London to Glasgow commute no bother for Sirens star Robson

By James Reid, Sportsbeat

Abi Robson will not mind the commute from London to Glasgow if she can help Strathclyde Sirens to new heights in the 2023 Netball Super League season.

The Poole native made the switch from Surrey Storm in the summer and is having to balance netball with her job in recruitment.

However, the midcourter revealed the welcoming culture and professional environment at Sirens meant the decision was an easy one to make.

“It's definitely the biggest commuting commitment I have ever made,” admitted Robson.

“From the outside Sirens have always looked very professional, they have a work-hard environment but at the same time, they seem to get on really well and have a lot of fun. I felt like that was something that would suit my personality.

“I have been going back and forth every week. The times that Sirens train it works quite nicely that I spend four days in London and three days in Glasgow every week.

“Once the season starts and games come thick and fast I think sometimes I’ll stay up there for a full week but I have got a flat in Glasgow so it’s not too bad.”

Sirens get their season underway on Saturday at the opener in Nottingham against Robson’s old side Storm, and the 24-year-old is hoping the good vibes fostered on and off the court will help her new team to victory over her former team.

“All the girls are great, they are quite established within themselves; they have been at Sirens for a few years and a lot of them have connections through the Thistles as well,” said Robson.

“They are super welcoming and have embraced me coming into the squad. The girls love to go out for brunch and Glasgow definitely has some great brunch spots, so it has been super easy to get to know the girls off court.

“When we are in training, it’s very intense, I have been thrown in the deep end and got to know everyone pretty well, pretty quickly.

“It’s been nice to gel with the girls and hopefully we can get quite a few wins this year.”

Robson will hope for plenty of court time at either centre or wing defence, where she is looking to fill the void left by former captain Gia Abernethy, who retired at the end of last season.

And while Robson admitted that the prospect is a tad daunting, some sage advice from the Australian has helped settle the nerves ahead of the new season.

“Gia has left a big hole, they are big shoes to fill,” added Robson. “Fans love her, players love her, coaches love her.

“Coming in sort of as her replacement is a bit of pressure but I have spoken to her about her experiences and that has been super helpful for me.

“Gia used to commute from London so being able to speak to her and experiences her showed me it was doable, and work have been super supportive too.”

The 2023 Netball Super League season gets underway on Saturday 11 February, live on Sky Sports. Tickets to games across the season can be found at: //netballsl.com/tickets