Garbin clinches netball crown
Two-time JCU Townsville Fire championship winner Darcee Garbin completed a successful cross-code switch at the weekend as she guided Neptunes to the Townsville City Netball Premier League title.
Lining up at goal keeper in the TCNP Grand Final, the 24-year-old, who is the old sister of NSW Swifts rising star Sophie Garbin, proved talent runs in the family as she helped lead Neptunes to a 36-30 victory over Saints to go back-to-back.
Garbin missed last year’s TCNP championship as she steered the Emerging Opals to a gold medal at the World University Games.
The victory helped ease the pain of last week’s QBL Grand Final loss to Southern Districts, who swept the Townsville Flames 2-0.
During a busy off-season, Garbin made her debut for the Chemist Warehouse Australian Opals at the Four Nations tournament in China.
While the power forward narrowly missed selection for the up-coming World Cup in Spain, she was recently named in the QBL All*Star Five after averaging 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Fire teammate Micaela Cocks was also named in the All*Star Five alongside Sydney Uni Flames import Amanda Johnson and former Opals Abby Bishop and Nat Hurst.
Having completed her netball commitments at the weekend, Garbin said her cross-code switch gave her a positive outlet in conjunction with her basketball commitments.
“I really enjoy the social aspect of playing netball at this level and making some friends away from basketball,” Garbin said.
“I don’t feel too much pressure except for the fact that my sister is a budding superstar.
“We trailed by nine goals at quarter-time, so to come away with a six-goal victory was pretty amazing.”
Garbin will scrimmage with a number of her Fire teammates tonight before pre-season training commences next week.
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Photo scourced from the Neptunes Netball Club Facebook page.