If Holly Stephens could tell her teenage self they would day run out onto the court against international teams, she's not sure they could believe it.

The Kurnai netballer is preparing to do just that with the Black Swans, the national First Nations team, against World Netball-ranked Fiji, Singapore and Papua New Guinea for the Spirit Series in Sydney during NAIDOC Week.

It's the Black Swans' third year featuring in the international arena, with Stephens, 22, set to debut after impressing with the Victorian First Nations state team in back-to-back years.

The sides they're competing against will use the series as a lead-in to their regional 2027 Netball World Cup qualifiers.

For Stephens, it's a massive opportunity and a long way from her start to Netball with Longwarry FNC in Gippsland, Victoria — where she still calls home and balances with captaining NVL (state premier league) side Casey Demons' 23-and-unders.

"To find out that I was in the team was very, very exciting. I was very relieved (after the selection process) but excited to see what's coming," Stephens told National Indigenous Times.

In regional Victoria, the high-performance path isn't as visible in the early stages, she said, so a younger version of herself would be "shocked" to see where the goal attack-goal shooter finds herself next week.

"She would just be amazed," Stephens said.

"It's really cool to look back and reflect on that. I think being in the Black Swans team and playing against national teams, I sort of pinch myself and just think it is a bit of a crazy opportunity. And who knows if I'll get this opportunity again."

The cross section of high performance netball and culture isn't entirely new.

Stephens has represented her state at both First Nations Tournaments in 2024 and 2025.

With the time on court comes the chance to learn, engage, embrace and even give back with events out in community, Stephens explained.

"I really love getting to do all those things, and same thing with the Black Swans. It's such an honour to be able to be a part of it. And I'm very excited for the upcoming tournament and week, because it's during NAIDOC week as well."

As far as the on-court standard, she's going in backing herself.

"I'm definitely confident in my abilities, and I think like Black Swans comes at a really good time for me. I feel like I'm playing some really good, confident netball," Stephens said.

"Maybe at the start it will take me a little bit to adjust to the playing style, obviously with my teammates and against the other teams, because they might have a different sort of playing style to Australian netball.

"But I definitely back myself in, and I can see myself being able to play to the level."

Two-time ANZ Championship winner, Nyungkul and Kuku Yalanji woman and Netball Australia First Nations Engagement Manager Beryl Friday has big things to say as well.

"As a former shooter, I'm always a little bit biased towards them...Holly's the only moving shooter I've seen in a long time," Friday said.

"There's a lot of shooters who move, but not a lot of moving shooters, and she's someone I spotted at the First Nation tournament, and just thought, well, she could really have a crack.

"I'm not a selector, but I was hoping she was going to get selected."

For the Black Swans more broadly, representing Australia again, and in NAIDOC Week, is a "really big milestone", Friday added.

Two years on from their debut, the pipeline for First Nations talent continues to bolster, she said, through the states and territories and into the battle for selection in the squad.

Brianna Martyn is one example, nabbing a training partner spot with the NSW Swifts for the 2026 season, before a season-ending injury, off the back of her player of the First Nations Tournament medal last year, Friday explained.

Friday also pointed to the whole-of-netball impact being made through a high level First Nations coaching course and umpire training, led by former International umpire Stacey Campton.

There's a number of debutants set to pull on the Black Swans dress for the first time at the Spirit Series.

Stephens is joined by Victoria teammate Chloe Eyre.

"I just want to get the most out of myself, and every opportunity I get, including Black Swans, I just want to try and do the best that I can, and enjoy it," Stephens said.

"But in the wider scheme of things, (the dream) in netball is a lot about encouraging some younger Indigenous girls, getting out in community and sort of spreading my knowledge of the sport."