Cumbrian netball star Helen Housby admits she has felt the increase in intensity following her move to Australia.

The 22-year-old made her debut for NSW (New South Wales) Swifts in the Sydney derby against the Giants earlier this month.

Housby has been impressed with the quality of play in the new Suncorp Super Netball League and likened the standard to that of international netball.

"It is a big increase (in intensity) and it feels like almost you’re playing international netball every week, which is good because it can only improve your game," the Carlisle-born shooter told the Super Netball website.

"There is a bigger focus on getting out the little one percenters to have a good performance.

"Your recovery, your strength and conditioning, your massage, your physio - all these things that build up to what it means to be a professional team."

Housby says she always "dreamed" of playing in Australia, like many of her international team-mates.

She added: "I always dreamed of coming out to Australia to play, and quite a few of the England girls have been doing it and making a career of it.

"For the Swifts to give me the opportunity was pretty special and all I want to do this season is get out on court and play some good netball.

“It’s going to be quite special and it’s going to be a little bit surreal seeing [my England team-mates] across from me playing."

Housby also holds the unique honour of scoring the first ever goal in Suncorp Super Netball.

The Cumbrian said: "I didn’t realise in the game that I had scored the first goal.

"It was only afterwards that I saw a tweet saying it and I thought that was pretty cool."

New South Wales Swifts will next be in action at the Hisense Arena on Saturday when they play Melbourne Vixens.