Super Netballer Liv Lewis announces shock retirement to pursue AFLW

Melbourne Mavericks defender Liv Lewis has shocked the netball world with a “bombshell” announcement, revealing at the team’s end-of-season awards night that she is retiring from the sport to pursue a career in AFLW.

Lewis will not be able to play in the upcoming AFLW season, which begins later this month, but is hoping to be picked up as a rookie during the player movement period at year’s end.

“I’m excited to announce I’m chasing a career in footy and playing AFLW. It’s been a dream of mine for a really long time,” said Lewis, who was named the club’s defender of the year.

“Bombshell, I know.

“The hardest part for me is leaving the Mavs, netball is one thing but the Mavs is a special place.”

Lewis was an inaugural Maverick after spending two years at the Melbourne Vixens and three with West Coast — the two teams who will face off in this year’s grand final on Saturday night.

She was not contracted with the Mavericks for 2026.

“This is a decision I’ve been sitting on for a while and something that I’ve wanted to pursue for a long time, and now I just think it’s the right time for me to go and chase that dream,” she said.

“I truly cannot express how grateful I am for my time with the Mavs. It’s been the most special two years of my career.

“I’m really content with the career I’ve had in netball, and I’m really grateful for what netball has given to me, so overall I’m just really excited.”

While some athletes manage a dual career in AFLW and other sports — Collingwood’s Sarah Rowe recently won the A-League Women’s championship with the Central Coast Mariners — the increased professionalism makes the pursuit increasingly hard.

Fremantle defender and former Diamond Ash Brazill was juggling the dual-career but gave up netball in 2024 to focus solely on AFLW.

Lewis’s departure makes things harder for the Mavericks, who will also be without star international shooter Eleanor Cardwell after the club confirmed this week she will not be seeking a new contract for 2026.

Cardwell had a turbulent season, which was derailed by her second knee injury and surgery within six months.

“It’s obviously been a really difficult year for me personally, not being able to take to the SSN court at all,” the Englishwoman told SEN.

“As so many people know, the journey to return to play from injury is physically difficult, but emotionally it’s really hard too, and for me it’s been compounded by not being surrounded by my family and close friends back home.

“I’ll be really sad to leave the girls but I’m looking forward to working towards my goal of returning to the court at the highest level and hopefully representing England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.”