A crop of talented young netballers will make their Australian debut in FAST5 Netball at the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, with the team announced today.

Following the recent National Netball Championships, the 10-strong contingent will don the green and gold as the sport joins the program for the first-time.

Named to the 19/U National Pathways Squad, Georgie Cleaver, Monika ‘Otai, Tabitha Packer and Lucy Voyvodic will lead the team, with West Australian goaler Cleaver confirming she is incredibly excited to represent Australia on the world stage.

“I can’t wait to play for Australia’s FAST5 netball team with an incredible group of emerging athletes from across the country. My teammates and I will wear the green and gold with immense pride,” Cleaver said.

“This is an exciting development opportunity to gain exposure to international competition and experience a multi-sport environment, while creating memories and progressing as an athlete.”

Packer and Voyvodic were both part of the South Australian team that recently claimed the 19/U National Netball Championships, with Packer named the grand final MVP.

Nicola Barge, Jada Delaney, Sasha-May Flegler, Gemma Hutchings, Mia Lavis and Clara Wigley, all recently named to the 17/U National Pathways Squad, round out the selection.

The trio of Delaney, Fleger and Hutchings were charges in the Queensland team that delivered the 17/U National Netball Championships, with Delaney securing the grand final MVP medal in the process.

Australia’s FAST5 team for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games has dropped.

Huge congrats to the athletes selected 👏

More: https://t.co/19vvwUai0R pic.twitter.com/AXq5leMWgT

— Netball Australia (@NetballAust) May 24, 2023

Netball Australia’s Pathway Head Coach Anita Keelan congratulated the selected athletes, noting the significance of the competition in the athlete’s development pathway.

“It is always an honour to represent your country and even more exciting to see our next generation of netballers play at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games,” Keelan said.

“The opportunity to play FAST5 and to experience all that Trinidad and Tobago and the Commonwealth Youth Games has to offer is extremely exciting for both athletes and staff.”

“It will be great to see firsthand the growth that these athletes will experience by being a part of the Australian team.”

FAST5 Netball features five players to a side, with shorter quarters, power plays, and super shots making for explosive, dynamic and entertaining netball on the court. It makes its Commonwealth Youth Games debut at Trinbago 2023, with competition for the inaugural title expected to be fierce.

Hosts Trinidad and Tobago, along with Australia, England, South Africa, Botswana, Canada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Scotland will all take to the court at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex from 8-10 August, with FAST5 Netball’s shorter, faster format set to captivate fans.