England shooter George Fisher could be a shock future option for the Silver Ferns.
The 23-year-old has spent the past two seasons with the Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership and been a revelation, landing 1171 goals from 1268 attempts at 92%. She will return for a third season in 2023.
Fisher has played 22 tests for the Roses since debuting in 2017, but the plot thickened last week.
She announced her engagement to Kiwi basketballer Brayden Inger, who plays for the Southland Sharks – sparking questions about whether she could one day switch allegiance to the Silver Ferns.
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Under World Netball’s eligibility rules there would be grounds for Fisher to play for New Zealand, if she obtained citizenship and hadn’t competed for England at the previous World Cup – which would force a four-year stand down.
Fisher could also meet the criteria if she resided in New Zealand for a period of 24 months immediately prior to the start of the relevant international competition, a Netball NZ spokesperson confirmed.
Kavinda Herath/Stuff
Steel netballer George Fisher and Southland Sharks basketballer Brayden Inger announced their engagement last week.
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua said she would be “very proactive in that space” if Fisher became available and wanted to represent New Zealand.
“We’ll look at anybody who’s in the New Zealand system, who has citizenship or is a New Zealander, who wants to play for the Silver Ferns and their ability to put their hand up to be selected…
“From our perspective that would definitely be a bonus and an asset for us in the Silver Ferns, if that’s what she decided to do.”
Speaking from Thailand where she and Inger are holidaying, Fisher said she was a “British girl”, but wanted to keep an open mind and wouldn’t rule anything out.
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English shooter George Fisher could be a possible future option for the Silver Ferns if she decided to switch allegiance.
She missed out on England’s squad for the Commonwealth Games and wasn’t selected for the 2019 World Cup on home soil early in her Roses’ career.
Jo Harten has been England’s first-choice goal shoot for many years, but at 33 is at the back end of her international career. Fisher could eventually take over from her as England’s top option.
“I am a British girl and I’ve been a Rose through and through, that’s all I’ve ever known. I joined the programme when I was 17, so coming up seven years in the programme, which is crazy to think,” Fisher said.
“Even when people are like you could play for New Zealand, that’s almost such an alien thought to me because it’s never really crossed my mind before because I’ve been an English girl through and through.”
John Davidson/Photosport
Steel’s English shooter George Fisher has been outstanding the past two seasons, shooting at 92%.
Fisher and Inger had spoken about the idea of getting respective New Zealand and British passports in the future.
Steel team-mates had sometimes joked to her about the idea of living in New Zealand permanently and donning the Silver Ferns dress, which had seemed far-fetched until now.
“I haven’t thought too much about it, but I’m a super open book to most things in life, so I wouldn’t close any doors necessarily because I don’t know what the future holds for me with anything really.”
The 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town could be critical for Fisher. If she wasn’t picked by England it might be advantageous for New Zealand and force her to rethink her international plans.
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Steel shooter George Fisher and Pulse defender Kelly Jury could one day be team-mates in the Silver Ferns, if Fisher decided to switch allegiance.
Should she represent England at the World Cup it would dent her chances of playing for the Ferns with the four-year stand down rule. Fisher was a member of England’s 2017 under-21 Youth World Cup squad, but four years had passed since that tournament.
If Fisher became available for the Ferns it would be a boost in the shooting end –a positional area lacking depth in New Zealand netball.
The Ferns do have 20-year-old Grace Nweke and Maia Wilson as long-term goal shoot options, so Fisher would have to prove herself in the ANZ Premiership and national trials.
Taurua had long admired Fisher’s court craft and play.
“She’s definitely I think in my eyes a world-class player, high shooting average, but also her ability, she’s smart as a goal shooter and will shoot between a range if need be.
“If we get to that stage and she gets citizenship, definitely I would make the approach, but we’ll probably have to see what those next steps are for her and then we’ll take it as it comes. We definitely won’t close the door.”
Should Fisher decide to throw her lot in with the Ferns in the coming years she wouldn’t be the first netballer to play for two countries.
Midcourter Chelsea Pitman represented Australia before joining England in 2017, qualifying through her English-born father.
Netball great Irene van Dyk and fellow Ferns centurion Leana de Bruin both played for South Africa before moving to New Zealand, enjoying decorated careers in the black dress.
Defender Vilimaina Davu played 60 tests for the Ferns having previously represented Fiji.
Another former Fern Cathrine Tuivaiti became eligible for New Zealand in 2011, completing a four-year stand down after playing for Samoa at the 2007 World Cup.
