Donnell Wallam of Australia catches the ball during game three of the International Test Match series between the Australia Diamonds and England Roses at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on November 03, 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) Photo: Bradley Kanaris
The defending champion Mystics have filled the gaping hole left in their roster by the departure of Silver Fern Grace Nweke with current Australian Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam.
Nweke's decision to play across the Tasman next year meant the ANZ Premiership netball champions had to try to find a shooter with equal stature.
At 1.93m tall, Wallam is the same height as Nweke and is a strong holding shooter but also very mobile and one of the few tall goal shoots in the game that is comfortable shooting from long range.
The Mystics have retained the majority of the current squad with eight players re-signing for 2025.
The only other change is the addition of veteran defender Holly Fowler, who has spent the past few seasons at the Stars. Fowler played for the Mystics in 2016.
The Mystics were on the hunt for another defender after Carys Stythe was signed by the Southern Steel.
Mystics coach Tia Winikerei said: "Donnell has incredible firepower."
"We are looking forward to blending her abilities with Filda and Hannah in-circle and can't wait to see how the dynamic skill sets of our feeders combine with Donnell's space creation and her ability to shoot accurately with variety and range."
This year, Wallam shot more super shots than any other goal shooter in the SSN (Suncorp Super Netball) league, which will also benefit the Mystics if the two-point shot is introduced to New Zealand's league next year.
Wallam was second in the SSN for total goals in 2023 and 2024, second only behind the most prolific shooter in the world - Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard.
The Queensland Firebirds recently let go of the 30-year-old after three seasons, instead signing 2.01m shooter Mary Chulhock of Uganda, who had been playing in England.
It underlines how cut-throat the Australian competition has become, with its unlimited imports policy.
Having grown up playing basketball Wallam was a late bloomer when it comes to netball.
In 2022 she was named SSN Rookie of the Year and later that year debuted for Australia at the age of 28. At the same time she became just the third Indigenous netballer to represent the Diamonds.
Wallam was thrust into the spotlight during the Australian netball-Gina Rinehart sponsorship saga that played out nearly two years ago.
As an Indigenous player, Wallam had concerns about Hancock Prospecting's record on Indigenous matters and was reluctant to wear the sponsor's logo. In the end Rinehart pulled $15 million sponsorship deal.
Wallam scored the match winning, buzzer beater goal on her debut for Diamonds.
Mystics 2025
- Donnell Wallam
- Filda Vui
- Hannah Glen
- Peta Toeava
- Tayla Earle
- Katie Te Ao
- Michaela Sokolich-Beatson
- Phoenix Karaka
- Catherine Hall
- Holly Fowler
