Celtic Dragons Aiming To Roar Against Severn Stars in Superleague

Trish Wilcox is expecting her Dragons to roar against Severn Stars at Worcester Arena this Friday.

They have made a slow start to the new Vitality Superleague netball season, but Celtic Dragons are keen to show they have the character and ability to improve their situation.

Head coach Wilcox said after Dragons’ 73-36 defeat against Sirens: “It was a disappointing performance overall, in particular because there were so many positives to take out of our round one game against Team Bath.

“We are on an amazing journey in this league and relish every opportunity to step onto the court and challenge ourselves.

“We deviated away from our identity as a team (v Sirens). This week is about us getting back on track and putting out a performance that we as a group and our amazing green army fans can be proud of.”

Dragons have a strong Welsh influence in their team, while they have two overseas players in Kalifa McCollin from Trinidad and Tobago plus New Zealand’s Stacey Peeters.

The mid-court Kiwi was a regular for was a regular for Dunedin-based Southern Steel in last season’s ANZ Championship, a semi-professional competition which features teams from Australia and New Zealand.

After finishing her degree she started work with the Otago Academy of Sport, where she co-ordinated the elite New Zealand Motorsport Academy.

The 24-year-old Peeters was keen to travel and play netball and it was coach Wilcox who played a key role in bringing the talented player to Cardiff.

“A lot of people back home knew Trish because she has done a lot of work in Auckland with the Northern Zone and they asked whether I had spoken to her,” said Peeters, who was in New Zealand’s team who when they won the 2013 Junior World championships.

“I was told we would get on like a house on fire and I spoke to Trish over a Skyope session one day.

“One thing she mentioned was team values and how that’s a big deal and that’s what I’m all about.

“A happy team off court is a happy team on court and you’ll perform.”

Cardiff-based Dragons, captained by Suzy Drane, finished seventh out of eight in last season’s competition, and are among 10 teams in the competition this year.

Wales Under 21 players defenders Fern Davies and Leila Thomas plus goal-shooter Lydia Hitchings have been promoted to their squad, while former England age-group international Lois Rideout is in the Celtic has linked up as a defgender.

All 10 Superleague teams were at the Genting Arena in Birmingham for last week’s matches and there were 6,500 spectators at the event.

There were 522 goals scored in 10 hours of action.

Super Ten results in Birmingham: Loughborough Lightning 56, Severn Stars 44; Sirens 73, Celtic Dragons 36; Team Northumbria 46, Wasps 70; Surrey Storm 58, Manchester Thunder 48; Hertfordshire Mavericks 42, Team Bath 49.

Now Celtic Dragons head to Worcester for their Friday evening match against Severn Stars.

Severn Stars: Jozsephine Janz-Dawson, Yasmin Hodge, Afeisha Noel, Eleanor Cardwell. Iona Darroch, Jodie Gibson, Laura Malcolm, Lauren Brooks, Rachel Sweet, Rebecca Oatley, Rebecca Tildesley, Sophie Carter.

Head coach: Mo’Onia Gerrard.

Celtic Dragons:

Leila Thomas. GK/GD. Aged 18, from Blaenavon.

Fern Davies. GD. Aged 20, from Holywell.

Lois Rideout. GK/WD/GD. Aged 25, from Ferndown, Dorset.

Kelly Morgan. GK/GD. Aged 29, from Bridgend.

Suzy Drane (captain). WD/C/WA. Aged 29, from St Mellons.

Bethan Dyke. C/WA. Aged 25, from Bridgend.

Stacey Peeters. WD/C. Aged 24, from Gore, New Zealand.

Kyra Jones. WD/C/WA. Aged 31, from Perth, Australia. Wales senior international.

Sara Bell. WA/GA/GS. Aged 26, from Llanelli.

Lydia Hitchings. GA/GS. Aged 19, from Vale of Glamorgan.

Kalifa McCollin. WA/GA/GS. Aged 21, from Trinidad and Tobago.

Eleanor Roberts. GA/GS. Aged 21, from Pontypool.

Head coach: Trish Wilcox.