Netball: Silver Ferns star Maria Folau reveals she's 'very close' to retirement

  • 13/05/2019
Folau.
Folau. Photo credit: Photosport

Silver Ferns star Maria Folau has admitted she's coming "very close" to hanging up the black dress.

There have been suggestions Folau, who's currently playing for the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia's Super Netball, would step away from international netball after this year's World Cup in England.

Speaking to Channel Nine, the 32-year-old provided the strongest hint yet that's precisely her intention.

"Let's just say I'm very close to the end," Folau told Nine.

The 123-test international confessed she had other priorities in life she wanted to pay more attention to.

"It's only been in the last couple of years, where I've realised netball isn't everything," Folau said.

"Netball is a huge part of my life, but there's other things in my life that have come into place that really need to take forward stead."

That may include husband Israel Folau, the Wallabies star who's currently fighting to avoid having his contract with Rugby Australia ripped up over anti-gay social media posts.

An independent three-person panel is expected to announce Folau's sanction later this week, following his code of conduct meeting last week.

Folau was granted an exemption by Netball New Zealand to continue playing for the Silver Ferns, despite living in Australia with her Sydney-based husband.

Veteran NZ defender Casey Kopua has already confirmed her retirement after the World Cup, while Katrina Rore and Laura Langman are rumoured to be following suit.

The Silver Ferns World Cup squad will be named next Thursday.

Newshub.