Three-time ANZ Premiership champion Aliyah Dunn joins NIC Rhinos Netball

Photo: Robyn Edie / Southland Times

NIC Rhinos Netball have made a major addition to their attacking unit with the signing of three-time ANZ Premiership champion and former Silver Fern Aliyah Dunn for the 2027 Netball Super League season.

The prolific shooter arrives in Yorkshire with a wealth of experience at the highest level of New Zealand domestic netball, having established herself as one of the competition's most consistent and accurate finishers throughout her career.

Born and raised in Invercargill, Dunn made her ANZ Premiership debut with Southern Steel in 2017, making two appearances as part of the side that lifted the inaugural ANZ Premiership title.

She subsequently moved north to join Central Pulse, where she enjoyed the most successful spell of her career to date. Across five seasons in Wellington, Dunn became a key figure in three title-winning teams, helping Pulse lift the ANZ Premiership trophy in 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Her individual numbers were equally impressive. Dunn was the competition's leading scorer in 2022, landing 618 goals from 664 attempts at 93 per cent accuracy, while she had previously finished as the league's most accurate New Zealand shooter in each of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

After leaving Pulse, Dunn spent two seasons with Mainland Tactix before returning to her southern roots with Southern Steel, where she has continued to provide a reliable presence at the shooting end.

The 6ft-plus shooter combines her renowned accuracy with strong movement, intelligent positioning and an ability to compete for rebounds, giving the Rhinos another exciting attacking option ahead of the 2027 campaign.

Dunn also boasts significant international experience. She was part of the New Zealand Under-21 side that won the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup before making her senior Silver Ferns debut against South Africa in 2018. Later that year, she helped the Fast5 Ferns win the Fast5 Netball World Series.

Now, the experienced shooter will take on a new challenge by moving to England and joining the Netball Super League, bringing top-level experience to the Rhinos attacking end.

Speaking after joining NIC Rhinos Netball, Dunn said:

“It’s pretty exciting. From what I know and heard from friends and other people, they say it’s a really cool experience. It’s a different style of play over there, so it’ll be cool to see how I go against some of the other teams and experience something new.”

Speaking on what attracted her to the Rhinos, she added:

“After talking to Lauren, she told me that the Rhinos are a really family-oriented club, which was definitely a big tick for me. That was really important, and honestly, just hearing that was enough to get me excited about coming over. I’m really looking forward to being part of that environment.”

Speaking on what she hopes to bring to the team, she said:

“I think I can bring a calming presence on court, as well as being a strong target at the back. I’m pretty reliable with my shooting and I want to have a strong presence out there for the team, so hopefully I can bring a bit of calmness and consistency.”

And speaking on life away from netball and the opportunity to explore England and Europe, she added:

“I’ve actually never been to this side of the world before, so I’m really excited to explore. I’m looking forward to seeing how close everything is, it’ll definitely be a really cool experience to see new places.”

Head Coach Lauren Palmer added:

“She’s a target shooter who is so strong on the post and really excels at the one-point game. She’s also a basketballer, so we have no doubt that she can take on those two-point opportunities as well.

“She’s going to add a wealth of leadership and experience to support our attacking end and alongside Harriet and Paige, I think she gives us a really exciting and experienced shooting combination.”