Netball Super League | Five Things To Know: Annabel Roddy

Celtic Dragons have today announced the signing of young defender Annabel Roddy from Loughborough Lightning.

The 21-year-old won the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) last season but what will she bring to Dragons?

Here are five things to know about Annabel Roddy:

Netball Beginnings:

Annabel Roddy was born in August 2000 and started her netball journey in her hometown of Solihull, Birmingham, 12 years later. Roddy first picked up the sport towards the end of primary school before going onto play for a range of local sides including Foxes Netball Club, Elmdon and Henley.

The defender then joined up with Linden Netball Club in Premier League 2 before being picked up by Wasps, winning NPL undefeated with the Midlands franchise before signing for Loughborough Lightning in 2018.

Having starred at U21 level, she first made the VNSL squad in 2019 at the age of just 18.

England Commitments:

Roddy’s performances at club level has resulted in a number of England call ups over the years. She was first noticed by selectors when she was picked for the England National Academy – alongside the likes of Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and Hali Adio – in 2016.

The 21-year-old has been a member of the young squads for four years now, winning competitions such as Netball Europe and the recent Performance Competition in Sheffield.

Her favourite netball memory, however, came when she captained the England U19s on a tour to Australia and New Zealand back in 2019. Having been selected in the U21 squad again this year, expect more to come from Roddy in an England dress.

Champion:

Roddy has won several major honours at different levels for club and country during her netball career.

Having won silverware at BUCS level, the youngster also won U17 Netball Europe for England in Belfast back in 2017.

During her three-year spell with Lightning, Roddy’s Loughborough University lifted two major honours. Roddy’s first came back in 2019 as she helped Lightning to their second Fast5 All Star Championship title in a team that featured the likes of Jo Harten and Claire Maxwell.

She only had to wait two years for the next major honour when she won the VNSL title at the Copper Box Arena in 2021. The youngster lifted the trophy back in June having made several appearances during the season before injury.

Biggest inspiration:

As a defender, Roddy fittingly cited Vitality Rose Geva Mentor as her biggest netball inspiration. Dragons’ newest recruit described the Commonwealth Games champion as a ‘dominant defender’ and followed her career closely growing up.

Mentor also became a VNSL champion in her early years before forging one of the most successful netball careers by an Englishwoman to date, starring for her country and in Australia.

Recently, Roddy stated that following in her footsteps and gaining an England senior call up is her biggest goal.

Familiar Faces:

Despite this being her first season at Dragons, Roddy will know a fair few names in Cardiff having played with or under her new colleagues.

Roddy trained with Welsh international and Dragons mid-courter Shona O’Dwyer at the aforementioned National Academy in 2016.

Perhaps most importantly, Roddy played under new Head Coach Dannii Titmuss during her three-year stay at Wasps. Titmuss managed the U21 side that went two seasons undefeated at NPL level.