Wendy Frew (born 15 October 1984), previously known as Wendy Telfer, is a former New Zealand netball international. During the National Bank Cup era, she played for Southern Sting. During the ANZ Championship era and early ANZ Premiership era, she played for Southern Steel. She was a member of six premiership winning teams – the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007 Southern Sting teams and the 2017 and 2018 Southern Steel teams. She captained Steel when they won both premierships. She also captained Steel when they won the 2017 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. In 2022, she was included on a list of the 25 best players to feature in netball leagues in New Zealand since 1998.

Wendy Frew
Personal information
Full name Wendy Frew (née Telfer)
Born (1984-10-15) 15 October 1984 (age 40)
Invercargill, New Zealand
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
School Verdon College
Netball career
Playing position(s): WD, C, WA
Years Club team(s) Apps
2002–2007 Southern Sting 39
2008–2018 Southern Steel 176
Years National team(s) Caps
2008–2009 New Zealand 1
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
World Netball Series
Gold medal – first place 2009 Manchester Team
World Youth Netball Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Fort Lauderdale Team

Early life, family and education

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Frew was born and raised in Invercargill, Southland. She is the daughter of Karen and Colin Telfer. The Telfer family were based in Rosedale. Wendy was one of eight children. She has a twin sister, Debbie. She also has three younger sisters, Alice (born.1989) Jo and Katie (born c.1994). They are also twins. All four of Wendy's sisters have played representative netball for Southland. Debbie also played for Southern Sting and played softball for New Zealand at under-19 level. The three Telfer brothers – Chris, Michael and Matt – all played for the Junior Black Sox.[1][2][3][4] Wendy attended Verdon College, where her teachers included Robyn Broughton.[4][5][6][7][8][9] Wendy is married to Trent Frew, a firefighter.[10][11] They have two children. Archie, their son, was born in 2012 and Indie, their daughter, was born in 2015.[12][13][14]

Playing career

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Southern Sting

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Between 2002 and 2007, Telfer made 39 senior appearances for Southern Sting in the National Bank Cup league. She was just 17 and still a schoolgirl when she was recruited by Robyn Broughton to join Sting.[3][4][5][13][15] While playing for Sting, she a member of four premiership winning teams, helping them win titles in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2007.[6][16][17][18][19]

Southland NPC

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In 2008, Telfer captained the Southland team that won the National Provincial Championships. They defeated Auckland Waitakere 56–46 to win their first title in 49 years. The team was coached by Natalie Avellino and also featured Julianna Naoupu.[20][21][22][23][24][25]

Southern Steel

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Between 2008 and 2018, Frew played for Southern Steel, initially in the ANZ Championship and later in the ANZ Premiership. In 2009 and 2010, Frew was Steel vice-captain. Ahead of the 2011 season, together with Liana Leota, she was named co-captain.[5][11][26][27] However she missed the 2012 season due to pregnancy.[13][28] In December 2014, Frew was again named Steel captain.[29][30] On 5 June 2016, during a Round 10 match against Mainland Tactix, Frew made her 100th ANZ Championship appearance.[13][31][32][33][34]

On 12 June 2017, Frew was one of six Steel players in a van when it was involved in a road traffic accident in Fendalton, Christchurch. Four of the players were injured, including Frew who received over 70 stitches and underwent surgery.[4][35][36][37][38] Frew defied the medical experts and within 16 days, she had recovered to captain the 2017 Southern Steel to their first ANZ Premiership title, defeating Central Pulse 69–53 in the grand final.[4][37][39][40] She also captained Steel when they won the 2017 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. However during the final against Northern Mystics, she suffered an Achilles tendon rupture that later required surgery.[4][41][42] Ahead of the 2018 season, Frew was confirmed as Steel captain for the fifth successive season.[38][43][44][45]

In July 2018, Frew announced she would retire at the end of the Steel's 2018 campaign.[46] On 8 August 2018, for the Elimination final against Mainland Tactix, the ILT Stadium Southland was temporarily re-named the Wendy Frew Stadium in her honour.[4][47][48][49][50] Frew captained the 2018 Southern Steel to their second ANZ Premiership title, defeating Central Pulse 54–53 in the grand final. She subsequently confirmed her retirement by sharing her celebrations on Instagram, including a Kurt Baker–inspired picture, captioned "That's me. I'm out". Frew posed topless, with two strategically placed netballs, on the shoulders of Gina Crampton as she proudly lifted the ANZ Premiership trophy.[51][52][53][54]

Ahead of the 2020 season, Frew joined Southern Steel as an assistant coach.[55][56] In May 2021, Steel introduced the Wendy Frew Medal, to be awarded to the Steel player who demonstrates excellence, commitment and loyalty.[8][57][58] In April 2022, Frew was included on a list of the 25 best players to feature in netball leagues in New Zealand since 1998.[59][60]

