LONDON PULSE vs MANCHESTER THUNDER – MATCH PREVIEW

By Paul Prenderville

“The ambition is always there at London Pulse, we are never ashamed to say we are trying to win, we want to win and we will give it everything we can.”

Sam Bird

Sam Bird is ready, the 12 London Pulse athletes are ready, are you ready? The 2024 Netball Superleague season begins in Nottingham on Saturday with a feast of action – and Pulse start with a tough assignment against Manchester Thunder.

There is no easing into the season for Pulse as they come up against a Thunder squad that have undergone some changes in the offseason, but remain a team with whom you know exactly what you are getting and Karen Greig’s powerful squad will be in the mix at the end of the season.

After a disjointed off season for everyone, with international duties removing players from many squads,  Bird has had a full squad to work with for the last couple of weeks, and like the other nine teams in the competition pre-season friendlies have also taken place to blow away the cobwebs.

There are new faces too as Jeresia McEachrane, Brie Grierson and Nichole Taljaard fill the gaps left by Ellie Rattu, Chelsea Pitman and Lindsay Keable. Darcie Everitt steps up from training partner and Isabella Phillips from the Pathway to complete the 12 and give Bird a wealth of options for the next five months.

“We’ve kept a core of the squad from last year and even though we’ve not been together for a long preseason, we’ve have been communicating constantly, so it’s an exciting time.

“When you are putting together a squad, you are looking for something different to be able to change up in a match. You want to bring people on who have different skills.”

“It’s about not looking too far ahead. We will do all our basics well to start with – we are pretty new together so that will take some time. You learn every year, there will be different challenges against lots of different rosters across the league.”

Captain Zara Everitt will lead the team who came as close as they could to a first title in 2023, topping the regular season standings, winning a first semi-final before losing in the Grand Final.

Determination has underpinned the build-up, and Everitt knows, used in the right way it can be a powerful factor. “I think it can be a motivation for us. It’s a cliche to say unfinished business but thats what it feels like,” she says.

“We had some really good performances throughout last year and I think it was that consistency that we hadn’t had previously. We took that step to put ourselves in the final last year and now the only way is up, is to come first.”

Be in no doubt, it’s a huge year for netball. The dawn of a professionalisation process has been welcomed across the sport, new broadcast deals with the BBC, Sky Sports and Netball Pass are in place and while there is plenty to look forward to and hurdles to overcome the immediate focus – as Bird has laid out – is to win.

For London Pulse this is a season that represents a chance to claim a first title in franchise history and it starts against a formidable opponent.

THE OPPONENTS – MANCHESTER THUNDER

Head Coach: Karen Greig

Last Season: 3rd (lost v Loughborough Lightning in semi-final)

History – Founder members of the NSL, Thunder have been in the competition every year since it began in 2005-06. Having won their first title in 2012, they have added three more since, including twice in the last four seasons. Will be desperate to make amends for semi-final defeat last season and have the pedigree to do so.

New for 2024 – Unusually for Thunder there have been quite a few changes. Not unusually it’s high quality recruits that bolster an already impressive squad. Imogen Allison is the high profile arrival joining from Team Bath and replacing Caroline O’Hanlon as a versatile option across mid-court. Paige Reed and South Africa’s Elmere van der Berg offer variety in the shooting circle after Lenize Potgieter was released on medical grounds.

Squad – Kerry Almond, Josie Huckle, Shadine van der Merwe, Ella Bowen, Taylor McKevitt, Imogen Allison, Amy Carter, Natalie Metcalf, Lois Pearson, Anya Williams, Paige Reed, Elmere van der Berg

ELSEWHERE IN ROUND 1

The season begins at the Motorpoint Arena with all 10 teams in action. If you can’t make it to Nottingham all five games are available on Sky Sports Mix, and via the Sky Sports YouTube channel.