh outfit kick and challenge for the top 4, and how do Rhinos stop the slide?

In Birmingham, a third different home venue brought no luck for Panthers, who are winless after a defeat to a full-strength Manchester Thunder, starting to showcase what they are all about.

Lightning beat Mavericks to remain the NSL’s only perfect record with four wins from four - but are they signs of Mavs clicking into gear?

And in the final game of the round, we try to make sense of Pulse’s win over Forest, and the chaos that unfolded before extra time in the Copper Box.

All that plus a look ahead to Round 5 as Pulse head to Rhinos, Dragons host Mavericks, Thunder meet Forest in Manchester, and top meet bottom as Lightning and Panthers go head to head.

In the latest episode of Netball Unlocked, Paul and Chloe deep dive into the weekend’s action from Round 3 of the Super League.

A double-header, including an NSL 2025 Grand Final rematch, presents plenty of talking points, with Chloe getting her tactics board to run the rule over Lightning’s sharp defence.

Paul and Chloe then turn to analyse the other three games, highlighting Thunder’s rise, Mavericks’ improved performances, and the injury to Jaz Brown that ultimately turned the tide against Leeds Rhinos.

With reflections shared, Paul and Chloe then turn to preview Round 4, with just the one game on Friday before back-to-back matches on Sunday evening.

Pulse v Nottingham tops the billing, with Lightning v Mavericks promising to be a wing attack battle for the ages.

It’s a seismic day for England Netball as Jess Thirlby steps down as the Roses head coach after more than six years in the role.
There is plenty for Paul and Chloe to discuss in a first ever emergency episode of the pod, including lots of thoughts on what’s to come and what it means as Anna Stembridge assumes the head coach position.Just four months away from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, it leaves England and their players in a strange position.There’s time for a quick fire assessment of where the Roses are in their cycle, with the World Cup also on the agenda, and what might be next as England’s statement outlines a recruitment process to begin after the Commonwealth Games.
Plenty to get stuck into, including who could be the long term replacement?

With Paul away, Chloe is joined by Commonwealth Games gold medallist and two-time NSL winner Jodie Gibson to assess a week of fireworks on and off the court in Round 2 of the Netball Super League 2026.

The episode begins by catching up with Jodie and getting a special look behind her retirement decision, before turning to the news and major talking points of the round.

Jodie and Chloe consider the themes of physicality, umpiring, accountability and the use of social media as they reflect on the reaction surrounding a play by Alicia Scholes in the Pulse v Dragons game, the subsequent online back-and-forth and the official league statement that followed.

All Round 2 matches are up for discussion, with Jodie sharing her unique insights and takes on each game.

Chloe then leads the preview of the Round 3 games, inviting Jodie to share her key match-ups and predictions.

Enjoy!