Australian · Mordialloc, Victoria, Australia · Born 6 January 1988Australian defender and former Diamonds captain who won two World Cup gold medals before switching codes to become an AFLW All-Australian.
Sharni Layton (later Norder) was born on 6 January 1988 in Mordialloc, Victoria, and began playing netball at five with the Bonbeach Stingrays. Standing 187cm tall, she made her Australian Diamonds debut at the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore, helping the team win gold in her first tournament, and went on to earn 46 caps as one of the finest defenders of her generation. Layton won a second World Cup gold at the 2015 tournament in Sydney and Commonwealth Games gold at Glasgow 2014, and was named the Australian International Player of the Year twice. She captained the Diamonds in 2017, the same year she was a high-profile signing for the new Suncorp Super Netball league with Collingwood Magpies, before taking an indefinite break from the sport due to severe exhaustion, later speaking openly about a major depressive episode that took her away from netball for six months. She returned for one final season in 2018 before retiring from all forms of the sport, having played over 140 domestic matches and won two premierships with Adelaide Thunderbirds. Layton then switched codes entirely, signing with Collingwood's AFL Women's team in 2018 and playing as a ruck across three seasons, earning All-Australian selection in 2020 and a VFLW premiership in 2019 before retiring from football in 2021. She has since become a prominent mental health advocate and motivational speaker, sharing her experience of overcoming depression and injury during her elite sporting career.
Winning two World Cup gold medals as one of Australia's most physically dominant defenders, then becoming an AFLW All-Australian after switching codes
How They Played
Dynamic, vocal defender renowned for physical presence, intimidation tactics and elite intercepting ability at goal keeper
Lasting Impact
Remembered as one of the Diamonds' most intimidating and vocal defenders, and admired for her openness about mental health struggles at the top of elite sport
Career Honours
- World Cup Gold 2011, 2015
- Commonwealth Games Gold 2014
- 2x Australian International Player of the Year
- AFLW All-Australian 2020 (Collingwood)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Kestrels | 2004–2006 | — |
| Melbourne Vixens | 2008–2009 | — |
| Adelaide Thunderbirds | 2010–2013 | — |
| NSW Swifts | 2014–2016 | — |
| Collingwood Magpies | 2017–2018 | — |
Australian Athletes