A desire to play for as long as possible is one of the driving forces behind Jessica Tuki’s return to premier one netball.

The 34-year-old former Silver Fern returns to the Tysons lineup this season. The side is searching for its eighth consecutive title.

Tuki’s last match for Tysons was two seasons ago, and before that she was in and out of the team in between children.

Her last representative match was with the Northern Mystics in 2014, after a long representative career that began with the Western Flyers in 2004. She then represented the Otago Rebels, Southern Steel and Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic.

The utility played three tests for the Silver Ferns at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne – where New Zealand won gold. Tuki was called in from the New Zealand A side when Jodi Brown injured her knee.

Her experience will be vital for club netball and Tuki admitted she “needed to get back out there”.

That drive was instilled into her after she attended last year’s finals day to watch her sister Elizabeth play.

“Someone said to me that I only have my body for so long until it doesn’t allow me to play, so I thought ‘why stop if I can keep going?’. I thought it was a pretty fair comment.”

And while she has managed to dodge injuries, Tuki decided to get back on court after sitting down with her partner to work out a schedule around their three children.

Tuki admitted the pre-season tournament was daunting, where Tysons played three games a week before the season started.

“I was more worried about the body holding up,” Tuki, who also played basketball for the Tall Ferns, said.

“The eight-minute quarters were pleasing. But the 15 minutes quarters on Thursday [in round one] was a lung killer. So, it was a bit of a baptism of fire, but we got there.”

The shortened premier season, cut down from 16-weeks to 12, was also a drawcard, she said.

Tuki’s selection further boosts a formidable Tysons squad.

She joins a core unit of Amber Ormond, Tiaan Taylor, Connie Clement, Sarah Moller, Jane Parker-Bishop and Elizabeth.

“We’ve been around for the last seven years, in and out. We are getting old, we’re an ageing team but we’ve been really fortunate with players coming back to keep that structure.”

Tuki said the team will work on their connections through the court after their 53-34 win over New Plymouth Old Boys last week.

“In each end, we played together well but it’s finding those links,” she said.

Tysons play Raukura in Waitara on Thursday night.

Click here for the full draw. 

Article added: Tuesday 12 April 2022