Wikipedia

Georgia Heffernan

Georgia Heffernan is a New Zealand netball international. Since 2018, she has played for Southern Steel. Her mother, Annette Heffernan, her aunt, Maxine Blomquist, her sister, Kate Heffernan and a cousin, Shirley Langrope, are all New Zealand netball internationals. Her mother and aunt were the first set of sisters to play international netball for New Zealand. At the 2024 Netball Nations Cup, herself and her sister became the third set. However, the Heffernan sisters are the first sisters to actually play in the same team at the same time. As well as playing netball together for New Zealand, the Heffernan sisters have played together in several teams, including Southern Steel and the Otago Sparks women's cricket team.

Georgia Heffernan
Personal information
Full name Georgia Anne Heffernan[1]
Born (1999-10-07) 7 October 1999 (age 24)
Invercargill, New Zealand[1]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
School St Hilda's Collegiate School
University Otago Polytechnic
Relatives Annette Heffernan (mother)
Kate Heffernan (sister)
Maxine Blomquist (aunt)
Shirley Langrope (cousin)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GA, GS
Years Club team(s) Apps
2017–2019 Netball South
2018– Southern Steel
2021 Southern Blast
Years National team(s) Caps
2024– New Zealand
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Fast5 Netball World Series
Silver medal – second place 2023 Christchurch Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Christchurch Team

Early life, family and education edit

Georgia is the daughter of Noel and Annette Heffernan. Her mother, her aunt, Maxine Blomquist, her sister, Kate Heffernan and a cousin, Shirley Langrope, are all New Zealand netball internationals. Her father played rugby union for Canterbury Country.[2][3][4][5] The Heffernan family live on their sheep and beef farm, near Tapanui, West Otago.[6] The Heffernan sisters attended Tapanui's Blue Mountain College[7] and St Hilda's Collegiate School.[8][9] Georgia attended Otago Polytechnic, where she studied veterinary nursing.[4]

Playing career edit

St Hilda's edit

In 2016 and 2017, the Heffernan sisters were members of the St Hilda's Collegiate School team that won back-to-back South Island secondary school netball titles. 2016 was the first time St Hilda's had reached the final five stage and final of the tournament. In the 2016 final, Georgia scored 25 from 35 as St Hilda's defeated Marlborough Girls' College 38–37. She scored the winner in the final seconds.[8][10][11][12][13] In 2016 the St Hilda's team assistant coach was their mother, Annette Heffernan.[8]

Netball South edit

Between 2017 and 2019, the Heffernan sisters played for Netball South in the National Netball League.[14][15][16][17][18][19] Ahead of the 2018 season, while playing for Netball South, they were also named as training partners for Southern Steel.[13][20] After recovering from an ACL injury, Georgia was also included in the 2021 squad. The team was now renamed Southern Blast.[21][22]

Southern Steel edit

Since 2018, Georgia has played for Southern Steel. She made her senior debut for Steel in the 2018 Super Club tournament. During the 2019 ANZ Premiership season she made five appearances. She also played in the 2019 Super Club tournament.[23][24][25] On 28 June 2020, during a Round 3 match against Northern Stars she suffered an ACL injury after landing awkwardly. Georgia subsequently missed the rest of the 2020 season and the whole of the 2021 season as she recovered.[26][27][28][29][30] Since 2022, she has been a regular member of the Steel team.[23][24][31][32] Her sister, Kate Heffernan, also plays for Steel.[33][34][35]

ANZ Premiership statistics
Season Team G/A GA RB CPR FD IC DF PN TO MP
2019 Steel   12/23 (52%) 8 1 11 12 0 4 2 9 5
2020 Steel   12/16 (75%) 7 0 10 11 0 0 1 8 4
2021 Steel 0/0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022 Steel   140/192 (73%) 168 5 128 199 1 3 32 70 15
2023 Steel   214/285 (75%) ? 19 198 238 9 14 47 99 15
Career

Sources:[23][24]

New Zealand edit

Heffernan played for New Zealand in the 2022 Fast5 Netball World Series. On 5 November 2022 she made her Fast5 debut against Uganda.[23][36][37][38] In July 2022 she played for a Mixed Invitational team in the Cadbury Netball Series. During the series she played against the senior New Zealand team, featuring her sister Kate Heffernan. It was the first time Georgia and Kate had played against each other.[3][23][39][40]

On 20 January 2024, Heffernan made her senior debut for New Zealand against Australia during the 2024 Netball Nations Cup. She was originally only selected as training partner for the series. However, after impressing in training, Noeline Taurua promoted her to the starting seven. With her sister, Kate, already an established member of the team, the Heffernan sisters now became the third set of sisters to play international netball for New Zealand. The first set were their mother and aunt, Annette Heffernan and Maxine Blomquist. However, the Heffernan sisters are the first sisters to actually play in the same team at the same time.[5][41][42][43][44][45]

Tournaments Place
2022 Fast5 Netball World Series[23][36][37][38] 3rd
2023 Fast5 Netball World Series[46][47] 2nd
2024 Netball Nations Cup[5][41][42][43][44][45] 3rd

