Sunshine Girls star defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey has revealed that she will be stepping away from the remainder of the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball League season as she and her husband, Andrew, are expecting their first child. Sterling-Humphrey, who has been a cornerstone of the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ success, expressed her excitement as she embraces this new chapter in her life.

Known for her exceptional skills on the court, Sterling-Humphrey played a pivotal role in leading the Thunderbirds to back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Her standout performances earned her the title of league MVP in 2023, cementing her place as one of the best defenders in the world. However, this year, her priorities are shifting as she looks forward to welcoming her little one.

“I’m so excited to be having a little one and getting the opportunity to be back with my husband for this special moment – I know I’ll be a great mum,” Sterling-Humphrey shared. “I’ll miss being out on court this season, but I’ll continue supporting the team while I prepare for the arrival of our new family member.”

In Sterling-Humphrey’s absence, the Thunderbirds have called on South African Protea Sanmarie Visser to step into a more prominent role. Visser, who initially joined the team as a temporary replacement player for Jamaican goal-shooter Romelda Aiken-George, will now be elevated from her training partner contract to a full replacement player. This change will see Visser travel with the team to Sydney, where she will be available for their next match against Giants Netball at Ken Rosewall Arena on Saturday.

Thunderbirds General Manager of High Performance Jace Bode expressed her excitement for the Sterling-Humphrey family.

“We know how much this means to Shamera and Andrew and we’re so excited for them to grow their family,” Bode said.

“As a team, we’ve loved having Romelda’s daughter Gigi around over the past two seasons and we look forward to meeting the newest member of the Tbirds family later this year.

“We will continue to support Shamera as she remains a significant part of our team, and we look forward to having her back on court in 2026.”

Sterling-Humphrey has reportedly returned home to Jamaica for the duration of her pregnancy to be with family.