Former Southern Steel defender Courtney Elliott to revive career at Central Pulse as late replacement

Former title-winning defender Courtney Elliott has been plucked from a semi-professional league in Queensland as a late replacement for the Central Pulse in this year’s ANZ Premiership.

The 23-year-old, who helped topple the Pulse as part of the Southern Steel in the 2018 grand final, was confirmed on Monday as Temalisi Fakahokotau’s replacement after the former Silver Fern announced last week she was taking a year off netball. Fakahokotau was yet to play for the Pulse, after signing last year from the Magic.

Elliott, from Hamilton, had two seasons with the Steel in 2018 and 2019, then joined the Northern Mystics in 2020 but was overlooked for a contract last year.

She opted for a change of scenery and plied her trade for the Northern Mendi Rays out of Townsville in the semi-professional Queensland State League, seemingly without a New Zealand franchise to play for in 2022.

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“Getting the call-up from the Pulse was the perfect surprise and really exciting,’’ Elliott said in a statement.

“I’d put feelers out for this season in New Zealand but nothing really came out of that, so I’d just planned on playing another Rays season here (Townsville). The Rays have been really, really supportive and it’s been a great experience.”

The 1.80m defender played under the coaching of Australian netball great Vicki Wilson.

Elliott secured a spot in managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) and will fly to New Zealand on February 1, which means she will be out of quarantine in time for all the Pulse’s pre-season matches.

Predominantly a goalkeeper in her formative years, Elliott has since started the transition out to goal defence and wing defence.

Elliott was named New Zealand secondary school player of the year in 2016 and was named in the 2018-19 Silver Ferns Development Squad.

“It’s great that we’ve been able to secure a player who has experience across all three defensive positions to provide cover,’’ Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie said of Elliott.

“She has built on her experience at secondary school and ANZ Premiership level, she’s also young and is available for New Zealand selections.’’

Teenage defender Parris Mason was another contender to replace Fakahokotau, but the Pulse said she would remain as a training partner while also playing a full season with the Central Manawa in the 2022 National Netball League (NNL).

The ANZ Premiership opens on March 13.