Cricket edit

The Heffernan sisters are also notable women's cricket players.[48] Georgia has represented Otago at under-15, under-16 and under-21 levels.[1][7] Georgia and Kate Heffernan also won national titles representing St Hilda's Collegiate School.[9][49][50] In 2018, Georgia played for Otago Sparks, once again alongside Kate.[25][50][51][52][53]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Georgia Heffernan". www.espncricinfo.com. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Annette Heffernan". www.silverferns.co.nz. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "History set to repeat for netball's Heffernan clan". newsroom.co.nz. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Heffernan twins join forces on court". www.southlandsport.com. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Newest Silver Fern shocked by call-up against world champs". www.rnz.co.nz. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ Brendon Egan (14 July 2023). "The moment that helped Silver Fern Kate Heffernan choose netball over cricket". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Talented twins juggling sports and loving it". www.odt.co.nz. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "NZSS Secondary Schools Netball Championships profile: Kate Heffernan/St Hilda's Collegiate". www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  9. ^ a b "St Hilda's Collegiate claim maiden title". www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  10. ^ "St Hilda's Collegiate hang on to beat Marlborough Girls' College in South Island secondary schools netball final". stuff.co.nz. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Heffernan sisters lead way for St Hilda's". www.odt.co.nz. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Two in row for St Hilda's". www.odt.co.nz. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Promising Dunedin competition youngsters identified". www.dunedinnetball.co.nz. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  14. ^ "A mix of old and new faces in 2017 Netball South training squad". stuff.co.nz. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  15. ^ "2017 Competitions" (PDF). www.netballsouth.co.nz. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Netball South Annual Report 2017" (PDF). www.silverferns.co.nz. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Netball South training squad named to prepare for 2018 Beko League". stuff.co.nz. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Netball South National League Squad Announced". www.dunedinnetball.co.nz. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Netball South name training squad". www.southlandsport.com. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Trio named as Steel training partners". anzpremiership.co.nz. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  21. ^ "New faces feature of Southern Blast squad". www.southlandsport.com. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Heffernan, O'Connell poised to return". www.odt.co.nz. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  23. ^ a b c d e f "Georgia Heffernan". anzpremiership.co.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "Georgia Heffernan". central.rookieme.com. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Georgia shows she, too, can live up to hype". www.odt.co.nz. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  26. ^ "Steel's Georgia Heffernan out for rest of season". www.southlandsport.com. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  27. ^ "Steel netballer Georgia Heffernan out for season after bad knee injury". stuff.co.nz. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Steel lose shooter for the rest of the year". www.rnz.co.nz. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Steel shooters begin recovery". www.odt.co.nz. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Heffernan making Steel comeback". www.odt.co.nz. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Steel goal attack Heffernan back to her best after recovering from ACL injury". www.odt.co.nz. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Heffernan relishing role in tough season". www.pressreader.com. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  33. ^ "Double netball success for Southern Steel twins". www.southlandsport.com. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Double kudos for talented Heffernan netball duo". stuff.co.nz. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  35. ^ "Honours bestowed on sisters". www.odt.co.nz. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Georgia Heffernan". www.silverferns.co.nz. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Fast5: Vitality Roses pick up first win against New Zealand". www.englandnetball.co.uk. 5 November 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  38. ^ a b "Ninety-eighth Annual Report 2022". www.netballnz.co.nz. 26 December 2023. p. 37. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  39. ^ Brendon Egan (15 July 2022). "New-look shooting combination shines as Silver Ferns make Cadbury Series final". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  40. ^ "NZ A save best for last with win over Mixed Invitational". www.netballnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  41. ^ a b "Heffernan to vice-captain Ferns, train alongside sister". www.odt.co.nz. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  42. ^ a b "Silver Ferns fall to Australian Diamonds in Nations Cup opener". stuff.co.nz. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  43. ^ a b "Australia defeat Silver Ferns in Nations Cup opener". www.silverferns.co.nz. 21 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  44. ^ a b "Steel's Heffernan makes Silver Ferns debut as team's preparations begin". stuff.co.nz. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  45. ^ a b "Nations Cup Player Focus: Georgia Heffernan (NZ)". central.rookieme.com. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  46. ^ "Fast5 Ferns a chance for netballer Georgia Heffernan to grow game". stuff.co.nz. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  47. ^ "New Zealand 23–35 Australia". mc.championdata.com. 12 November 2023. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  48. ^ "New focus on promising players". www.odt.co.nz. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  49. ^ "NZSS Secondary School Girls cricket tournament this weekend". www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  50. ^ a b "Big St Hilda's presence in Sparks". www.odt.co.nz. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  51. ^ "Sparks snuffed out in Oamaru". www.nzc.nz. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  52. ^ "Georgia Heffernan of the Otago Sparks". www.photosport.nz. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  53. ^ "Heffernan puts netball first". www.odt.co.nz. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
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