Lucy Austin’s incredible breakout 2023 season has culminated in the South Australian star taking out the Suncorp Super Netball Rookie of the Year Award in her first season in pink.
At just 21 years of age, Austin has had an extraordinary rise to success as she became a premiership player for her home club in her debut season.
The GS/GA made her official debut as Thunderbird #105 in round six of 2022, that same year she won a premiership with Matrics Netball Club in The Hospital Research Foundation Group Premier League.
After accumulating three games as a training partner, Austin was selected to represent Australia at the 2022 Fast5 Netball World Series at which she won gold for her country.
Her success in 2022 was rewarded with her first SSN contract with the Adelaide Thunderbirds and she fast became a household name among the Pink Army.
Austin recorded 133 goals for the season and delivered 11 super shots – many of which in big-game moments – to give her side the momentum.
Notably, she landed the game-saving goal that sent her side to overtime in their major-semi clash with the Swifts that the Thunderbirds went on to win by 2 goals.
She played all 14 games this year and tallied an impressive 126.5 Nissan Net Points to go with 5 deflections and 9 rebounds.
It was her efforts in the offensive end that later earnt her a spot in Australia’s Fast5 side for the second-consecutive year, where she was a standout performer once again.
