Quick Facts
Biography
Sharni Layton (born 6 January 1988) is a former Australian netball player, who last played in the Super Netball league for the Collingwood Magpies. She is a decorated former player in the Australia national netball team, having won two Gold medals at the Netball World Cup and one gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
In September 2018, after retiring from netball, Layton switched to Australian rules football and was signed by Collingwood’s AFL Women’s team.
Netball career
Domestic
Born in Mordialloc, Victoria, Layton began her career in 2004 for the Melbourne Kestrels. She then received a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 2007, and was awarded captaincy in 2009. In 2008, Layton was signed to play for the Melbourne Vixens in the ANZ Championship. She was not signed the following year, but in 2010 Layton transferred to the Adelaide Thunderbirds. In 2010 she was the winner of the ANZ Championship's young player of the year award. She was part of the Thunderbirds winning premiership team that year. The following year she was elevated to the position of vice-captain of the Thunderbirds under Captain Natalie von Bertouch, before becoming co-captain alongside von Bertouch in 2012. Her Thunderbirds career culminated with a stellar defensive performance in the 2013 ANZ Championship Grand Final, which Adelaide won 50-48 over the Queensland Firebirds.
On 29 July 2013, Layton signed with the New South Wales Swifts, where she grew in popularity over the next three seasons and was elevated in the team's leadership group.
In 2017, Layton was one of several high-profile signings for the Collingwood Magpies in the new Suncorp Super Netball league. After the conclusion of the 2017 season, which saw the Magpies fall short in a cliffhanger elimination final against the Giants, Layton revealed she would take an indefinite break from the sport due to severe exhaustion. Layton returned to the Magpies in time for the 2018 season.
On 18 July 2018, Layton announced she would retire from all levels of netball at the end of the season. She finished her career having played in more than 140 domestic matches, winning two premierships with the Adelaide Thunderbirds and claiming a player of the year award in 2016.
International
Layton was a member of the Australian U21 team from 2006–09 winning gold at the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships in the Cook Islands where she was vice captain of the side. Later that year, Layton was selected to debut for the Australian Netball Diamonds at the World Netball Championships in Singapore winning a gold medal and the Holden Netball Test Series, regaining the No. 1 rank in the world for Australia. Following Layton's Grand Final performance she was named in the Australian Netball Diamonds squad to attend a selection camp at the AIS. Following the camp, Layton was named in the team to compete against New Zealand in the Constellation cup and Malawi later in 2013. In 2014 Layton was named in the Australian National Netball Team to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games who went on to defeat the New Zealand National Netball Team in the gold medal match. This ended Australia's 12 year Commonwealth Games gold medal drought. Layton did not feature in the 2018 Quad Series or Commonwealth Games teams.
Layton ended her career having earnt 46 national team caps. She is a two-time International Player of the Year winner and she captained the Diamonds in 2017.
National career facts
National representation record
Source:
- 2010-11, 2013-2014 Australian Diamonds
- 2006 - 2009 Australian Under 21 Team
- 2009 Australian 21/U World Youth Netball Championships gold medal
Achievements
Source:
- 2017 Aussie diamonds captain
- 2016 Australian ANZ Championship Player of the Year
- 2015 Netball World Cup Winner
- 2015 ANZ Championship Runner Up
- 2014 Commonwealth Games Gold Medal
- 2014 NSW Swifts Leadership Group
- 2012 Adelaide Thunderbirds Co-Captain
- 2011 World Champion with Australian Diamonds
- Winning the 2011 Holden Test Series to regain World No. 1 ranking with the Australian Diamonds
- 2011 Adelaide Thunderbirds Vice Captain
- 2010, 2013 ANZ Championship Premierships (Adelaide Thunderbirds)
- 2009 World Youth Netball Champion with Australian 21/U Team
Awards
Source:
- 2016 Australian ANZ Championship Player of the Year (NSW swifts)
- 2014 NSW Swifts Players' Player Award
- 2014 NSW Swifts Best Moment Award
- 2010 MARS ANZ Championship Best Young Player Award
Australian rules football career
Shortly after retiring from netball, Layton was signed as a rookie-listed player at the Collingwood Football Club, playing for the club’s women’s team on a one-year contract for the 2019 season.