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CONTENTS 1 WELCOME FROM NETBALL AUSTRALIA 2
SAMSUNG DIAMONDS FACTS
3 MEET YOUR NETSETGO AMBASSADORS 4-5 TEAM PREVIEWS
15
NEW ZEALAND SILVER FERNS
16
SOUTH AFRICA SPAR PROTEAS
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PUMP UP SONGS TO GET YOU HYPED FOR A GAME
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PRE-MATCH MEAL PLAN
20-21 LIZ ELLIS Q&A
6
THE TACTICAL BATTLE
8
DIAMONDS RETIREMENTS
22-23 2018 AUSTRALIA POST ONE NETBALL COMMUNITY AWARDS
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LISA ALEXANDER Q&A
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12
A BATTLE OF KNOWLEDGE
13
SAMSUNG DIAMONDS
26 FAST5 NETBALL WORLD SERIES AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT
14 ENGLAND ROSES
27
WORLD CUP: A LOOK BACK/FORWARD
THE UMPIRES TIME TO SHINE
welcome from netball australia The International Test Series returns to Australia and New Zealand, with the Quad Series and Constellation Cup competitions putting the Samsung Australian Diamonds up against transTasman rivals the Silver Ferns, the South Africa SPAR Proteas and England Roses.
The series will also mark the final time the Diamonds play on Australian soil before the much-anticipated Netball World Cup 2019 in Liverpool, England.
If the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April were anything to go by, we are in for a hotly contested series.
Thank you to our valued broadcast partners, Nine and Telstra, all our commercial partners including our Naming Rights partner Samsung, Principal Partner AIS and Major Partners Deakin, Nissan, Suncorp and Woolworths.
With a number of Australian retirements the September and October action will give us our first insight into the next wave of exciting Diamonds.
I thank you for your ongoing support of netball in Australia and globally. The fans are such an important part of our sport and the reason why netball keeps going from strength to strength.
The much-anticipated Australia v England clash in Newcastle will be played in front of a bumper crowd with Australia looking to get one back over our arch rivals. We will also create history by taking international netball to Townsville for the first time. With such a wide spread love of our game across communities far and wide, we’re thrilled to be taking international netball to a number of regional locations in 2018.
MARNE FECHNER Chief Executive Officer, Netball Australia
2018 QUAD SERIES
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SAMSUNG DIAMONDS FACTS 193cm
AGE
Average Height
182.5cm 164cm
CAITLIN THWAITES Oldest Player
31
26
SAMSUNG DIAMONDS Average Age
EMILY MANNIX Youngest Player
24
HEIGHT AVERAGE HEIGHT: 182.5cm TALLEST PLAYER: 193cm Caitlin Bassett
SHORTEST PLAYER: 164cm Kelsey Browne
GOALS SCORED CAITLIN BASSETT:
2322 goals from 2576 attempts
CAITLIN THWAITES:
822 goals from 909 attempts
STEPH WOOD:
172 goals from 212 attempts
GRETEL TIPPETT:
108 goals from 144 attempts
TEST CAPS
83 2
CAITLIN BASSETT Most Capped Player
2018 QUAD SERIES
90% 90% 81% 75%
DEBUTANTS
KELSEY BROWNE
MEET YOUR NETSETGO AMBASSADORS Kelsey Browne - Samsung Diamond Age: 26 Position: WA, C
When did you start playing netball? I started playing netball at 5 years of age in prep. I don’t think I touched the ball in my whole first season. Why did you start playing netball? I started playing because my sister had already been playing for a few seasons and it looked like a lot of fun! My parents were driving her so I thought I may as well get involved. I think I loved the sport as soon as I got on that court. What’s your favourite netball tip? I love doing any ball handling drills or cone work. You get to work really hard and test your touch on the ball when you’re tired. Who was your sporting hero when you were a child? My sporting hero has always been my sister (Madi Robinson). She showed me that it can be done and I always love watching her play and seeing her craft.
Gretel Tippett - Samsung Diamond Age: 25 Position: GA
When did you start playing netball? 18 Why did you start playing netball? To regain my fitness after being sidelined for months with Glandular Fever during my WNBL basketball career. Why do you love netball? It’s a team game where you make friends for life. Who was your sporting hero when you were a child? My brothers.
