England's netball programme faces a mounting concern over the quality of backup options available to established shooters Helen Housby and Liv Tchine, according to analysis from former internationals Tamsin Greenway and Tracey Neville.
Speaking on the Off The Court podcast, the pair identified eight players they regard as virtually guaranteed selection for the national team. However, they expressed serious reservations about the strength of competition beyond that core group, particularly in the shooting circle where England's options appear limited.
"There is going to be this problem for England selection because if we can only name eight (cemented names) at the minute, it's not like there are a load of players in SSN (Suncorp Super Netball) fighting for it,"said Greenway, who represented England at the highest level.
The timing of these concerns comes as England navigates significant upheaval in its coaching structure. Jess Thirlby departed as head coach in March, with Anna Stembridge assuming the role ahead of the Commonwealth Games and the subsequent World Cup cycle.
Greenway and Neville outlined the eight players they view as locked into the England setup.
"The eight players we talk about being cemented in is Hali Adio, Funmi Fadoju, Fran Williams in the defence end, mid-court Lois Pearson, Jess Shaw and Imogen Allison, and then shooting circle, this is where I think it's a concern, Helen Housby and Liv Tchine."
The real difficulty, according to the analysts, lies in identifying credible challengers to the established shooting pairing.
"Not that they are a concern, but who on earth are we putting into this mix? When you go through the England shooters there are one, two, three, four, five, six that have got their hand up at the minute and I'm looking for that Helen Housby-esque."
Greenway stressed that players competing for international selection must demonstrate consistent excellence at domestic level.
"If you aren't playing out in SSN you should be starring every single week in Super League, 60 minutes unless you are 20 goals up and coach is resting you. You should be starring."
Neville highlighted specific examples of the depth problem, pointing to Ella Clark and Berri Neil at Loughborough, as well as Nat Metcalf and Eleanor Cardwell at Manchester Thunder. These pairings illustrate a pattern where multiple shooters at the same club are competing for limited minutes.
"It feels like there is a pressure to play both of them (Clark and Neil),"Neville observed.
"We've got the same situation with Nat Metcalf and Eleanor Cardwell, there's a pressure potentially, because Nat Metcalf is going for that Commonwealth Games."
The former England coach questioned whether this arrangement meets the standards required for international competition.
"For me they are not four shooters you would potentially be looking at. You're in a position where you've got all the shooters we would be looking at at the same teams, playing half the games. Is that good enough?"
Neville drew on her experience leading England to illustrate the performance threshold necessary for Commonwealth Games selection.
"When I was England coach and I had a player recommendation come to me, my thing was you need a playing percentage time to be able to be competing at the Commonwealth Games. The shooters that used to go would be playing 90-plus minutes for their teams, they were the shooters you'd be going with."
The pressure of international competition demands shooters capable of performing under fatigue and adversity.
"You need to shoot out when there's pressure, when you're fatigued."
Commonwealth Games context
The selection debate takes place against the backdrop of England's Commonwealth Games campaign. England lost their semi-final 61–54 to New Zealand and faced Australia for bronze on 2 August. Earlier in the tournament, England beat South Africa 58–54 on 30 July to secure their semi-final place.
The squad composition underscores the shooting depth concerns raised by Greenway and Neville. England's 12-player Commonwealth squad included Eleanor Cardwell and Ella Clark alongside Liv Tchine in the shooting group, with Cardwell scoring 35 goals from 37 shots in the 83–34 opening win over Northern Ireland.
The absence of key players has compounded the selection challenge. Helen Housby, Beth Durrant and Nat Metcalf were ruled out in the months before the Games, with the trio having accumulated 258 international appearances between them. Housby's withdrawal due to a back injury removed one of England's most experienced shooting options from the Games squad.
The combination of coaching transition, injury setbacks to established players, and questions about the development pathway for emerging shooters creates a complex selection environment for Stembridge as she prepares England for the World Cup cycle beyond the Commonwealth Games.
