Karin Burger

Karin Burger is a South African-born netball defender who built her career in New Zealand and went on to captain the Silver Ferns, the national team. Known for her reach, court-reading and versatility across every defensive position, she has won titles at both club and international level and was named New Zealand’s netballer of the year for her 2025 season. This profile covers who she is, the positions she plays, her club and international record, and the honours she has collected.

Who is Karin Burger?

Karin Burger was born on 12 April 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in the town of Vredendal in the Western Cape. She began playing netball as a child and, at the age of 18 in 2012, moved to New Zealand to pursue the sport more seriously – a country where netball is one of the most popular participation sports for women and girls.

Standing 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) tall, Burger is a specialist defender. Over her career she has settled into a role built on interceptions, deflections and disciplined marking rather than on scoring, since defenders in netball are not permitted to shoot goals. Her progression from local club netball to the national team took roughly seven years, a path she has often described as a gradual climb rather than an overnight rise.

Positions and playing style

Burger is unusually versatile for a defender and can cover all three defensive positions on court. In netball, each of the seven players on a team is restricted to certain areas, and the defensive roles are:

• Goal Keeper (GK) – the last line of defence, marking the opposition’s main shooter inside the shooting circle.
• Goal Defence (GD) – defends the second shooter and helps protect the circle while also feeding the ball forward.
• Wing Defence (WD) – defends the attacking wing player and works to intercept passes coming into the circle; unlike the other two, the WD cannot enter the shooting circle.

Early in her career Burger played mostly as an in-circle defender, but during the 2018 season she successfully switched to wing defence, a change that broadened her value to any coach. If you are new to how these roles fit together, the guide to netball positions explains each one in more detail.

Club career

Burger’s domestic career in New Zealand runs through several clubs and both of the country’s elite competitions. Her club timeline is:

• Naenae Collegians United (2011–2016) – her first New Zealand club, in the Wellington region.
• Central Manawa / Central Zone (2016–2017) – in the National Netball League, where she was named the league’s Player of the Year in 2016.
• Central Pulse (2017–2020) – the Wellington-based franchise, with whom she won back-to-back ANZ Premiership titles in 2019 and 2020.
• Mainland Tactix (2021–2025) – the Christchurch-based side, where she spent five seasons and formed a strong defensive circle partnership.
• Sunshine Coast Lightning (2026–) – her first club outside New Zealand, in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball league.

Her move to the Mainland Tactix for the 2021 season proved a turning point. She produced one of the standout individual campaigns of her career that year and, in 2025, helped the Tactix win the ANZ Premiership for the first time in the franchise’s history – a title built in large part on the defensive partnership she formed with fellow Silver Fern Jane Watson. Her earlier success came with the Central Pulse, part of a dominant era for the Wellington club.

International career with the Silver Ferns

Burger made her international debut for New Zealand on 15 September 2018 against England. By 2026 she had earned more than 70 caps for the Silver Ferns, establishing herself as a mainstay of the defensive end.

Her international honours include a gold medal at the 2019 Netball World Cup and success in the annual trans-Tasman series against Australia. She was part of Silver Ferns squads that won the Constellation Cup, and she also featured in the shorter-format Fast5 and Nations Cup competitions. Competing at the 2023 World Cup, staged in South Africa, held personal significance as it took place in her country of birth.

In 2025, following the retirement of long-serving captain Ameliarânne Ekenasio from the national side, Burger stepped up to lead the team. She captained the Silver Ferns through the Taini Jamison Trophy, the five-test Constellation Series against Australia and a northern tour that included a series win over England.

Honours and awards

Burger’s consistency has been recognised at both franchise and national level. In 2021 she was named ANZ Premiership Player of the Year as well as the competition’s Fan Favourite. Her most significant individual recognition came in 2025, when she received the Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award – given to New Zealand’s netballer of the year – capping a season in which she both captained the Silver Ferns and helped the Tactix to their maiden national title. The table below summarises her main titles and awards.

Off the court and social media

Away from competition, Burger shares training sessions, match updates and glimpses of her life through her social media accounts. She is active on Instagram under the handle @karin2burger, where followers can keep up with her season and franchise moves. As with any public figure, followers should treat her official verified accounts as the reliable source for her own updates.

Why Karin Burger matters in New Zealand netball

Burger’s story is a notable example of an overseas-born athlete building a full career within New Zealand’s netball system and reaching its highest honours. Her rise – from local club netball to franchise titles, a World Cup gold, the national captaincy and netballer-of-the-year recognition – illustrates the depth and pathway on offer in the New Zealand game. Her 2026 move to Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball also reflects the growing movement of leading players between the trans-Tasman leagues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where is Karin Burger from?

Karin Burger was born on 12 April 1993 in Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up in Vredendal in the Western Cape. She moved to New Zealand in 2012, at the age of 18, to pursue a netball career.

What position does Karin Burger play?

She is a defender who can play all three defensive positions: goal keeper, goal defence and wing defence. Earlier in her career she played mainly as an in-circle defender before moving successfully to wing defence during the 2018 season.

Which clubs has Karin Burger played for?

In New Zealand she played for Naenae Collegians United, Central Manawa, the Central Pulse and the Mainland Tactix. From 2026 she plays for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball.

What has Karin Burger won?

Her honours include ANZ Premiership titles with the Central Pulse (2019, 2020) and the Mainland Tactix (2025), a 2019 Netball World Cup gold medal, the 2021 ANZ Premiership Player of the Year award, and the 2025 Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award as New Zealand’s netballer of the year.

Is Karin Burger the Silver Ferns captain?

She took over as captain of the Silver Ferns in 2025, leading the team through the Taini Jamison Trophy, the Constellation Series against Australia and a northern tour. She had earned more than 70 international caps for New Zealand by 2026.