When it comes to sporting pedigree, you’d have to go a long way to find an athlete with a better one than Clare Iongi.
The Origin Energy Premier League star and GIANTS Netball training partner has elite sport running through her veins.
Her aunt, Mo’onia Gerrard, is a legend of both the Australian Diamonds and the GIANTS’ cross-town rivals the Swifts.
Footy is also prominent too. Her uncle Mark Gerrard was a world class rugby union player with the Wallabies and Super Rugby champion with the Brumbies.
Iongi has a lot of inspiration around her, and she isn’t setting the bar low when it comes to aspirations: “The biggest goal and dream is to put on the green and gold in the 2027 World Cup that’ll be hosted here at home (in Sydney) playing for my country and the name on my back.”
If she is to get there the Premier League and her team, GWS Fury, will have a huge role to play in her journey. In fact, it’s a relationship that’s been well established.
“Playing with Fury for the past five years has been a rollercoaster but I’ve loved every bit of it,” she says.
“The most important thing about being a part of a franchise for a long time is that we are a family and we look out for each other. Whatever we go through on or off court we stick by each other.
“We have no secrets to spill. I feel like we are such an open franchise, what you see is what you get.”
She may still be a rookie in top-level netball terms, but five years in the Premier League has been a great learning curve: “A lot has obviously changed with rules and all but what I’ve loved seeing is young talent coming through and having a go in this comp.
“Especially for me, seeing more young Pacific Islander girls coming through and still having the passion to continue their netball journey.”
Another source of inspiration for Iongi is Fury coach Nardia Macdonald, herself a Premiership champion with the Swifts in the early 2000s.
“It has been a pleasure working with Nards,” Iongi says. “This is my second year with her as my head coach and I’m always learning something new and developing as an athlete.”
At the GIANTS Iongi gets to see the ins and outs of a Suncorp Super Netball team. With the GIANTS currently top of the Super Netball table, she’s been loving the environment.
“I enjoy a lot of things at GIANTS but what stands out for me is the vibes that are brought every session,” she says.
“They’re my other netball family so there’s lots of banter, laughs and tears but the best thing is everyone gets on with each other and there’s never a dull moment in the camp.
“There isn’t a specific person I learn from alone. We are all pretty open to each other in a way that we can all learn from one another and help each other as athletes on and off court.”
Both of Netball NSW’s Super Netball teams have invested in Academies to bring through the next generation of athletes. This is something Iongi sees as vital.
“It’s important to have the Academy as a pathway into the SSN teams as it allows the girls in that program to continue to develop their skills and athleticism in these extra training sessions.
“It helps to keep strengthening the connection between the two programs as we’ve seen with Amy Sligar and Annie Miller. Coming through the academy program into TPs and making their debut for Giants.
“I love seeing the young and exciting talent coming through the ranks which tells us the future is looking bright.”
PREMIER LEAGUE - ROUND 8 PREVIEW
Let’s take a look into Round 8 of Origin Energy Premier League at Netball Central tonight.
What a game on Show Court tonight for the Opens – Hawks and Sparks, second and third on the ladder separated by just one point will come face-to-face, who will come out on top? The U23s matches will be full of excitement and intensity. Four teams are on equal points and will go head-to-head, Fury take on Stingrays while Sapphires play Blaze.
Be sure to tune into the livestream tonight, Brittany Carter will be joined by Sophie Garbin from the NSW Swifts in the commentary box this week. Why not catch the action live? Buy your tickets here.
Round 8 match-ups are:
Opens – 7:00pm & U23s – 8:45pm
UTS Randwick Sparks v ERNA Hawks | Show Court
North Shore United v Panthers | Court 1
Central Coast Heart v The Capital Spirit | Court 2
GWS Fury v Sutherland Stingrays | Court 3
Manly Warringah Sapphires v South Coast Blaze | Court 5
Catch all of the action live on our website or at CluchTV.
