Georgia Heffernan Explained

Georgia Heffernan
Full Name:Georgia Anne Heffernan
Birth Date:7 October 1999
Birth Place:Invercargill, New Zealand
Relatives:Annette Heffernan (mother)
Kate Heffernan (sister)
Maxine Blomquist (aunt)
Shirley Langrope (cousin)
Height:1.81m
School:St Hilda's Collegiate School
University:Otago Polytechnic
Positions:GA, GS
Clubyears1:2017–2019
Clubteam1:Netball South
Clubyears2:2018–
Clubteam2:Southern Steel
Clubyears3:2021
Clubteam3:Southern Blast
Nationalteam1:New Zealand
Nationalyears1:2024–

Georgia Heffernan is a New Zealand netball international. Since 2018, she has played for Southern Steel. Her mother, Annette Heffernan, her aunt, Maxine Blomquist, her sister, Kate Heffernan and a cousin, Shirley Langrope, are all New Zealand netball internationals. Her mother and aunt were the first set of sisters to play international netball for New Zealand. At the 2024 Netball Nations Cup, herself and her sister became the third set. However, the Heffernan sisters are the first sisters to actually play in the same team at the same time. As well as playing netball together for New Zealand, the Heffernan sisters have played together in several teams, including Southern Steel and the Otago Sparks women's cricket team.

Early life, family and education

Georgia is the daughter of Noel and Annette Heffernan. Her mother, her aunt, Maxine Blomquist, her sister, Kate Heffernan and a cousin, Shirley Langrope, are all New Zealand netball internationals. Her father played rugby union for Canterbury Country.[1] [2] [3] [4] The Heffernan family live on their sheep and beef farm, near Tapanui, West Otago.[5] The Heffernan sisters attended Tapanui's Blue Mountain College[6] and St Hilda's Collegiate School.[7] [8] Georgia attended Otago Polytechnic, where she studied veterinary nursing.[3]

Playing career

St Hilda's

In 2016 and 2017, the Heffernan sisters were members of the St Hilda's Collegiate School team that won back-to-back South Island secondary school netball titles. 2016 was the first time St Hilda's had reached the final five stage and final of the tournament. In the 2016 final, Georgia scored 25 from 35 as St Hilda's defeated Marlborough Girls' College 38–37. She scored the winner in the final seconds.[7] [9] [10] [11] [12] In 2016 the St Hilda's team assistant coach was their mother, Annette Heffernan.[7]

Netball South

Between 2017 and 2019, the Heffernan sisters played for Netball South in the National Netball League.[13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] Ahead of the 2018 season, while playing for Netball South, they were also named as training partners for Southern Steel.[12] [19] After recovering from an ACL injury, Georgia was also included in the 2021 squad. The team was now renamed Southern Blast.[20] [21]

Southern Steel

Since 2018, Georgia has played for Southern Steel. She made her senior debut for Steel in the 2018 Super Club tournament. During the 2019 ANZ Premiership season she made five appearances. She also played in the 2019 Super Club tournament.[22] [23] [24] On 28 June 2020, during a Round 3 match against Northern Stars she suffered an ACL injury after landing awkwardly. Georgia subsequently missed the rest of the 2020 season and the whole of the 2021 season as she recovered.[25] [26] [27] [28] [29] Since 2022, she has been a regular member of the Steel team.[22] [23] [30] [31] Her sister, Kate Heffernan, also plays for Steel.[32] [33] [34]

ANZ Premiership statistics|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |2019|style="text-align:center;"|Steel|||8||1||11||12||0||4||2||9||5 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |2020|style="text-align:center;"|Steel|||7||0||10||11||0||0||1||8||4 |- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |2021|style="text-align:center;"|Steel|0/0||0||0||0||0||0|||0||0||0||0 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |2022|style="text-align:center;"|Steel|||168||5||128||199||1||3||32||70||15|- style="background-color: #eaeaea"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" |2023|style="text-align:center;"|Steel|||?||19||198||238||9||14||47||99||15|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=2| Career! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! |}

New Zealand

Heffernan played for New Zealand in the 2022 Fast5 Netball World Series. On 5 November 2022 she made her Fast5 debut against Uganda.[22] [35] [36] [37] In July 2022 she played for a Mixed Invitational team in the Cadbury Netball Series. During the series she played against the senior New Zealand team, featuring her sister Kate Heffernan. It was the first time Georgia and Kate had played against each other.[2] [22] [38] [39]

