Devastating blow: Jodi-Ann Ward’s season ends with torn ACL as Giants face uphill battle
Jamaican netball star Jodi-Ann Ward had her 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season cut short as she suffered a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during Saturday’s contest against West Coast Fever.
The 30-year-old defender, who has been a cornerstone of the Giants’ backline, limped off the court twice during the encounter, with scans later confirming the worst. The Giants Netball Club, in a statement released Tuesday, revealed that Ward is now scheduled for reconstructive knee surgery this Friday.
“She’s an incredibly important part of our Giants family. We’ll wrap our arms around her throughout her recovery, and we know she’ll attack this next chapter with the same determination and passion we see from her on game day,” head coach Julie Fitzgerald said.
Since joining the Super Netball competition in 2020, Ward has established herself as one of the most tenacious and athletic defenders in the league. In the seven games she featured in this season, she recorded 14 intercepts, 22 deflections, and amassed 232.5 Net Points, which underlined her impact on both ends of the court.
Her injury could not have come at a worse time for the struggling Giants, who are languishing at the bottom of the ladder with just one win from their opening seven games. Already short-staffed with midcourt general Gina Crampton on pregnancy leave and fellow defender Tilly McDonell out for four weeks with a calf injury, Ward’s absence further compounds the team’s woes.
Ward had become an ever-present force alongside goalkeeper Erin O’Brien, particularly after McDonell’s exit in Round Three. Together, they had formed a tireless defensive duo that, despite the Giants’ poor results, often kept their side in contests.
“We know it’s a big loss — there’s no denying that. But we have a resilient group, and this is an opportunity for others to step up. We’ll regroup, adjust where we need to, and keep pushing forward,” Fitzgerald noted.
The franchise, which made finals appearances in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022, will now be scrambling to salvage what’s left of the season. While last year’s wooden spooners had shown flashes of promise, the loss of their most experienced and impactful defender will test both their depth and their resolve.
They are yet to announce a replacement player for Ward, who remains contracted with the Giants until the end of 2026.