New Zealand

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Telfer was a member of the New Zealand under-21 team that won the 2005 World Youth Netball Championships.[61][62] On 2 November 2008, Telfer made her one and only senior appearance for New Zealand, playing the last quarter of a test against Australia. Ruth Aitken included her in further squads throughout 2008–09. However this remained her only senior appearance, finding herself behind Laura Langman and Joline Henry when it came to selection.[4][63][64][65][66][67] She was however a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2009 World Netball Series, playing in matches against Malawi, England and Samoa.[68][69]

Softball and Touch

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As well as playing for the New Zealand national netball team, Telfer has also played for the New Zealand women's national softball team and represented New Zealand at touch.[6][70][71][72]

Honours

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New Zealand
Southern Sting
Southern Steel

References

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  1. ^ Brendon Egan (4 March 2011). "Debbie Telfer's back, ready for new challenge". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  2. ^ Brendon Egan (31 May 2011). "Twins II: the Telfer sisters' sequel". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b "ANZ Premiership Netball 2017 Media Guide" (PDF). www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Brendon Egan (4 August 2018). "National portrait: Departing Kiwi netball stalwart Wendy Frew". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "My life in sport: Wendy Telfer". www.nzherald.co.nz. 19 February 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Netball: Tuning in no trouble for Telfer". www.odt.co.nz. 25 April 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Silver Fern Acknowledged". verdoncollege.school.nz. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Steel celebrate heritage by honouring Wendy Frew". anzpremiership.co.nz. 16 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Victories only part of Robyn Broughton's legacy". stuff.co.nz. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Wendy Telfer ties the knot". stuff.co.nz. 5 January 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  11. ^ a b Brendon Egan (30 January 2010). "Different name, same game face on for Frew". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Netball: Frew intent on getting back to former fitness". www.odt.co.nz. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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  28. ^ "Steel loses another player". www.theage.com.au. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
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  30. ^ "Netball: Oh so close". www.odt.co.nz. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  31. ^ "Southern Steel captain Wendy Frew to play 100th trans-Tasman netball league game". stuff.co.nz. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Netball: Steely southern skipper doesn't want limelight as she hits her 100th". www.nzherald.co.nz. 3 June 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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  34. ^ "Five questions with: Wendy Frew". www.odt.co.nz. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  35. ^ "Southern Steel captain Wendy Frew describes team van crash as a nightmare". stuff.co.nz. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  36. ^ "Southern Steel netball captain Wendy Frew undergoes surgery after car accident". stuff.co.nz. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  37. ^ a b "Netball South Annual Report 2017" (PDF). www.silverferns.co.nz. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  38. ^ a b "Southern Steel stalwart Wendy Frew back from van crash, ruptured Achilles". stuff.co.nz. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
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  45. ^ "Frew stokes up the Steel for a tough netball season". www.newsroom.co.nz. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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  47. ^ "Netball: Stadium Southland tributes Steel captain Wendy Frew ahead of final ANZ Premiership home game". www.nzherald.co.nz. 31 July 2018.
  48. ^ "Stadium Southland to be renamed Wendy Frew Stadium". www.rnz.co.nz. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  49. ^ "Southern Steel venue to be renamed 'Wendy Frew Stadium' for farewell game". stuff.co.nz. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  50. ^ "Netball: Southern Steel edge Mainland Tactix to book place in ANZ Premiership final". www.nzherald.co.nz. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  51. ^ "Netball: Southern Steel stun the Central Pulse 54-53 in thrilling final". www.nzherald.co.nz. 12 August 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  52. ^ "Netball great Wendy Frew takes cheeky pic after title win". www.nzherald.co.nz. 12 August 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  53. ^ "Netball: Southern Steel captain Wendy Frew closes netball career with fairy-tale ending". www.nzherald.co.nz. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  54. ^ "Steel show sevens-style skin as retiring skipper Wendy Frew does a Kurt Baker". stuff.co.nz. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  55. ^ "Netball great Wendy Frew misses not playing for Southern Steel". stuff.co.nz. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  56. ^ "Wendy Frew joins Steel coaching lineup". www.southlandsport.com. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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  58. ^ "Steel players to vie for new Frew Medal". www.odt.co.nz. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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  64. ^ "Silver Ferns side confirmed for Australian series". www.rnz.co.nz. 22 October 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  65. ^ "Wendy Telfer called into Silver Ferns". stuff.co.nz. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
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  67. ^ "Hometown girl fizzing for test". stuff.co.nz. 19 September 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  68. ^ "No surprises in Silver Ferns world netball squad". www.rnz.co.nz. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  69. ^ Brendon Egan (15 October 2009). "Modified game 'good initiative' for minor netball nations". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  70. ^ "Netball: Court time priority for player of many parts". www.odt.co.nz. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  71. ^ "Twice as nice: Doubling up international careers". www.odt.co.nz. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  72. ^ "Roll of Honour". www.touchsouthland.co.nz. 3 March 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2023.