Vitality Roses: Rhea Dixon and Halimat Adio into England programme for 2021-22 season

Leeds Rhinos Netball's attacker and London Pulse's defender form part of a 24-strong Roses squad; key returnees include Serena Guthrie, Beth Cobden, Jo Harten, Helen Housby, Geva Mentor and Chelsea Pitman

By Emma Thurston

Image: A 24-player squad has been announced by Jess Thirlby for the new international season (Image Credit - Ben Lumley)

Rhea Dixon and Halimat Adio are two of the new athletes selected to be part of England Netball's full-time Vitality Roses programme, as the team build towards the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Dixon and Adio are two of the 17 UK-based athletes that head coach Jess Thirlby has selected for the 2021-22 international season, with the other seven players plying their trade in either Australia or New Zealand.

Key returnees to Thirlby's squad include Team Bath Netball's Serena Guthrie, Loughborough Lightning's Beth Cobden and England's most-capped international athlete, Jade Clarke.

England Vitality Roses fans will be pleased to see that one of the country's most-experienced defenders - Geva Mentor - has recommitted to the programme, alongside the team's gold medal-winning shooting combination of Helen Housby and Jo Harten.

New Zealand-based shooter George Fisher also returns, as does mid-courter Chelsea Pitman.

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Vitality Roses Athletes - 2021-22 International Season

Serena Guthrie Vicki Oyesola Razia Quashie Imogen Allison
Gabriella Marshall Sophie Drakeford-Lewis Natalie Panagarry Beth Cobden
Francesca Williams Jade Clarke Eleanor Cardwell Laura Malcolm
Halimat Adio Ella Clark Hannah Joseph Rhea Dixon
Layla Guscoth Joanne Harten Helen Housby Stacey Francis-Bayman
George Fisher Geva Mentor Chelsea Pitman Natalie Haythornthwaite

The Vitality Roses programme for the 2021-22 season will feature a combination of UK-based training camps and competitive opportunities, both in England and abroad.

England Netball are currently finalising the international competition calendar and head coach Thirlby, cannot wait to work with this group of athletes and her new Vitality Roses coaching team.

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Mkoloma, Murphy and Leota join Roses' coaching team

Jess Thirlby has added considerable experience to her coaching team ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 Netball World Cup

"I am excited about this cohort of athletes and what each one of them brings to the table," Thirlby said about her 24-player squad.

"The next 12 months will be vital in our preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, it's going to be a really exciting international season for this squad and for all the Vitality Roses fans.

With a limited number of spaces available in the full-time Roses programme each year and a growing pool of talent in England, competition for spots in the team is tighter than ever.
Jess Thirlby (Image Credit - Ben Lumley)

"It is brilliant to have so much talent to choose from, however it makes our jobs extremely difficult when it comes to selection."

Alongside the 24 athletes named in the full-time programme, Thirlby has selected seven England Roses Futures athletes.

This programme allows players to balance dual careers, such as full-time education or work, alongside their commitment to developing as an athlete within the Roses set up.

Following her standout season so far, Leeds Rhinos Netball's Sienna Rushton makes the step up into this group alongside Brie Grierson and Manchester Thunder's Amy Carter.

The other athletes named within the Futures programme all represent one Vitality Netball Superleague franchise with London Pulse's Zara Everitt, Kira Rothwell, Olivia Tchine and Funmi Fadoju completing the group.

Sky Sports is your home of netball. The Vitality Netball Superleague continues on Sunday with Round 16 and four back-to-back matches steamed live on the Sky Sports YouTube channel from 12pm.

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