Grace Nweke has become one of the most recognisable figures in New Zealand netball. A towering goal shooter with a remarkable scoring record, she rose from the Auckland club scene to anchor the Silver Ferns and, more recently, to become a headline signing in Australia’s professional league. This profile looks at her background, her achievements, her playing style and the milestones that have shaped her career so far.
Player Profile
| Full name | Grace Nweke |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 February 2002 (age 24), Auckland, New Zealand |
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Position | Goal Shooter (GS) |
| National team | Silver Ferns (New Zealand) – 49 caps by 2026 |
| Former club | Northern Mystics (2019–2024), ANZ Premiership |
| Current club | NSW Swifts (2025–2026), Suncorp Super Netball |
| From 2027 | Sydney Sirens (Suncorp Super Netball) |
Who is Grace Nweke?
Grace Nweke is a New Zealand netball player born on 7 February 2002 in Auckland. She plays as a goal shooter (GS), the attacking specialist whose job is to score goals from inside the shooting circle. Standing 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in), she is one of the tallest shooters in the game, and her height, reach and accuracy have made her a central figure for both her clubs and the New Zealand national team.
Early life and family background
Nweke grew up in Auckland as one of five children of Nigerian parents who immigrated to New Zealand in the 1990s. As a child she was active across several sports, including basketball and touch rugby, before taking up netball in her early teens. The sport quickly became her main focus, and she progressed rapidly through representative age-group and secondary-school netball while still at school.
Northern Mystics and the ANZ Premiership
Nweke joined the Northern Mystics in 2019, initially as a training partner before being promoted into the full squad. She soon became the team’s primary shooter in the ANZ Premiership, New Zealand’s top domestic league.
A record-breaking 2021 season
In 2021 she set a new ANZ Premiership single-season scoring record, converting 852 goals from 951 attempts, and scored 50 or more goals in 12 of the Mystics’ 16 games. That season the Mystics won their first-ever premiership title. Nweke went on to be part of further Mystics championship-winning squads in 2023 and 2024 before she left New Zealand netball at the end of the 2024 season.
Silver Ferns career
Nweke’s club form earned her a call-up to the Silver Ferns, New Zealand’s national netball team. She made her debut on 22 September 2021 against England and became the first Silver Fern of Nigerian descent. By 2026 she had built up a tally of 49 international caps and established herself as the team’s first-choice goal shooter.
The 2023 Netball World Cup setback
Nweke started strongly at the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa, scoring 31 from 31 attempts against Trinidad and Tobago and 15 from 16 against Uganda. However, she suffered a partial tear of her patella (kneecap) tendon during the pool match against Singapore and was ruled out of the rest of the tournament, a significant blow for the New Zealand campaign.
Commonwealth Games gold in 2026
At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Nweke was a dominant presence in the shooting circle as the Silver Ferns beat Jamaica 56-48 in the final to claim gold. It was New Zealand’s first Commonwealth Games netball title in 16 years. Nweke scored 48 goals in the final and finished as the tournament’s leading shooter, with 229 goals at around 90.5 per cent accuracy.
Playing for the Silver Ferns from overseas
Netball New Zealand has generally required players to be based domestically to be eligible for the Silver Ferns. After moving to Australia, Nweke applied for and was granted an exemption under updated eligibility criteria, allowing her to continue representing New Zealand during 2025 and 2026 as the team prepared for the Commonwealth Games and beyond.
Move to Australia: NSW Swifts and Sydney Sirens
For the 2025 season Nweke moved to Sydney and joined the NSW Swifts in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball, the strongest professional netball league in the world. She made an immediate impact, scoring 718 goals across her debut season and being named the Swifts’ Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player of the Year.
In August 2026, after helping New Zealand to Commonwealth Games gold, Nweke signed a three-year deal to join the Sydney Sirens – the club formerly known as the Giants – from the 2027 season, the longest Super Netball contract signed by a New Zealand player at that point.
Playing style and position
What sets Nweke apart is the combination of her height and athleticism. At 1.93 m she can reach for high passes and release her shot above most defenders, while her mobility lets her create space and reposition quickly inside the circle. She is also known for her accuracy and her work ethic, training intensively on footwork and shooting mechanics rather than relying on physical advantages alone.
Awards and honours
Nweke has collected a range of individual and team honours across her career:
- 2021 – Northern Mystics Most Valuable Player
- 2022 – Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award and Silver Ferns Player of the Year
- 2025 – NSW Swifts Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player of the Year
- Team honours – ANZ Premiership titles with the Northern Mystics (2021, 2023, 2024) and a Commonwealth Games gold medal with the Silver Ferns (2026)
Career Highlights
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Joined the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership |
| 2021 | Set an ANZ Premiership scoring record (852 goals), won her first Mystics title and debuted for the Silver Ferns |
| 2022 | Commonwealth Games bronze; Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award and Silver Ferns Player of the Year |
| 2023 | Second ANZ Premiership title with the Mystics; ruled out of the Netball World Cup with a patella tendon injury |
| 2024 | Third ANZ Premiership title with the Northern Mystics |
| 2025 | Debut Suncorp Super Netball season with the NSW Swifts; named club MVP |
| 2026 | Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow; signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Sirens from 2027 |
Off the court
Nweke’s rise has made her a prominent role model for young netballers in New Zealand, and her Nigerian heritage has made her an important symbol of greater diversity and representation in the sport. She keeps supporters up to date on her career through social media, where fans can follow Grace Nweke on Instagram.
Sources
- Silver Ferns – 2025/2026 Silver Ferns squad announced
- 1News – Grace Nweke granted Silver Ferns eligibility exemption
- RNZ – Silver Ferns break 16-year gold-medal drought at Glasgow 2026
- 1News – Grace Nweke commits to three more years in Australia
- NZ Herald – Why Grace Nweke signed with the Sydney Sirens
- RNZ – Silver Ferns star shooter ruled out of Netball World Cup
- Northern Mystics – Club history
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What position does Grace Nweke play?
Grace Nweke plays goal shooter (GS), the attacking role responsible for scoring goals from inside the shooting circle. Her height and accuracy make her one of the most effective shooters in the game.
How tall is Grace Nweke?
She stands 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in), which makes her one of the tallest goal shooters in both the ANZ Premiership and Suncorp Super Netball.
Which teams has Grace Nweke played for?
She played for the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership from 2019 to 2024, moved to the NSW Swifts in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball in 2025, and signed to join the Sydney Sirens from 2027. Internationally she represents the New Zealand Silver Ferns.
Did Grace Nweke play at the 2023 Netball World Cup?
She started the tournament but was ruled out after suffering a partial tear of her patella tendon in the pool match against Singapore, ending her 2023 World Cup campaign early.
Has Grace Nweke won a Commonwealth Games gold medal?
Yes. She was part of the Silver Ferns side that beat Jamaica 56-48 in the final at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, New Zealand’s first Commonwealth netball gold in 16 years.
