Eleanor Cardwell

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Eleanor Cardwell
Cardwell warming up for the Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2023
Personal information
Born (1994-11-11) 11 November 1994 (age 31)
Blackpool, England
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
UniversityLiverpool John Moores University
Netball career
Playing position: GS
Years Club team(s) Apps
2012–2016 Manchester Thunder
2017–2018 Severn Stars
2019–2022 Manchester Thunder
2023 Adelaide Thunderbirds 16
2024 Melbourne Mavericks 11
2026 Manchester Thunder
Years National team(s) Caps
2016–present  England 71
Medal record
Representing  England
Netball World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2023 Cape Town Netball
Updated on May 2025

Eleanor Cardwell (born 11 November 1994) is an English international netball player. She plays for Manchester Thunder in the Netball Super League and is a member of the English national netball team.

Early life and education

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Cardwell was born in Blackpool and began playing netball at primary school before joining Blackpool Netball Club at the age of 10.[1][2] She has a BSc in Sports and Exercise from Liverpool John Moores University where she graduated in 2016.

Club career

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Manchester Thunder

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Cardwell started her career at Manchester Thunder initially as a defender, before Tracey Neville encouraged her to become a shooter in the 2015 Super League season.[3][4][5] She made three grand finals with thunder in 2012, 2014 and 2016, winning the title in 2012 and 2014.[6][7][8]

Severn Stars

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Cardwell moved to new Super League franchise Severn Stars for the 2017 season where she played for two seasons.[9]

Manchester Thunder

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She returned to Manchester Thunder ahead of the 2019 Super League season.[10] There she won a further two Super League grand finals in 2019 and 2022.[11] At the 2022 Super League Awards, she took home the Sky Sports Fans’ Player of the Season and was named Players’ Player of the Season.[11]

Adelaide Thunderbirds

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In 2023, Cardwell made the move to Australia and joined the Adelaide Thunderbirds for the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season.[11] The Thunderbirds won the championship in extra time by a single goal and Cardwell was named the Grand Final MVP.[12][13]

Melbourne Mavericks

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For the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball Season, Cardwell joined former Manchester Thunder and England head coach Tracey Neville at new franchise Melbourne Mavericks for the teams inaugural season helping them place fifth.[14] Cardwell was diagnosed with a meniscus tear leading to a six-month recovery but suffered a full root detachment of her lateral meniscus during a three-match series against Australia in October 2024.[15]

Manchester Thunder

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Following recovering from her injury Cardwell decided to return to Netball Super League side Manchester Thunder for the 2026 season.[15]

International career

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Cardwell represented England U17s in Netball Europe and U19s for a tour of Jamaica.[5] On 13 May 2016, she made her senior debut for England against Northern Ireland in the 2016 Netball Europe Open Championships.[16][17]

Her first call-up to a senior major international competition was the 2022 Commonwealth Games,[2] where England failed to medal.[18] She achieved her 50th England Roses cap in October 2022 against Australia.[2][17] In 2023, Cardwell was part of the England Roses team who achieved their first ever Netball World Cup Silver Medal in Cape Town.[19] Cardwell won silver at the 2024 Netball Nations Cup. Cardwell suffered a full root detachment of her lateral meniscus during a three-match series against Australia in October 2024.[15] She made her return to the international stage in November 2025 during a three-match series against New Zealand.

Personal life

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Cardwell previously trained in Taekwondo three nights a week alongside her netball.[2] She is also known for her advocacy work supporting women and girls with correct-fitting sports bras.[20]

Honours

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England

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Manchester Thunder

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Adelaide Thunderbirds

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Individual awards

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Netball Super League

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  • Players Player of the Season: 2022
  • Fans Player of the Season: 2022
  • All Star VII: 2021, 2022

References

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  1. ^ "Eleanor Cardwell". fast5worldseries.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Eleanor Cardwell". England Netball. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Manchester Thunder announce their squad for the 2015 season". manchesterthunder.co.uk. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Manchester Thunder re-sign Eleanor Cardwell & Laura Malcolm from Severn Stars". BBC Sport. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  5. ^ a b client (26 November 2019). "Where It All Began: Eleanor Cardwell". England Netball. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Northern Thunder win first Superleague title". BBC Sport. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Netball Superleague: Manchester Thunder 49-48 Surrey Storm". BBC Sport. 26 April 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Surrey Storm beat Manchester Thunder to win Netball Superleague". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  9. ^ jmcconnell (7 September 2016). "Severn Stars sign England trio". England Netball. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Manchester Thunder re-sign Eleanor Cardwell & Laura Malcolm from Severn Stars". BBC Sport. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  11. ^ a b c Ratcliffe, Katherine (7 July 2022). "Eleanor Cardwell joins Adelaide Thunderbirds for 2023 season". England Netball. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Thunderbirds welcome versatile English Rose for 2023 season". Adelaide Thunderbirds. Adelaide Thunderbirds. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Tbirds crowned Suncorp Super Netball champions". Suncorp Super Netball. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Eleanor Cardwell says Tracey Neville has been 'huge' in making her the netball player she has become". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "England v New Zealand netball: Eleanor Cardwell returns from career-threatening injury". BBC Sport. 15 November 2025. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Roses take Netball Europe title!". www.englandnetball.co.uk. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Eleanor Cardwell celebrates 50th cap for the Vitality Roses". www.englandnetball.co.uk. October 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  18. ^ Harkin, Ian (12 August 2022). "2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES - Stats Summary". Netball Scoop. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Netball World Cup final 2023: England 45-61 Australia - Roses miss out on historic title". BBC Sport. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  20. ^ Sinclair, Jenny (27 October 2022). "NS EXCLUSIVE: The superpowers of Eleanor Cardwell". Netball Scoop. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
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