Netball Super League | Nat Metcalf re-signs with Manchester Thunder for 2024

Nat Metcalf named in the Netball Super League All Star VII for 2023. Credit: Ben Lumley

Nat Metcalf has re-signed with four-time champions Manchester Thunder ahead of the 2024 Netball Super League season.

The 30-year-old will join up with fellow England Roses Amy Carter and new signing Imogen Allison who have already been announced.

Metcalf commented: “I absolutely love the environment at Thunder, and I think the people are incredible. The players are amazing, the coaches, the staff, everyone. It’s a massive, combined effort to make Thunder who they are and there’s a massive family feel amongst the team. Thinking about playing for Thunder again this season is really exciting.”

Over the summer, Metcalf and the England Roses won a historic silver medal at the Netball World Cup, reaching their first World Cup final.

“It was an amazing honour to co-captain alongside Layla Guscoth. We’ve grown up through the ranks in our England program together, so to captain alongside her was an incredible honour and just to put on the red dress and play for England in the World Cup final and get on that podium with a silver medal was an incredible achievement.”

Signing from Australia’s New South Wales Swifts at the start of the 2022 season, Metcalf quickly helped Manchester Thunder make history by going unbeaten for all 22 games and winning the Netball Super League trophy. In 2023, with the departure of captain Laura Malcolm, head coach, Karen Greig, appointed Metcalf as captain, and built a strong leadership team with Kerry Almond and Shadine van der Merwe as vice-captains.

Metcalf topped the Netball Super League standings for feeds with 622 whilst scoring 51 goals.

Metcalf Magic 🪄

Leading from the front, @nataliesymone has had a brilliant season as captain for @thundernetball 🫡

Thunder's skipper has impressed this season, providing 622 feeds and gaining an incredible six appearances in the #NSL2023 team of the week ☄️ pic.twitter.com/griV1c3r05

— Netball Super League (@NetballSL) June 14, 2023

“In the 2023 season, I loved the coming together of a new group and it was a new chapter for us. We welcomed lots of girls back to Thunder after their time away, and I think to get that camaraderie amongst the group and play with new players was really exciting, and what we achieved was amazing.”

Reflecting on her return, Franchise Director and Head Coach Karen Greig said: “I could not be happier to re-sign our captain fantastic, and Nat is invaluable to us both on and off the court.

“On court she has the most amazing skill to sight a pass in a split second and deliver a pinpoint pass. Her work ethic both in attack and defence sees her to continually put out solid performances for us. Off court she was the perfect leader in 2023, and her ability to pull together a group of athletes with different personalities and really continue to grow our family culture is really precious to us. I can’t wait to have Nat back in the fold next season.”

Looking at the season ahead, Metcalf added: “I think that we’re definitely going for that title. I think any time you start a season that’s your goal, and that’s what we want to aim for. We fell short in 2023 at not becoming defending champions but I think finishing in third was something we were all really proud of and we want to go one better and get into that final and we want to bring that trophy home for 2024.”

Thunder have recently announced that ex-captain and current England Roses teammate, Laura Malcolm, is returning to the Franchise as a new technical support coach.

“I think she’s [Laura] going to be brilliant,” Metcalf said. “I think as a coach or player, Laura is one of the smartest players I’ve ever come across. She loves the game, she loves learning about the game, and she loves sharing her knowledge, so I’m definitely going to be picking her brain every game for tactics and insight.”

You can keep up to date with all the 2024 squads and signings here.

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