Layton spent three years wearing the Swifts uniform and played in the last two ANZ Championship grand finals, before making the heart-wrenching decision to switch clubs and join the Magpies for the new Super Netball season.

Now she finds herself plotting the downfall of the Swifts in a game both teams are desperate to win after sluggish starts this year.

Layton's departure from the Swifts was one of six high-profile losses coach Rob Wright endured during the off-season, with Magpie Caitlin Thwaites also opting to make the move south.

"Having to tell Rob that I was moving back to Melbourne was probably worse than any relationship break-up that I've been through," Layton said.

"Any other time that I've had to move, from Melbourne to Adelaide and then from Adelaide over to Sydney, it's been because things haven't been going great.

"To be able to tear yourself away from an environment where you're thriving is a really hard and difficult decision to make. It was the decision that I had to make, but it was definitely a tough one.

"I've got family here and little nieces that I didn't want to miss out on any time of them growing up.

"One of them has turned two and the other one's only three months old. That was a big part, that I missed a lot of the two-year-old in the younger stages and that's something that I really missed, and something that I didn't want to miss with the second bub."

Layton heads a star-studded Magpies roster that hasn't fired in the opening five rounds with the initial premiership favourites languishing in fifth spot after winning just two games.

Wright's rebuilt Swifts have fared even worse, returning just a win and a draw to this point and suffering defeat last week in Perth to the previously winless West Coast Fever.

Housby's return from a thumb injury is a major boost to the Swifts' shooting circle, and will relieve the pressure on Trinidadian import Sam Wallace who has shouldered most of the scoring burden over the past two weeks.

"Sammy's been awesome – I've been really impressed and, to be honest, I didn't know anything about her pre Rob picking her up," Layton said.

"Rob's always had that really great eye for talent, he's always got something up his sleeve. I was like, 'what's going on with this girl?'

"Seeing her height usually you expect them to be pretty stationary under the ring shooters, but the thing that I've been most impressed with is just her ability and her agility to have that movement.

"Also she's such a confident shooter not just under the post but from out as well for her first year in this competition. She's absolutely killing it.

"I also love that she has that personality out on court as well. She's got a bit of swagger and a bit of confidence about her and I always love to see that in a player."