Holly Mather promoted for injury-hit Stars

Midcourter Holly Mather has been promoted from a Stars training-partner into the full-time squad, replacing the injured Mila Reuelu-Buchanan.

Fellow midcourter Tori Kolose, who played for the Stars in their win over the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel, will remain with the Stars as a training partner after impressing in the Synergy Hair National Netball League.

Shooter Summer Temu, who featured for the Stars at the start of the campaign and has been a training partner, has been signed by the Steel to bolster their shooting stocks.

Stars coach Kiri Wills says the opportunities presented to all three players are well deserved.

“We’ve been very impressed with the commitment they’ve made to making themselves better athletes. They’ve always been great netballers, but they’ve put in some hard yards in terms of their physical development. Wills explained.

“We’ve been really impressed with both Holly and Summer’s work-rate and Tori coming in and taking responsibility for her physical preparation and is one of the most prolific feeders in the NNL” Wills said.

There are now a plethora of Comets graduates shining in the ANZ Premiership and Wills believes those who created the foundation for these players deserve praise.

“I really want to pay homage to the work that Is being done by the club and school coaches in this region. Not enough is said about the work they put into these players and then the work Michelle Parsons and her management team does within the Comets to then get them ready to transition.”

“The consistency of the Comets performances has given players great development opportunities. The injury toll across the competition has meant there’s been more opportunities available and teams are looking to the Comets which is fantastic.”