The inaugural year of the Origin Energy Premier League in 2016 was a dominant campaign for the Sutherland Stingrays.
The franchise arrived in the new high performance competition with a bang as the Opens took out the title and the U20s (now U23s) finished runners up.
Since then the girls from the Shire have struggled to reach those same heights but, despite lack of titles in recent years, the Stingrays are no less focused and determined today than before.
After the obstacles 2020 has thrown up, success for the Stingrays isn’t necessarily defined by taking out the top spot, but more about improvement, resilience and the chance to play elite, competitive netball.
“We love the chance to play in a high performance environment,” says Open’s coach Maria Lynch. “It’s a privilege to play competitively and challenge each other, while having fun.
“For 2020, our franchise teams are committed to continual development and improvement. We always look forward to a strong competitive environment and competition.”
Despite the COVID19 pandemic and lockdown, training and preparation for the season didn’t stop.
According to Lynch, “Zoom workout sessions and meetings, as well as S&C sessions, court work & any pre-season match play,” kept the Stingrays prepared and equipped for competition.
When asked what teams the Stingray’s would be keeping an eye out for, Lynch said: “You must keep your eye on all teams as season 2020 has thrown up so many unexpected variables. NSU (North Shore United) seems to be the most improved team in 2020 however.”
The Stingrays Opens side currently sit third in their Conference on 12 points, while the U23s are fifth on their conference ladder, sitting on eight points, just outside finals contention.
