Jhaniele Fowler.
The Steel has confirmed towering Jamaican shooter
Jhaniele Fowler will join the franchise next year.
At 1.98m, Fowler will be the tallest player in the
competition.
She eclipses her Jamaican team-mate and Queensland Firebirds
shooter Romelda Aiken and West Coast Fever defender Susan
Fuhrmann by 2cm.
Her height will make her an intimidating presence under the
post.
Securing an ANZ Championship contract has been an aspiration
of the 23-year-old, who has previously been linked to the
Adelaide Thunderbirds.
"The Steel presented itself and I know the Steel is a good
team so I am excited to represent them," she said in a
statement.
"I'm very excited. My personal goal is to just get more
experience in terms of playing with the elite players.
"Our club league is not that strong in Jamaica, so to play in
the ANZ Championship is an opportunity that will not only
benefit me but also netball in my country through the
knowledge I can share."
Fowler will move to Invercargill in January and unite with
her Steel team-mates, including Otago shooter Te Paea
Selby-Rickit, who is no shrimp at 1.88m, and Silver Ferns
back-up shooter Jodi Brown.
"I'm a team person so I am looking forward to meeting the
rest of the team and management."
As for the South's unpredictable weather, Fowler said she was
not too worried.
"I've been to other countries where it has been cold - I will
be able to adjust.
"I have looked Invercargill up on the internet and I know
it's very beautiful. It's going to be hard adjusting to
living somewhere new for the first couple of months but I am
excited for the opportunity."
Fowler has spent the past week in Auckland competing at the
Fast5 tournament and has relished the game's dynamic format,
especially the introduction of three-point shots at goal.
She managed to slot a match-winning long shot worth six
points to snatch a 32-31 victory over Malawi.
"It's very fun - the feeling when I netted that shot was
awesome."
Steel coach Janine Southby said while the franchise continued
to have a strong focus on developing players, Fowler would
inject some valuable international experience.
"Someone of Jhaniele's calibre is a real asset to us and
obviously her height is going to be a bonus.
"She's a really strong target for us on the court - she's
going to add a different flavour and bring a different
culture to the Steel which is exciting."
Southern Steel
2013 squad
Jodi Brown, Jhaniele Fowler, Shannon Francois, Courtney
Tairi, Wendy Frew, Phillipa Finch, Rachel Rasmussen, Te Paea
Selby-Rickit, Storm Purvis, Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, Phoenix
Karaka, Stacey Peeters, Kate Shearer, Gina Crampton.
ANZ Championship tallest players
1.98m Jhaniele Fowler (Steel)
1.96m Romelda Aiken (Firebirds), Susan Fuhrmann
(Fever)
1.93m Carla Borrego (Thunderbirds), Kate Beveridge
(Vixens), Erena Mikaere (Magic)
1.92m Caitlin Bassett (Fever)JhanieleFowler
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