The Adelaide Thunderbirds have named South African rising star Sanmarie Visser as a temporary replacement player for Romelda Aiken-George.
Visser enters the Thunderbirds environment while Aiken-George continues to be load managed following her minor knee injury earlier this year.
The 21-year-old is a midcourter/defender from Upington in South Africa’s north.
She officially became a Spar Protea in January as South Africa took on Jamaica in a three-test series.
In February, she impressed at the Nations Cup, picking up a Player of the Match nod despite playing only a handful of international tests.
Thunderbirds’ General Manager of High Performance Jace Bode said Visser added versatility and balance to the side’s list.
“We already have a number of options in our shooting end so we decided to bring Sanmarie into the environment to add further team balance,” Bode said.
“Between Lucy Austin, Lauren Frew, Kayla Graham, and Georgie Horjus, we felt confident in our depth in the shooting end, and this was highlighted across Team Girls Cup while Romelda was load managed.
“Sanmarie has played across both the midcourt and defensive units and we look forward to working with her.”
The Thunderbirds will kick off their 2025 campaign at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Saturday, April 5 as they host the Melbourne Vixens for a Grand Final rematch.
Purchase tickets for the Thunderbirds’ 2025 season HERE.
