Eleanor Cardwell moved to the Melbourne Mavericks, led by Tracey Neville, ahead of the club's first season in the Suncorp Super Netball league; watch the Netball Super League throughout the season live on Sky Sports
Saturday 9 March 2024 08:01, UK
Eleanor Cardwell says Tracey Neville was "huge" in making her the goal shooter she has become, as she reveals the Melbourne Mavericks coach's influence on the career she has had so far and her remarkable change from a defender to an attacker on the court.
Cardwell had an established career in the Netball Super League with Manchester Thunder and Severn Stars before making the move to Australia in 2023 with Adelaide Thunderbirds.
After winning a premiership title in her first season, she joined her former Thunderbirds assistant coach Tracey Neville at the Melbourne Mavericks ahead of the club's inaugural season in the Suncorp Super Netball league. The Mavericks hold the licence which was made vacant by the Collingwood Magpies.
Cardwell, in the third episode of Sky Sports Netball: Off The Court podcast, discussed her move to the Mavericks after a single season with the Thunderbirds.
She revealed her short time with the Thunderbirds was not planned, but the opportunity to be under the guidance of Neville as head coach again was too good an opportunity to turn down.
"At the end of the season I didn't think I was going to move," said Cardwell.
"I loved Adelaide, I loved everything about it. I said that to all the girls, I didn't think I was going to move [and] told the club I didn't think I was going to move. They have an incredible environment and obviously winning was better.
"Then I heard the news about Tracey which was incredible and then had a phone call with her and was like, 'oh I wonder if she'll want me in her team?' Like I've been with her for 12 years, I wonder if she's got me in her brain? But then I got a phone call and she was like, 'El obviously I want you in my team'.
"So it gave me something to think about and last time she followed me to Adelaide.
"I love learning, if I'm not learning I wouldn't be playing netball. I wouldn't want to be doing anything where I'm not learning. I know that every single year I've been with Tracey, I've learnt something new, and I have for so many years. I'm constantly learning, it's crazy how much you can learn from her."
Neville was Cardwell's coach at Manchester Thunder from 2013, before becoming her national coach after taking the England Roses job in 2015.
When Cardwell began at Thunder she was initially used as a defender, but started transitioning to a goal shooter, admitting she was originally unsure of her capabilities as an attacker.
But with the guidance of Neville, Karen Greig and also Roses team-mate George Fisher, Cardwell began to understand the position and grew her confidence and ability for the role.
"I was only ever a defender, played goalkeeper, goal defence, wing defence, only ever a defender. I was always the player who everyone wanted me on their team for the warm-up game because I could defend, but I could also shoot," said Cardwell.
"I was really filling in in 2014, I was filling in at centre in training. I wasn't getting any court time, Tracey shouting at me for not being able to deliver first phase and I was like this is not my style, being really hesitant on the ball, but then I popped in at goal attack in that training session.
"Once it happened everyone was like 'El, why are you not in this position?' This is your calling and I was like 'guys I'm a defender through and through, I'm never ever becoming a shooter don't make me laugh'.
"But then the next morning Tracey was like 'El, I've been up all night I just think this is what we need to do. If you want to develop and you want to become a netballer and if you want to play for England, you need to become a shooter and I think you can really do it with a lot of training'.
"'It's going to be hard work, but you need to make the decision right now if you want to do it'. Then I was like 'right well ok, let's throw myself in'.
"I remember going to an U16,U17 camp [and] George Fisher was there, the big shooting star. George was trying to show me what to do, she was showing all the examples. [I was] falling all over the place, it was embarrassing.
"Tracey was a huge rock around that time, really stripped me back and taught me the ropes and Karen as well. It was thanks to those two, I wouldn't be sat here today without both of them."
Cardwell also gave an update on England and Mavericks team-mate Sasha Glasgow, who suffered a broken tibia and fibula in the second quarter of a practice match against Sunshine Coast Lightning in February.
"I mean it was pretty traumatic for everyone, especially Sasha," said Cardwell.
"She's doing great, she's living with me at the minute. She's doing really well, I'm actually really proud of how she's doing.
"Her leg looks so much better in one week, it's crazy how well it's doing. Last night she put some weight down on it for the first time, which is a huge milestone and that's only a week.
"It's incredible what she's doing, she's been a super trooper, big fighter. Obviously this is really hard for her, and all the girls have come together really well especially for a new team."
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