Birmingham Panthers are delighted to congratulate Alanna Pullen and Ané de Wet after both have been selected for England Netball’s inaugural NXT Roses programme.

The pair are among just 15 athletes chosen by Roses Pathway Head Coach Josie Pointon for the newly launched programme, which forms a key part of England Netball’s revamped performance pathway and is designed to accelerate the development of the country’s most exciting young talent.

Midcourter Alanna Pullen earns selection following an impressive debut Netball Super League season with the Panthers, while shooter Ané de Wet has been recognised for her performances with Birmingham Panthers NXT Gen.

The NXT Roses programme has been created to bridge the gap between domestic competition and senior international netball, providing athletes aged 19 to 23 with high-performance training and competition opportunities as they continue their journey towards the Vitality Roses.

For Birmingham Panthers, having two athletes selected is recognition of the high-performance environment being built at the club.

From experienced internationals to emerging young talent, Panthers was created to develop ambitious athletes capable of competing at the very highest level. Alanna and Ane’s selections are another example of that commitment in action.

Roses Pathway Head Coach Josie Pointon said:

“We’re excited to announce this year’s NXT Roses squad, a group that reflects the strength and depth of our pathway with a balance of emerging talent and athletes further along their international development journey.

“This programme plays a vital role in our long-term succession planning, providing athletes with the environment, experiences and challenge needed to prepare for the demands of Roses A and, ultimately, the Vitality Roses.”

The programme brings together athletes who have excelled across the Netball Super League, NXT Gen League and Netball Performance League, recognising players who have consistently demonstrated the potential to progress towards international netball.

Everyone at Birmingham Panthers congratulates Alanna and Ané on this fantastic achievement and looks forward to following their continued development in the NXT Roses programme.