On 20 January 2024, Heffernan made her senior debut for New Zealand against Australia during the 2024 Netball Nations Cup. She was originally only selected as training partner for the series. However, after impressing in training, Noeline Taurua promoted her to the starting seven. With her sister, Kate, already an established member of the team, the Heffernan sisters now became the third set of sisters to play international netball for New Zealand. The first set were their mother and aunt, Annette Heffernan and Maxine Blomquist. However, the Heffernan sisters are the first sisters to actually play in the same team at the same time.[4] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44]

TournamentsPlace
2022 Fast5 Netball World Series3rd
2023 Fast5 Netball World Series[45] [46] 2nd
2024 Netball Nations Cup3rd

Cricket

The Heffernan sisters are also notable women's cricket players.[47] Georgia has represented Otago at under-15, under-16 and under-21 levels.[48] [6] Georgia and Kate Heffernan also won national titles representing St Hilda's Collegiate School.[8] [49] [50] In 2018, Georgia played for Otago Sparks, once again alongside Kate.[24] [50] [51] [52] [53]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Annette Heffernan. www.silverferns.co.nz. 10 December 2021.
  2. Web site: History set to repeat for netball's Heffernan clan. newsroom.co.nz. 26 July 2022. 27 January 2024.
  3. Web site: Heffernan twins join forces on court. www.southlandsport.com. 24 June 2020. 26 January 2024.
  4. Web site: Newest Silver Fern shocked by call-up against world champs. www.rnz.co.nz. 25 January 2024. 27 January 2024.
  5. Web site: Brendon Egan. The moment that helped Silver Fern Kate Heffernan choose netball over cricket. stuff.co.nz. 14 July 2023. 29 January 2024.
  6. Web site: Talented twins juggling sports and loving it. www.odt.co.nz. 9 July 2014. 29 January 2024.
  7. Web site: NZSS Secondary Schools Netball Championships profile: Kate Heffernan/St Hilda's Collegiate. www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 10 December 2021. 27 September 2016.
  8. Web site: St Hilda's Collegiate claim maiden title. www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 3 February 2024. 5 December 2016.
  9. Web site: St Hilda's Collegiate hang on to beat Marlborough Girls' College in South Island secondary schools netball final. stuff.co.nz. 1 September 2016. 3 February 2024.
  10. Web site: Heffernan sisters lead way for St Hilda's. www.odt.co.nz. 13 June 2017. 29 January 2024.
  11. Web site: Two in row for St Hilda's. www.odt.co.nz. 8 September 2017. 2 February 2024.
  12. Web site: Promising Dunedin competition youngsters identified. www.dunedinnetball.co.nz. 22 December 2017. 31 January 2024.
  13. Web site: A mix of old and new faces in 2017 Netball South training squad. stuff.co.nz. 21 October 2016. 31 January 2024.
  14. Web site: 2017 Competitions. www.netballsouth.co.nz. 31 January 2024.
  15. Web site: Netball South Annual Report 2017. www.silverferns.co.nz. 12 February 2018. 10 May 2022.
  16. Web site: Netball South training squad named to prepare for 2018 Beko League. stuff.co.nz. 16 October 2017. 31 January 2024.
  17. Web site: Netball South National League Squad Announced. www.dunedinnetball.co.nz. 26 February 2018. 31 January 2024.
  18. Web site: Netball South name training squad. www.southlandsport.com. 18 October 2018. 31 January 2024.
  19. Web site: Trio named as Steel training partners. anzpremiership.co.nz. 22 December 2017. 31 January 2024.
  20. Web site: New faces feature of Southern Blast squad. www.southlandsport.com. 23 March 2021. 29 January 2024.
  21. Web site: Heffernan, O'Connell poised to return. www.odt.co.nz. 25 March 2021. 31 January 2024.
  22. Web site: Georgia Heffernan. anzpremiership.co.nz. 28 January 2024.
  23. Web site: Georgia Heffernan. central.rookieme.com. 28 January 2024.
