Netball Super League | Statistically Speaking: Vitality Netball Superleague players at the Vitality Netball World Cup

Nat Panagarry, Jade Clarke and Fran Williams of the Vitality Roses and Vitality Netball Superleague at the Vitality Netball World Cup. Source | SWPix.

More than 30 players who were part of the 2019 Vitality Netball Superleague season represented their respective countries at the Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool.

In total, 32 members of the United Kingdom’s elite netball league played a large part in this summer’s ground-breaking tournament.

We took a look at the key stats from their performances:

All 10 franchises were represented

The Vitality Netball Superleague’s 32 representatives meant that, of the total 192 players brought by the 16 different nations, 17.78% of all athletes at the tournament had played in the VNSL last season.

The large volume of Vitality Netball Superleague stars ensured that all 10 franchises had at least one ambassador at the M&S Bank Arena.

Scotland brought the most Vitality Netball Superleague players to Liverpool with a total of 11, all of whom played for Strathclyde Sirens during the season, while the Thistles’ Head Coach Gail Parata is also in charge of Sirens.

Subsequently, Sirens were the most heavily represented franchise. Wasps Netball were second on this front as four of their players travelled to Merseyside.

Celtic Dragons and Severn Stars were visible across the highest number of teams, however, as each franchise was represented in three separate squads.

Stars had Jodi-Ann Ward playing for Jamaica, Maryka Holtzhausen playing for South Africa and Adelaide Muskwe playing for Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Dragons had Dee Bolakoro playing for Fiji, Stacian Facey playing for Jamaica, and Kalifa McCollin playing for Trinidad and Tobago.

Ten of the 16 nations had a VNSL netballer in their squad and many of whom made the latter stages of the competition. In fact, 10 players made the semi-finals and six won medals.

A total of 1,034 goals were scored by VNSL players

Those Vitality Netball Superleague representatives were not just there to take part, either. Many proved crucial for their nations inside the shooting circle.

Collectively, 1,034 goals at the Vitality Netball World Cup were scored by VNSL players.

Scotland had the most goals scored by Vitality Netball Superleague players with 300 – 100% of their total goals – while five nations had more than 100 of their goals scored by VNSL athletes.

Individually, Manchester Thunder’s Joyce Mvula scored more than any of her VNSL counterparts in Liverpool. The goal shooter had an exceptional record four years ago in Sydney and performed exceptionally on the world stage once again, netting 216 goals for Malawi.

Alongside Mvula, five more VNSL stars scored over a century of goals throughout the competition. Rachel Dunn ended with a total of 115, Emma Barrie of Scotland scored 112, Maryka Holtzhausen netted 115 for South Africa, Lynsey Gallagher had 121 goals for Scotland, and Kalifa McCollin recorded 127 for Trinidad and Tobago.

O’Hanlon led the way with goal assists

A total of 906 goal assists were also provided by Vitality Netball Superleague players.

The most productive player in terms of assists was Manchester Thunder’s Caroline O’Hanlon. The Northern Ireland centre assisted her teammates on 119 separate occasions over her seven games.

Three other Vitality Netball Superleague stars recorded more than a century of goal assists during the tournament.

Wasps Netball’s Bongiwe Msomi racked up 113 assists during South Africa’s record-breaking run to the semi-finals. Strathclyde Sirens’ Claire Maxwell led Scotland by example as she assisted 104 of the Thistles’ goals. Meanwhile, Vitality Roses captain Serena Guthrie of Team Bath finished the tournament with 111 assists to her name.

Malawi’s Joyce Mvula had 224 goal contributions overall, thanks to her tremendous goal tally and eight assists, which was the most of any VNSL player. Kalifa McCollin, with her 127 goals and 73 assists, finished with an impressive 200 goal contributions for Trinidad and Tobago.

Mighty minutes for Maxwell

Due to the competition schedule, where some nations played eight games in 10 days, there were no ever-presents when it came to time on court.

While no player completed every minute of their country’s campaign, some Vitality Netball Superleague talents featured heavily.

Team Bath’s Serena Guthrie, who played 419 minutes, and Wasps Netball’s Jade Clarke, who played 424 minutes, were particular standouts.

However, it was Strathclyde Sirens and Scotland captain Claire Maxwell who played the most minutes of any VNSL player. The centre racked up a gargantuan 430 minutes across her country’s seven games.

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