Born in the Adelaide Hills, the 21-year-old first picked up a netball at just five years old and has since developed into a versatile player with the ability to play wing defence, centre and goal defence.
Packer joins the Firebirds after two seasons as a training partner with the Adelaide Thunderbirds across 2025 and 2026, where she starred for the Thunderbirds Futures side in the Super Netball Reserves competition while also adding three premierships to her name with Contax Netball Club in the Hospital Research Foundation Group Premier League.
Her underage credentials are outstanding with Packer being part of the SA Under-19 National Netball Championship team triumph in 2023, where she was awarded Grand Final MVP.
This followed on from her previously being named the U17 National Championship MVP in 2022.
In 2023 Tabitha earned selection in the Australian U19 team and had her first taste of international success at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago where Australia won gold.
In 2025 she was selected in the Australian U21 World Youth Cup Team that went on to win gold in Gibraltar where she was again recognised for her efforts with Netball Australia naming her as the Australian World Youth Cup player of the tournament.
With long-held ambitions of playing Super Netball and one day representing the Australian Diamonds, Packer now begins the next chapter of her development in Brisbane.
“I’m so grateful and excited that Kiri and the team are giving me this opportunity to join the Firebirds and begin this new chapter in Brisbane,” she said.
“It’s a big move for me, but one that I’m really looking forward to and am very thankful for.
“To be joining a club with such a proud and Incredible history, is really special and I can’t wait to learn from the players and coaches around me, challenge myself in a new environment and continue to grow both on and off the court.
“I’m excited to embrace everything that comes with the move, meet new people and officially become part of the Purple Family.”
Firebirds Head Coach Kiri Wills said Packer's signing was an exciting investment in the club's future.
“Tabitha is a really exciting young talent who has already achieved so much at every level of the pathway,” Wills said.
“When we watched her what we were most impressed with was her persistence and determination on defence. She doesn’t stop.
“We're thrilled to welcome her into the Purple Family and can't wait to help her unlock her potential here in Brisbane.”