  24. Web site: Georgia shows she, too, can live up to hype. www.odt.co.nz. 4 July 2019. 29 January 2024.
  25. Web site: Steel's Georgia Heffernan out for rest of season. www.southlandsport.com. 6 July 2020. 29 January 2024.
  26. Web site: Steel netballer Georgia Heffernan out for season after bad knee injury. stuff.co.nz. 6 July 2020. 30 January 2024.
  27. Web site: Steel lose shooter for the rest of the year. www.rnz.co.nz. 7 July 2020. 29 January 2024.
  28. Web site: Steel shooters begin recovery. www.odt.co.nz. 21 August 2020. 29 January 2024.
  29. Web site: Heffernan making Steel comeback. www.odt.co.nz. 27 August 2021. 29 January 2024.
  30. Web site: Steel goal attack Heffernan back to her best after recovering from ACL injury. www.odt.co.nz. 28 May 2022. 29 January 2024.
  31. Web site: Heffernan relishing role in tough season. www.pressreader.com. 6 May 2023. 2 February 2024.
  32. Web site: Double netball success for Southern Steel twins. www.southlandsport.com. 12 December 2022. 28 January 2024.
  33. Web site: Double kudos for talented Heffernan netball duo. stuff.co.nz. 12 December 2022. 29 January 2024.
  34. Web site: Honours bestowed on sisters. www.odt.co.nz. 13 December 2023. 28 January 2024.
  35. Web site: Georgia Heffernan. www.silverferns.co.nz. 28 January 2024.
  36. Web site: Fast5: Vitality Roses pick up first win against New Zealand. www.englandnetball.co.uk. 5 November 2022. 29 January 2024.
  37. Web site: Ninety-eighth Annual Report 2022. www.netballnz.co.nz. 26 December 2023. 12 January 2024. 37.
  38. Web site: Brendon Egan. New-look shooting combination shines as Silver Ferns make Cadbury Series final. stuff.co.nz. 15 July 2022. 30 January 2024.
  39. Web site: NZ A save best for last with win over Mixed Invitational. www.netballnz.co.nz. https://web.archive.org/web/20220820033418/https://www.netballnz.co.nz/netball-nz/news/nz-a-save-best-for-last-with-win-over-mixed-invitational.html. 20 August 2022. 30 January 2024.
  40. Web site: Heffernan to vice-captain Ferns, train alongside sister. www.odt.co.nz. 15 December 2023. 28 January 2024.
  41. Web site: Silver Ferns fall to Australian Diamonds in Nations Cup opener. stuff.co.nz. 22 January 2024. 30 January 2024.
  42. Web site: Australia defeat Silver Ferns in Nations Cup opener. www.silverferns.co.nz. 21 January 2024. 27 January 2024.
  43. Web site: Steel's Heffernan makes Silver Ferns debut as team’s preparations begin. stuff.co.nz. 22 January 2024. 28 January 2024.
  44. Web site: Nations Cup Player Focus: Georgia Heffernan (NZ). central.rookieme.com. 23 January 2024. 28 January 2024.
  45. Web site: Fast5 Ferns a chance for netballer Georgia Heffernan to grow game. stuff.co.nz. 27 October 2023. 28 January 2024.
  46. Web site: 12 November 2023. New Zealand 23–35 Australia . live . https://archive.today/20240124230518/https://mc.championdata.com/fast5worldseries/index.html?competitionid=12376&matchid=123760103 . 24 January 2024. 22 January 2024 . mc.championdata.com.
  47. Web site: New focus on promising players. www.odt.co.nz. 6 September 2018. 3 February 2024.
  48. Web site: Georgia Heffernan. www.espncricinfo.com. 28 January 2024.
  49. Web site: NZSS Secondary School Girls cricket tournament this weekend. www.collegesportmedia.co.nz. 29 January 2024. 30 November 2016.
  50. Web site: Big St Hilda's presence in Sparks. www.odt.co.nz. 15 November 2018. 3 February 2024.
  51. Web site: Sparks snuffed out in Oamaru. www.nzc.nz. https://web.archive.org/web/20180313120356/https://www.nzc.nz/match-reports/archive/sparks-snuffed-out-in-oamaru/. 13 March 2018. 26 January 2018. 3 February 2024.
  52. Web site: Georgia Heffernan of the Otago Sparks. www.photosport.nz. 27 October 2018. 3 February 2024.
  53. Web site: Heffernan puts netball first. www.odt.co.nz. 30 November 2018. 3 February 2024.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Georgia Heffernan".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.