Dragons aim to 'raise game' after difficult year
· Yahoo Sports
Goal attack Philippa Yarranton says she is "excited" about what LexisNexis Dragons have got to offer going into the new Netball Super League (NSL) season.
The Dragons begin their NSL campaign away to last year's runner- up Loughborough Lightning on Saturday.
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The Welsh side finished bottom of the revamped NSL last year, winning only two of their 14 matches.
But Yarranton insists they head into the new season with a "winning mentality".
"A lot of our training is focused around winning and building resilience and looking at what it takes, what a performance mindset looks like and what we need from each other," she said.
"I would love personally to be thinking let's finish in that top six and just raise our game this year."
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'If we can get through that, we can get through anything'
As well as a difficult time on the court in 2025, Dragons faced uncertainty off it.
Players were informed in the off-season that they may not have a team to play for in the 2026 season if the franchise did not secure funding.
During that period, the majority of the Dragons' board resigned, while Sara Moore left as Dragons and Wales Netball head of performance.
While the financial issue seems to have been resolved, for the short term at least, Dragons were able retain the bulk of the squad from last season, and Yarranton says the players were "protected" from off-court issues.
"I personally don't think I was aware of things that were going on behind the scenes at the time," she told BBC Sport Wales.
"So we were protected from that and I think that's the right decision because ultimately they need us to be performing."
Welsh Feather Yarranton said the uncertainty surrounding the club did not impact on the team's displays.
"I think as athletes, we need to take accountability for our performances and we can't point fingers and blame," she added.
A home away from home
LexisNexis Dragons have a new name this season, having previously been known as LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons.
There will also be a change of scenery, with Dragons to play home games at Cardiff's House of Sport as well as Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena.
Dragons are among six of the league's teams who will play home games at alternative venues, but are the only side who will host opponents in two different countries.
However, Yarranton believes the move can only be positive.
"I'm super excited," she said. "I think it's great for our north Wales fans. I know obviously we're not Wales, but we have to celebrate that we're the only Welsh team that play in the Super League, right?
"It's amazing, and I think it's somewhere we've missed for the last few years. I'm a massive Liverpool fan as well, so I'm really excited to go
Only London Pulse and Nottingham Forest Netball will host games at one venue in the 2026 NSL season [Getty Images]'We go to win every game'
Loughborough Lightning will start the new season still reeling from last year's Grand Final defeat to London Pulse.
With the long-term aim of making the league fully professional, the level of competition is rising and Yarranton acknowledges finishing top this year will be a huge challenge.
"Hopefully we're somewhere mid-table," she said.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd love to finish at the top, but I think having to be really realistic, we want more wins than we do losses this year. That's my personal goal. It's a conversation that we're having as a team."
LexisNexis Dragons fixtures
28 February: Loughborough Lightning v LexisNexis Dragons (18:00 GMT)
6 March: LexisNexis Dragons v London Pulse (19:00 GMT)
13 March: LexisNexis Dragons v AO Manchester Thunder (19:30 GMT)
20 March: NIC Leeds Rhinos v LexisNexis Dragons (19:00 GMT)
28 March: LexisNexis Dragons v London Mavericks (16:00 GMT)
4 April: Nottingham Forest v LexisNexis Dragons (15:00 GMT)