"I slept in my netball uniform"

By DANIEL CLARKE

03/07/26

 

At age five – on the eve of her first ever game - Georgie Horjus went to bed dressed in her Parndana Roosters netball kit and waited impatiently for the sun to rise.

 

By 6am she was at the foot of her parent’s bed begging for access to the courts that were conveniently located across the road from her house. 

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It was this fierce addiction to the game from an early age which led Georgie on such a rapid rise in netball stardom that she has arguably already etched her name as Kangaroo Island’s greatest ever sportsperson. 

 

Still only 24 years of age, Georgie is now co-captain of the Thunderbirds side that is hoping to secure a third Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) title in four years in Melbourne tomorrow night. 

 

She will then fly to Glasgow to represent the Australian Diamonds in the Commonwealth Games later this month, having debuted for the national team almost two years ago.

 

A two-time Super Netball premiership player who won the league's Player of the Year in 2024, Georgie reflects on the "crazy" journey of a girl from a modest island farming town to international sporting fame. 

 

“I was always a very sporty kid - I loved all sports but I would have played netball before I turned five if I could,” Georgie said.

 

“I was always hanging around the netball courts because of the community aspect and I watched mum (Ange) play netball growing up and it was such a big part of my childhood.

 

“I’d be on the courts before and after training and when I’d get home I’d still make out that I was playing netball in the loungeroom and get my brothers and mum and dad to pass me the netball. I would be playing netball 24/7.

 

“I was a netball freak and I always dreamed to play for the Thunderbirds and Diamonds so it’s pretty cool that it’s all come true.”

Father Robert Horjus said that he saw potential in Georgie from a young age but never envisioned she would have achieved so much in so little time.

 

“You can see by the photo of her in the Australian netball kit when she was a kid that she always envisioned playing for the Diamonds and she’s always followed the Thunderbirds and known the players,” Robert said.

 

“I suppose the young kids on the island idolise her and everyone wants to be like Georgie Horjus now. It’s just what every kid wants to do I think.

 

“There’s a lot of commitment that goes with it. She would go out and train on Christmas Day because she needed to build her fitness. When she was younger she’d do 200 shots and watch videos of herself and work on her technique.”

 

Robert is travelling with wife Ange and a contingent of about 30 islanders to Melbourne to watch Georgie and the Thunderbirds take on the Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena tomorrow night.

 

He said he was feeling confident going into the grand final match but “doesn’t go all that well” watching his daughter in action.

 

“I would rather watch it from a distance. When it gets a bit close I tend to stand up and walk out of the seats – I get a bit claustrophobic. I have to go out to the entry and just stand there quietly and sometimes just watch the screen.

 

“The Thunderbirds have been the better team all year so I think we stand a pretty good chance against them. There will be quite a strong Vixens crowd there but us islanders will be supporting hard.” 

 

Georgie – who plays wing attack and goal attack - said her parents have always been hugely supportive and “never pushed me too hard”. 

 

“Mum was a great netballer who I always looked up to and I do feel a lot of support from Kangaroo Island and know that lots of those people are actually coming to Melbourne to watch. I do feel lots of love and it's a bit surreal how little girls look up to me now.

 

“I think I've obviously gotten quite nervous about the grand final already but I just try not to think about it too much and try to just go into it like it's a normal game, which is hard.

 

“Obviously the Vixens don't give up much ball so we need to just look after the ball as much as possible and build the pressure over the game.”

 

Georgie’s advice for young netballers is to “take every opportunity that comes your way”.

 

“Coming from the country there is that barrier of travel but going and trialling for teams and playing in Country Champs and the Academy are all opportunities where people can see you.

 

“Coaches might see something in you and that’s your opportunity and they’ll take you under their wing. So stepping out of your comfort zone is important. I know that I was so nervous trialling that I’m pretty sure I was crying at my first one because I didn't want to do it. But I was lucky to make a lot of teams after that.”

 

Win or lose the grand final, Georgie is gearing up to compete in her first Commonwealth Games before she will return for a home visit to Kangaroo Island in September after a well-earned travel break. 

 

“That first time singing the national anthem when I played for the Diamonds gave me shivers and it still does every time I've been out there. That’s a memory I’ll always cherish.”