by Brittany Carter
For a 28-year-old, GWS Fury defender Kristiana Manu’a has fit a lot into her netball career.
She was born in New Zealand but raised in Liverpool, Australia with Samoan heritage and has now been able to represent each of those important cultural influences on her life.
Forgoing Silver Ferns selection while she was on a breakout ANZ Championship contract at the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in under Julie Fitzgerald, the defender instead opted to start her international career with the Diamonds, debuting at the 2016 Quad Series.
That same year, Fitzgerald was appointed as inaugural Giants coach, after the team won its bid to enter the new all-Australian Super Netball league. Fitzgerald had a short time to pull together a side for 2017 and she convinced players Manu’a, Jamie-Lee Price and Jo Harten to cross the ditch.
Right before the competition started, Manu’a suffered a devastating Achillies injury that ruled her out of that exciting first season. When the tendon finally healed, she returned to match fitness by plying her trade in the Netball NSW Premier League.
Finally, in 2018, she eventually made her Super Netball debut in orange, before going on to make 45 appearances across her five seasons linked to Giants.
Manu’a was also invited to a 2018 Commonwealth Games training camp for the Diamonds. Alas, the opportunity to play for Australia never quite came her way again, and ahead of the 2022 domestic season, Manu’a decided to head back to the country that gave her that first domestic contract.
This time, Manu’a signed with the Central Pulse and went on to win the ANZ Premiership trophy. As one of the standouts that year, Manu’a was called up to the Silver Ferns development squad and featured for a New Zealand A team in the Cadbury Series before winning bronze with the Fast5 Ferns at the modified world netball series.
Then in 2023, Manu’a decided to pursue a different part of her cultural heritage, this time taking the court for Samoa Tifa Moana in the blue and red dress at the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
The end result was another bronze medal to add to her collection and Manu’a was often pictured throughout the Games with a huge smile on her face.
This year, the defender has settled back in Australia with her family for good and is enjoying playing each Wednesday night for the GWS Fury.
Coached by Jennie Webster OAM, the Opens team features many of the U23s Fury players that claimed the title last Premier League season. As well as plenty of Pacific Island talent, such as Luana Aukafolau, Anastasia Afoa, Emma Mateo and Ana Kailahi.
“We’ve got such a young group of girls, and I was a junior under Jen for a long time, so to come back and play for her, with the other girls that are up-and-coming has been really good,” Manu’a said.
“I think I’ve learned just as much from them so far as hopefully they have from me.”
Touching on the Fury’s orange, grey and white dress being the exact same colours as her old Giants side, Manu’a said it was a happy coincidence and she was still supporting her old Super Netball teammates from afar – no matter who she played for.
Asked how she’s finding it combining with emerging Tongan defender Emma Mateo, Manu’a joked:
“Emma has such great skills, her foot speed and her ability to move fast off the mark, so it’s really incredible but she’s still coming out of her shell and I know she’s a little bit scared of me.
“We competed against each other at the Solomon Games, so it’s taking us time to work together and find our feet in learning how to play with each other.
“I think that combination is just going to get better every game.”
Manu’a said she was pleased to see so many Pacific Island athletes in netball now.
“When I was starting out, there were only a few of us, so to come into a team where that’s the vast majority is something I’m really proud of.
“I also think it showcases that we do have the ability to play at this level too, so it’s good for us to be training together and competing to show the talent we’ve got.”
As someone that has experienced what it’s like to play at the top level in Australia and New Zealand, Manu’a said she rated the quality of NSW’s Premier League.
“It’s really competitive, obviously compared to a Super Netball or ANZ Premiership there is still a step up, but this is growing, and I know each year when I come back I think it just keeps getting better.
“You’re showing my age pointing out how many competitions I’ve played in now, but a lot of these young ones coming through, I remember watching them in underage state teams, so to play with them at an Opens level is definitely a good learning.
“It’s good to see I think how much talent there is coming through the ranks in Premier League.”
Fury are sitting in the middle of the Opens table in fifth place, after a mixed bag of results, winning two and losing two. Meanwhile, their U23s are currently in ninth place as they rebuild their side this year and are still searching for their first victory after four rounds.
It’s a long season lasting 18 weeks of regular fixtures, before finals are added onto that, so both teams understand that there’s still plenty of time to push their way up.
Netball NSW Premier League take place every Wednesday Night at Netball Central and every centre pass, intercept and goal will be streamed live and on demand via netballnsw.tv. Round 5 tickets available here
