Roses Pathway Head Coach Josie Pointon has selected 15 athletes who will make up the inaugural cohort of the new programme to the England Netball pathway.
All 15 athletes selected have had stand-out seasons in the Netball Super League (NSL), NXT Gen League or NPL (Netball Performance League). The cohort features 18-year-old Shannon Mahlik who has recently signed her first NSL contract with reigning champions AO Manchester Thunder, and rising star Eleanor Sadler who made an impact on court as a mid-term replacement player for London Mavericks in the 2026 NSL season.
NXT Roses squad:
| Athlete | Club (2026 season unless stated otherwise) | Court area |
| Alanna Pullen | Birmingham Panthers NSL | Midcourt |
| Ané De Wet | Birmingham Panthers NXT Gen | Shooter |
| Charlotte Savory | Loughborough Lightning NXT Gen | Defender |
| Eleanor Sadler | London Mavericks NSL | Defender |
| Emily Pawlett | Loughborough Lightning NXT Gen | Midcourt |
| Hannah Gibson | London Pulse NXT Gen | Shooter |
| Jasmine Akrasi | London Pulse NXT Gen | Shooter |
| Jessica Tolson | Loughborough Lightning NPL | Midcourt |
| Lily Smith | Nottingham Forest Netball NXT Gen | Shooter |
| Marlene Lange | NIC Leeds Rhinos NSL | Defender |
| Neve Wright | London Mavericks NXT Gen | Defender |
| Rihanna Luke | Nottingham Forest Netball NXT Gen | Midcourt |
| Sascha Dale* | London Mavericks NXT Gen | Midcourt |
| Shannon Mahlik | AO Manchester Thunder NSL (2027 season) | Shooter |
| Zaneya Cunningham | London Pulse NXT Gen | Defender |
*Subject to fitness
NXT Roses was introduced as part of England Netball’s revamped pathway structure, announced in May, designed to better prepare athletes at every stage of their development to one day meet the demands of senior international competition. The programme’s specific focus is to accelerate athlete progression in the 19-23 age group (aligned to NXT Gen League eligibility) through providing targeted, high-intensity, high-impact competition opportunities, designed to bridge the gap between domestic performance and international competition expectations.
Commenting on the selection, Roses Pathway Head Coach Josie Pointon said: “We’re excited to announce this year’s NXT Roses squad, a group that reflects the strength and depth of our pathway with a balance of emerging talent and athletes further along their international development journey. This programme plays a vital role in our long-term succession planning, providing athletes with the environment, experiences and challenge needed to prepare for the demands of Roses A and, ultimately, the Vitality Roses.
“It’s an exciting group, bringing together players who have consistently performed across the NPL, NXT Gen and NSL, and having demonstrated significant potential and the qualities needed to thrive in international netball. We look forward to supporting their continued development as they build the skills, behaviours and international readiness required to shape the future of the Roses.”
With thanks to England Netball
