11 Jul 2014

Steel dump captain Jodie Brown

6:42 pm on 11 July 2014
Jodie Brown is considering her future

Jodie Brown is considering her future Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Southern Steel netball franchise have dumped their captain, the Silver Ferns shooter Jodi Brown.

Brown's been skippering the side for three seasons, but the Steel's chief executive Sue Clarke says they decided not to renew the 33-year-old's contract as they have to have succession plans in place, and they're heading in a new direction.

Clarke says Brown has been an integral member of their team and has made a significant contribution, and it was a tough decision.

She says they need to look beyond just the next season, and for them, that means investing in players they believe will excel given the chance to step up and take the franchise into the future.

Brown says she's disappointed not to be returning to the Steel and still believes she has an incredible amount to offer netball.

Brown says her immediate focus is on the Commonwealth Games and making sure that it's a successful campaign for the Ferns, who are the defending champions.

Meanwhile, the Canterbury Tactix have been granted permission to contract a second import player for the 2015 season.

The operators of Netball's Trans-Tasman Championship say it is important to support the Tactix' rebuild, and acknowledge that recruiting top players to Christchurch has been a challenge.