Welsh netball players are preparing for a series of huge challenges over the first six months of 2018.
Celtic Dragon start their Vitality Superleague season in February, while the Welsh national team have World Cup qualifying fixtures plus the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Dragons have named a fully Welsh Superleague squad and that will help head coach Trish Wilcox and her players prepare for the major tests ahead.
They included two overseas players for the last Superleague season, but are sticking with the Welsh theme to ensure the best chance for success on all fronts.
Stacey Peters, a mid-court player from New Zealand, and Khalifa McColin, a goal-shooter or goal-attack from Trinidad and Tobago were the overseas signings in 2017.
Suzy Drane will be Dragons’ captain and they start their campaign with back-to-back home fixtures.
benecosMavericks are visitors to Cardiff on Monday, February 12 followed by Team Bath on the following Saturday (both 7pm).
Wales are in action during January when they go to Scotland and their aim is to qualify for the World Cup. There are two World Cup places available and three teams competing.
Scottish Thistles, Wales and Northern Ireland play in the qualifiers, while England automatically qualify for the finals because they are hosting the 2019 championships in Liverpool.
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all compete at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next April.
The Welsh team have an important match this month when they play Superleague club Team Bath in a challenge fixture. That will be useful for the national team and Celtic Dragons in assessing how strong Superleague netball could be in the new season.
That clash with Team Bath is at Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 18. There will also be a fan zone from 2pm at the venue where supporters can meet the players for autographs and photographs.
Bath have taken their playing roster up to 15 with Asha Francis, Paige Reed, Abi Robson and Jazz Scott newly confirmed signings.
Robson has represented England at under-17 and under-21 levels. The 18-year-old mid-courter now steps up to Superleague level and is capable of playing at wing-defence or centre.
England under-21 international Reed, taking a gap year from her studies, while University of Bath Sports Performance graduate Scott is named in the squad for a third successive season.
Francis, captain of the title-winning team in 2013, will combine playing with coaching the academy and students’ teams.
Josie Janz-Dawson and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis have signed for Bath along with sisters Rachel and Jess Shaw.
Aussie goalkeeper Janz-Dawson impressed for Severn Stars last season, while Drakeford-Lewis is one of the emerging names in the game. The young shooter arrives from Mavericks having made her England debut at Netball Europe earlier this month.
Mia Ritchie, Tash Pavelin, Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Layla Guscoth, Chelsea Lewis and Imogen Allison have committed to Bath along with England international Kadeen Corbin as they aim to improve on last season where they were beaten in the Superleague semi-finals by Loughborough Lightning.
Head coach Anna Stembridge said: “We are into full pre-season training and the players are working hard to be the best they can be.
“There is a buzz around this squad and we know that if we focus on what matters, game by game, we will be a top contender this season once more.”
Celtic Dragons, full Superleague squad for 2018: Suzy Drane (Captain), Kelly Morgan (Vice-Captain), Bethan Dyke, Clare Jones, Eleanor Roberts, Fern Davies, Kyra Jones, Leila Thomas, Sara Bell, Amanda Varey, Cara Lea Moseley, Georgia Rowe, Megan Powell, Nia Jones and Sarah Llewelyn.
Management team: Trish Wilcox (head coach), Mel Tuckwell (assistant coach), Louvain Lake (team manager) and Michelle Woodward (performance analyst).
Manchester Thunder have confirmed the arrival of Northern Ireland international Caroline O’Hanlon after the departure of Gabriella Marshall.
O’Hanlon enjoyed an impressive campaign for Sirens last season, their first in the Superleague, and she links up with semi-finalists Thunder for the 2018 campaign.
The centre will fill the void left by Marshall who earlier this month moved south to link up with the benecosMavericks and 33-year-old O’Hanlon is relishing the opportunity in a Commonwealth Games season where she hopes to line up for Northern Ireland next spring.
“I’ve always admired Thunder and the tradition they’ve always had in the Superleague,” she said.
“I really wanted to experience that and (head coach) Karen Greig is a big reason for me joining. Whenever I have played in Manchester the fans have always been really good and really loud so I’m looking forward to experiencing that more.”
Loughborough Lightning finished top of the table in 2017 before newcomers Wasps pipped them to the title in the grand final.
England Netball hall-of-fame star Jade Clarke is a new Wasps signing. The mid-court veteran, England’s most capped international player of all-time, joins Wasps from elite Australian Super Netball side Adelaide Thunderbirds.
The 33-year-old centre/wing defence had a short stint with Loughborough Lightning in 2016, but has spent the majority of the last five years playing in New Zealand and Australia.
Clarke joined New-Zealand based Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 2011, before going on to line-up for Northern Mystics, Canterbury Tactix, NSW Swifts and Adelaide Thunderbirds.
She has enjoyed an illustrious international career spanning over a decade, competing in four World Cups, three Commonwealth Games and two World Netball series tournaments.
With the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games taking place from the 5th-15th April 5 to April 15 Superleague will take a break after round seven concludes in mid-March.
The Vitality Netball Superleague fixtures for 2018 have been announced.
Celtic Dragons begin their season on Monday, February 12 when they host benecosMavericks, while they will be live on Sky Sports during May when they host Loughborough Lightning.
Celtic Dragons tickets are now on sale via https://tinyurl.com/ycl6px69