Former Silver Fern captain Casey Kopua is in line for a shock return to elite netball.
Kopua, 39, has been named as a replacement player for the Giants against the Melbourne Vixens for their Super Netball game tomorrow.
The defender, who retired after winning the Netball World Cup in 2019, replaces Giants’ Jamaican defender Jodi-Ann Ward, who tore her ACL and is out for the rest of the season.
The Giants are also without regular defender Tilly McDonnell.
The New South Wales franchise announced Kopua’s inclusion yesterday.
Kopua, who played 17 seasons for the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, will link up with her former Magic team-mates Jo Harten, Jamie-Lee Price and coach Julie Fitzgerald, who are all with the Giants.
The goal defence, who was one of the inaugural inductees into the Netball New Zealand hall of fame last year, was one of the best defenders during her tenure, including being part of the Magic side that won the ANZ Championship in 2012.
Kopua retired from internationals in 2015 but returned to the Silver Ferns when Noeline Taurua took over the side in 2019 and led them to their first Netball World Cup in 17 years.
