Georgia Heffernan’s rise from no national contract to New Zealand’s best goal attack

Sunday, 14 June 2026

Georgia Heffernan has emerged as the Silver Ferns’ top option at goal attack.

What: Southern Steel v Mainland Tactix; Where: Stadium Southland, Invercargill; When: Sunday 4pm, Live on TVNZ+.

Georgia Heffernan was heartbroken when she was overlooked for the 2024-25 Silver Ferns national squad.

After breaking into the Ferns for the first time in the Netball Nations Cup in England in January 2024, Heffernan quickly fell out of favour. She was left out for the Taini Jamison Trophy home series against England and the Constellation Cup later that year, sitting firmly on the outer. Heffernan was not even named in the 2024-25 Silver Ferns development squad.

Twenty months on from missing a national contract, the Southern Steel goal attack credits one of her lowest career moments for shaping her as a netballer, and person.

“I think I really needed to just go away and not avoid my weaknesses and work on them, which was a huge part of the growth after that,” Heffernan said ahead of Sunday’s crunch final round clash with the Tactix in Invercargill.

“It was really hard, but also made me realise how much I wanted to get back into the squad and gave me a bit of time to step away and I really started to enjoy my netball again in 2025.”

Silver Ferns goal attack Georgia Heffernan controls possession against South Africa in Napier last year.

Heffernan was recalled to the Silver Ferns last year and finished 2025 as the team’s first-choice goal attack.

The 13-test Fern had her finest outing in the black dress in New Zealand’s series-clinching win over England in Manchester in November. She played the full 60 minutes, converting 12 goals from 15 attempts in a match most of the Ferns players had to deal with a gastro bug, which swept through them in the lead-up to the game.

Heffernan made the most of her opportunity in October’s Constellation Cup, starting in the final two matches back in New Zealand after impressing off the bench in Sydney in the second test.

The Silver Ferns’ 12-player Commonwealth Games squad will be unveiled on Wednesday and Heffernan should be there, joining identical twin sister, midcourter Kate, who would have been one of the first names coach Dame Noeline Taurua jotted down.

Georgia Heffernan has been a reliable presence at goal attack for the Steel this season.

Missing out on the Ferns’ 2024-25 national squad and the internationals to close out 2024 had given Heffernan the chance to go away and refresh mentally and work on her game. Handling the physicality of international netball, improving her on-court consistency, shooting accuracy, and decision-making had been some of the areas to address.

“I do really love netball and I wanted to get back in that squad and also I just wanted to be proud of the netball I was playing and I wasn’t in 2024…

“I think the biggest part was mindset wise I came back into the ANZ Premiership in 2025 and I was so excited to be back. I was so refreshed and I really started to love the game again.”

Heffernan had a pleasing 2025 for the Steel, but has taken another step forward this year, providing the perfect foil to goal scoring machine Aliyah Dunn.

Georgia, left, and identical twin sister Kate Heffernan.

The Steel entered the final round second sitting on the table and depending on results over the weekend could host a home finals match at their Stadium Southland fortress in Invercargill.

For the first time in her netball career, Heffernan has had to adjust to playing without her best friend and identical twin sister, Kate. Kate made the big move to Australia to play for the Adelaide Thunderbirds this season and has excelled. She has been one of the premier performers in Super Netball, helping the Thunderbirds to the best record in the competition and the minor premiership.

Heffernan messaged her sister every day via social media and is even looking after her Cocker Spaniel, Maple, for the next month while her partner is in Australia. She visited South Australia in January and said this had been the longest they had been apart in their lives.

“Honestly, she’s playing the best netball I’ve ever seen her play. I feel like the growth you can even see it on TV and the screen. It’s pretty exciting for her, but also for the Ferns and to see so many players from New Zealand go over there and actually step up. She’s just loving it.”

With seven wins from nine games, the Steel have locked in a finals berth, along with the Mystics and defending champion Tactix.

Having topped the ladder for most of the season, the Tactix have slipped to third after back-to-back losses, including a last gasp extra-time loss to the Mystics last Saturday.

Donna Wilkins’ Tactix side will be fired up and desperate to snap their losing run. Heffernan and the Steel knew what response awaited them and will be eager to lift themselves after turning in their worst showing of the season when they faced them back in round one, losing 55-42 in Christchurch.

The Tactix have a formidable defensive unit in Laura Balmer, who has enjoyed a breakout first season with the team, and standout Australian goal keep Ash Barnett.

“I think they are such a connected unit and they confuse space really well, but they also contest everything,” Heffernan said.

“They’re very athletic and I think if we’re not decisive with what we’re doing [it will be a struggle]. They work together so well and they can cover pretty much anything. That’s what we got found out with in round one.”