Star Sunshine Girls defender Jodi-Ann Ward will miss the rest of the Suncorp Super Netball League season after scans have confirmed that the Jamaican international has suffered a season-ending ACL tear.

The injury occurred in a collision at the start of the fourth quarter during the Round 7 clash between her team GIANTS Netball and the West Coast Fever — a game that featured a strong Jamaican contingent for the Fever, including Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, Shanice Beckford, and Kadie-Ann Dehaney. Earlier in the match, Ward was involved in an unrelated incident which fortunately did not contribute to the ACL injury.

The 30-year-old Ward is set to undergo surgery this Friday to begin her rehabilitation. Before injury she had been having an exceptional season on the defensive end for the GIANTS and ranked second in the league in intercepts with 14. Her Jamaican compatriot Latanya Wilson, who plays for two-time defending champions Adelaide Thunderbirds, occupies top spot in that statistical category with 21.

GIANTS Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald expressed the club’s full support for Ward during this difficult time.
“She’s an incredibly important part of our GIANTS family. We’ll wrap our arms around her throughout her recovery and we know she’ll attack this next chapter with the same determination and passion we see from her on game day,” Fitzgerald said.

Acknowledging the impact of Ward’s absence, Fitzgerald added, “We know it’s a big loss — there’s no denying that, but we have a resilient group, and this is an opportunity for others to step up. We’ll regroup, adjust where we need to, and keep pushing forward.”

The GIANTS are now actively exploring replacement options and will make an official announcement in due course.