Cavaliers and Northern Hawks set to represent Tasmania at 2022 national championships

The competition pits the nation's best talent at under-17s and under-19s level against each other in a bid to fly the flag for their state and be crowned the best in the nation.

Tasmania has waited a while to host the event after it was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic but Hobart is now set to be the epicentre of netball in the nation from April 19-24.

Tasmania is yet to claim the title in either event with Victoria, South Australia and NSW being the dominant teams since the championships began in 1985.

South Australia enter the under-17s tournament on the back of winning the past four titles and their squad is seeking an unprecedented fifth title in a row which has never been achieved.

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South Australia are also the reigning premiers in the under-19s competition after claiming the 2019 title.

The championships have often served as a glimpse into the future of Australian netball with several players forging careers in Super Netball.

The West Coast Fever's roster contains Alice Teague-Neeld (under-17s MVP 2013) and Sasha Glasgow (under-19s MVP 2016).

Adelaide Thunderbirds captain Hannah Petty, Melbourne Vixens' Sasha Moloney and Olivia Lewis, Queensland Firebirds' Kim Ravaillion and Gabi Simpson as well as Sunshine Coast Lightning's Cara Koenen are others to have won the MVP award at either of the two levels.

Tasmanian recently announced their captains with the Cavaliers' Ellie Marshall leading the under-17s and Maddi Hay leading the under-19s squad. Both squads feature players from the Cavaliers and Northern Hawks.

Marshall and the under-17s are targeting a top four finish to their home campaign after a last-placed finish in 2019.

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Both squads have had months of training, including a gruelling selection process in the lead-up to the championships.

"We're in a position of not knowing how we compare to other states," Marshall told Netball Tasmania.

"Our team goal is to make top four so we hope to win enough games to achieve that goal."

The two captains also identified three players across their two squads to watch out for during the national event.

"Tyrah Bacon has been shooting so well from range and Paige O'Neill makes unbelievable intercepts thanks to her incredible vertical leap," Marshall said.

Hay added: "Georgia Pyke has been working so hard in a relatively new position of goal-defence. She's amazing to play with and watch on court."

Hannah Donoghue will be the Tasmanian representative umpire at the championships.

Tasmania will open up their campaign against Western Australia in the under-17s on April 19 while the under-19s squad play Queensland in their opener.

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