TNL: Deanna Wadley reaches 150 games for Cavaliers

Given Wadley's extensive list of achievements on the netball court for the Launceston club, it's a significant feeling that has kept her going.

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After coming through the Cavaliers' junior academy, around a decade later, Wadley notched 150 games for the reigning premiers in the recent qualifying final against the Northern Hawks at the Silverdome.

"You make your best friends through playing sport and that's the big thing I think," Wadley said.

"There's a core group at the moment who have played together for a very long time, with Dana [Lester] and Estelle [Margetts] as well as Shelby Miller ... there's Piper Sanders who has been around a while as well.

"I think you can put it down to being such a family orientated club, where it's not just about the netball, it's about the people ... and that's where you make your best friends."

With the achievement, Wadley becomes the third Cavalier this season to reach the 150-game milestone, joining Lester and club vice-captain Margetts. Wadley became the 14^th Cavaliers player to play 150 games and is now a Cavaliers life member.

"It's a bit of trend at the Cavs at the moment, but I think that just shows loyalty to the club and I guess it's like a family [focused] club," she said.

"It shows players do want to stick around and play at one club and be loyal to the club."

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Wadley has been fairly productive on the court with the Cavaliers' during a successful era for the club in the Tasmanian Netball League.

Graduating to the opens side in 2016, Wadley was part of the Cavs' 2019 and 2021 opens premiership sides and was awarded the Caroline Kirkpatrick Award in 2020.

From all the premierships successes with opens and the 19-and-unders, one memory rings out for the attacker.

"When we won the premiership two years ago, we came from third or something on the ladder and we ended up winning which was pretty cool," she said.

"It was pretty funny because when we had silly Sunday we didn't have anything planned.

"The premierships are one thing, but the friendships are another. Just making lifelong friends, most of my best friends have been made through netball which I am grateful."

The 24-year-old juggles playing at the highest level of Tasmanian netball alongside being part of the Tasmanian Police Force.

"I remember having my Tasmanian police interview at the academy with an inspector and he said, 'promise me one thing, never give up netball for work' and I am so grateful he said that to me," she said.

"I think it's so easy to get sucked into work, but it's not all about work so I think having netball as an outlet is really important for me."

Wadley credited Dannie Carstens and Dan Roden for their impact on her game and life outside the netball court.

"[Carstens is] just someone who I really respect, and she's got a young family but she's still able to juggle things so that's pretty inspirational," Wadley said.

"I think [Roden coming into the Cavaliers] was just a really big freshen up and probably just new life that the club needed in a sense.

"I know all the girls really respect him and it's not just the coaching but you can also go to him with any problems so there's a friendship foundation as well."

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