Sunshine Coast Lightning defender and hometown favourite Ashlee Unie has been ruled out of action for the season due to a serious knee injury.
The 24-year-old was promoted from the training squad to the main 10-strong roster during the off-season.
She was proud to be the the first local to earn a full-time spot with the Lightning in the club’s four-year history.
But her season is essentially over before it began after she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament during a trial against Giants in Sydney.
Coach Kylee Byrne said the club was “heartbroken” for her.
“Receiving a senior contract for 2021 was such reward for effort from Ash, so we were gutted as a team and as coaches to see her go down with a serious knee injury,” Byrne said.
“Ash is incredibly strong-willed and while we are heartbroken for her, I have no doubt that she will be diligent in her rehabilitation and will leave no stone unturned.
“In the meantime, our Lightning family will rally around Ash and support her as she now faces surgery and the initial stages of recovery.”
Unie spent three years as a Lightning training partner, making her debut last year before being promoted to the main squad during the off-season.
She offers valuable depth to the team at goal defence and wing defence and was pressing for game time with a strong pre-season, before she was struck down.
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The Lightning are yet to announce her replacement.
All Super Netball team rosters are essentially finalised.
The Lightning could consider promoting mid-courter Maddie Hinchliffe or defender Sienna Allen.
Hinchliffe joined the Lightning during the off-season, after being a training partner for the Queensland Firebirds, while Allen has been a training partner at the Lightning for the past two years and has been recovering from a foot injury.
“We will look at the composition of our team to determine the type of athlete that we need to replace Ash’s role in the squad of 10 and will make those decisions in due course,” Byrne said.
Unie is a physiotherapist, so her knowledge should benefit her rehabilitation.
The national league season is set to start on May 1, with Lightning taking on Collingwood Magpies in Melbourne.
