Long wait nearly over for Silver Fern Kayla Johnson

If a few more things had gone Kayla Johnson’s way, she could well have clocked up 100 Tests for the Silver Ferns by now.

But the netball Gods finally shined down on the 30-year-old when she was picked in the Silver Ferns’ team for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Constellation Cup 2015 – Kayla Johnson looks to pass the ball.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Injury kept Johnson (née Cullen) out of the previous two. She was forced to withdraw from the 2018 Games on the Gold Coast and in 2014 was still recovering from an ACL injury.

Johnson admits she thought she had missed her chance.

“Especially with the defenders that we have. We have so many talented defenders in ANZ and I mean I feel like I’m just almost a washed up old WD now so I was surprised but very very excited and ready to take on this opportunity,” Johnson said.

The 30-year-old’s return to international netball is nothing short of remarkable.

When Johnson put on the black dress in the Quad series in the UK in January, it had been nearly four years since she’d last represented New Zealand.

And it had been nearly two years since she’d played any elite netball.

After the 2019 ANZ Premiership season she moved over to Sydney to join her rugby league playing husband Shaun Johnson.

She signed with the New South Wales Swifts for the 2020 Super Netball competition, but then discovered she was pregnant.

The pair returned to New Zealand last year and Johnson was named in the Stars for this year’s ANZ Premiership.

Kayla Johnson returned to the Silver Ferns for the Quad Series in England in January 2022
Copyright photo: Matthew Impey / www.photosport.nz
Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2022
www.photosport.nz

Johnson told RNZ at the time that she thought she would never play elite netball again after having her first child.

“Just the state that my body was in …it wasn’t a great birth and I wasn’t able to walk properly for about a month after, so even just being able to walk was a huge milestone for me,” Johnson said.

She got a call up to a Silver Ferns camp late last year and was over the moon when she was picked for the Quad series.

“I did basically have two years off. My first game was actually against Australia in that England tour so that was a big shock to the system. If you told me a year ago that I’d be going to Comm Games I would’ve probably laughed.”

Now sitting on 50 Test caps, Johnson’s association with the Silver Ferns goes further back than anyone else in the side that’s been named for Birmingham.

She got her Silver Ferns’ debut at the end of 2011 as a 19-year-old after a brilliant season for the Mystics in the old ANZ Championship.

It was just her second season and Johnson was named Best Young Player across the trans-Tasman competition and named in the All-Star Team at WD.

The last time Johnson competed at a pinnacle event was at the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney, which feels like a lifetime ago for her now.

“I think that was my prime too that was my prime and I wish I was that fast and athletic, not quite there yet.”

For anyone who has tracked Johnson’s career many would agree that she realised her true potential in that 2015 World Cup campaign.

Kayla Cullen playing for the Northern Mystics in 2013.
Photo: Photosport

Her speed off the mark was something to behold at that tournament.

In the seven years since, Johnson has not only had injury setbacks but others have caught up.

Increased depth in world netball has seen that kind of speed matched or surpassed by a bigger pool of players and Johnson will have to push the boat out again to have that kind of impact on the international stage again.

Johnson was always earmarked for a bright netballing career.

Playing for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2009 – she was named the attacking player and overall player of the tournament, after defeating their Australian counterparts in the final.

Listed in the Mystics 2010 roster as an attacking player, her versatility became apparent when she went into the defensive circle during the preseason to cover injuries and has mostly worn a defence bib ever since.

To say that Johnson’s career has been stunted by injuries is an understatement.

She suffered her first ACL when she was just 17 playing her first game for the NZU21s on a tour of Australia. The second ACL was on the eve of the 2013 Netball World Youth Cup.

Back and knee problems ruled her out of 2018 ANZ Premiership and limited court time in 2019 as she continued to battle her way back to fitness, meant it was no surprise she missed out on the 2019 World Cup.

Kayla Cullen and Tamsin Greenway compete for the ball during the 2015 Netball World Cup semi final between the Silver Ferns and England.
Photo: PhotoSport

She ducks down and touches the wooden floor when asked if there is a fear in the back of her mind of another injury.

“I mean yes and no. I think once I’m out there, once I’m warm and got the body flowing and moving no but when I start to cool down the body does tend to freeze up a bit but I think it’s just a bit of a mental game for me and just getting out there and not thinking about my injuries or my previous injuries and just trying to do the best that I can.”

Johnson wasn’t actually able to make the Silver Ferns’ trials two weeks ago due to having the flu and said the Fear of Missing Out was palpable.

“I was at home very sick but also very stressed because you know I don’t think I had an amazing season so I didn’t think I proved myself then so I thought trials would have given me a better opportunity to show what I can do and then missing out I guess I didn’t think I had a chance really at all so the call was a very pleasant surprise.”

Johnson was thrilled close friend Phoenix Karaka, who has also returned to the side after having her first child, had also made the team for Birmingham.

“It’s pretty cool having a little Mum club in the team so we can all relate and cry that we miss our babies over there so yeah it’s nice.”

The pair brought their babies on tour in January. No children will be travelling with the Silver Ferns to Birmingham.

Johnson said she loved being in a competitive environment again but it was a tougher environment to when she started with the Ferns 11 years ago.

“I missed it but being back now it’s very very hard but I’m loving every minute of it.”