O’brien grabs Rays chance

OF all the Cairns contingent in the Northern Rays squad, Leah O’brien’s position in the first ever game for the newly launched team was the most unlikely.

While the Far North group, including Chantelle Tikitau, skipper Jacqueline Dupuy, Michaela Kadlecek and Chloe Fredericksen, have been training for months ahead of the inaugural game, O’brien did not even trial for the team.

The 23-year-old ( pictured), who played for the Marlin Coast Marlins as a teenager, had stepped away from netball over the last few years to focus on her work commitments.

“I was not even going to play netball at all this year,” O’brien said.

“Last year was my first year of full-time teaching and I did not play, and it was going to be the same again this year.”

O’brien decided to take a small step back into netball, for the Marlin Coast Marlins squad for the upcoming Ruby Series, believing the shortened format of that season would fit better with her work commitments.

That was until an unlikely offer was extended.

When Rays mid-court gun Brooke Williams was called up for international duties for Samoa, the coaching staff needed a ready made replacement. Enter the Cairns Saints centre.

“I had a good think about it when the Rays needed a replacement player and I thought it would be a really good opportunity,” she said.

The schoolteacher by trade was in the first ever Rays squad for their debut game last weekend and is expected to feature in three more contests.

The QUT Wildcats were much too strong last weekend in their Round 2 game of the Sapphire Series but the Rays are hopeful of an improved showing this Sunday against the Ipswich Jets.