‘We are in awe of her’: Seymour Football Netball Club reacts to Elle McDonald’s inclusion in England netball squad

The 2019 Lions premiership coach will play for England as it embarks on a cut-throat three-match Test series against Jamaica.

McDonald’s selection in the English national squad serves as the continuation of a rapid rise up the professional netball ranks.

After leading Seymour to the 2019 Goulburn Valley League A-grade crown, McDonald got an opportunity at Super Netball level with Melbourne Vixens as a replacement hub player in 2020, playing a role in the club’s premiership triumph.

Putting in a string of excellent performances, McDonald was then offered a full-time contract with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, where she has honed her craft for the past two seasons.

Following the most recent campaign, she decided to take her talents over to England, the country where she was born, and signed on with Netball Superleague club Leeds Rhinos.

Now set to showcase her game on the international stage, her rapid development serves as a major feather in the cap of the Seymour netball program, which also had star midcourter Casey Adamson make her professional debut with Collingwood in June.

Current Lions coach Ellie O’Sullivan said the entire club was thrilled to see McDonald soar to such great heights.

“We’re so excited and it came as a big surprise to all of us. We are just so happy for her,” O’Sullivan said.

“Elle is just achieving so much and we are just in awe of her. She works so hard and she is deserving of every accolade that comes her way.

“For myself and all the other girls to say they have played alongside her, it feels a bit unbelievable that she ever played at Seymour,. We are so excited to see where she can get to.”

O’Sullivan, who was captain of the 2019 Seymour premiership team, said the legacy McDonald left on the club was profound.

“I was just talking to her the other day and I was telling her how much we miss having her here at Seymour,” she said.

“Playing with her every week was just such a privilege and she taught us all so much that we still utilise in our game style today.

“We hear from her very frequently, even since she departed the club. She’s always wishing us luck and asking how we went, so I think Seymour still holds a pretty special place in her heart.

“As a club we are so honoured to have been part of her netball journey and we can’t wait to barrack for her in this upcoming series.”

McDonald’s feats reaffirm the GVL’s standing as the top regional netball league in Victoria, with a host of star players across all teams making it the perfect breeding ground for young talent.

“I think we are really lucky to have such a strong standard of netball in our area,” O’Sullivan said.

“This past season has been one of the most competitive seasons I’ve been a part of and to see the likes of Casey (Adamson), Zoe (Davies) and Elle going on to play higher levels of netball, it shows how strong our competition is.

“It is great for our local girls to be able to compete against these players because it will only improve the quality of netball we have moving forward.”