Rising young defender Laura Balmer has signed with the Tactix for the 2026 season. Gaining her first opportunity at the elite level, with the Pulse last season as a replacement player, Balmer makes the move south due to being able to continue her medical studies in Christchurch. Predominantly a goalkeeper, the 1.9m Balmer made significant strides in her debut season where she was given opportunities in both in-circle defensive positions to showcase her potential. The rangy defender has a long reach, good court coverage and the ability to smother attacking play with her movement and ball-winning attributes. A member of the NZ U21 team which won the silver medal at the 2025 World Youth Cup, Balmer spent two seasons with the Southern Blast in the NNL before joining the Pulse, and is among a clutch of enterprising young defenders poised to leave their mark in top-flight netball.