Find your nearest centre at netsetgo.asn.au 2018 QUAD SERIES
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TEAM SAMSUNG DIAMONDS Can a trio of fresh faces provide the spark the Samsung Diamonds need to get back to winning ways? Still smarting after that unforgettable one-goal loss to England in the Commonwealth Games final, the team retains nine Samsung Diamonds from the Commonwealth Games campaign, with experience at all positions despite the retirements of Sharni Layton, Laura Geitz, Madi Robinson and Susan Pettitt. But it’s the inclusion of goal attack Gretel Tippett, goal keeper Emily Mannix and the shock last-minute addition of electrifying wing attack Kelsey Browne that the Samsung Diamonds hope will deliver the goods throughout the International Test Series. With strength and depth at every position, you can count on a fired-up Samsung Diamonds outfit being ready to make the series their own.
SOUTH AFRICA SPAR PROTEAS Forget South Africa’s performance at the Commonwealth Games. In January this year the South Africans pushed England to within five goals in the final game of the Quad Series, before being decimated through injury on the eve of the Games in April. Losing number one goaler Lenize Potgieter and fellow shooter Danelle Lochner virtually ended the Proteas’ campaign before it started, but both will return to the team for the Quad Series. However, it’s now the midcourt that’s out of luck, with Precious Mthembu, Izelle Griesel and Erin Burger all ruled out through injury and illness. But any team that includes Potgieter and two-time Suncorp Super Netball premiership-winning defender Karla Pretorius can’t be counted out, so look for a major improvement across the series.
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2018 QUAD SERIES
PREVIEWS NEW ZEALAND SILVER FERNS A new coach, the return of two national team icons and a renewed commitment to reaching the pinnacle of the sport underline the New Zealand Silver Ferns’ tilt at this year’s Quad Series and Constellation Cup. After their disastrous Commonwealth Games campaign ended without a medal, the team has parachuted in one of the greatest netballers ever to take to the court – Laura Langman – in the hope of reintroducing some much-needed experience. They also have arguably one of the greatest coaches in the world in new boss Noeline Taurua. Even more exciting is the inclusion of rising star shooter Aliyah Dunn, who looks set to spearhead New Zealand’s bid to atone for their Gold Coast disappointment and re-establish themselves as an international threat.
ENGLAND ROSES They’ve seen the top, but can they stay there? England ushered in a new dawn for netball when they snatched gold at the Commonwealth Games, but now they face the daunting prospect of dealing with the expectation that comes with achieving the ultimate success. With 10 of the 12 Commonwealth Games winners returning for the Quad Series, there’ll be no shortage of confidence or experience amongst the Roses. And half of them have just come off five months of Suncorp Super Netball, where they’ve again been facing the world’s best, week in and week out. With Serena Guthrie, Geva Mentor, Helen Housby and Jo Harten all with legitimate claims of being the best players in the world at their positions, England will again be hard to beat.
2018 QUAD SERIES
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THE TACTICAL BATTLE Although all eyes will be fixed on the players out on court, it’s easy to forget the sheer level of knowledge, intelligence and experience sat to the side – going head-to-head in a tactical battle to try and steer their team to victory. The International Test Series will see four coaches at the top of their discipline, with an incredible amount of combined success to bring to the table.
LISA ALEXANDER Lisa Alexander has led the Australian national team since 2011, going into the International Test Series having taken charge in 80 test matches. Given the length of time that Alexander has been at the helm, she has an exceptional win percentage of 83%. Her winning credentials are unquestionable, as she has taken the Diamonds to one Netball World Cup gold medal (2015) and one Commonwealth Games gold medal in (2014).
NOELINE TAURUA Netball New Zealand last month announced Noeline Taurua as the Silvers Ferns head coach. Taurua has proved herself as being one of the highest calibre netball coaches in the world, after leading new Suncorp Super Netball franchise Sunshine Coast Lightning to back-to-back championships. Fans will be excited to see if she can bring her domestic dominance to the international game.
TRACEY NEVILLE After taking over the England Roses in 2015, Tracey Neville has turned them into a completely different level of beast. She was the brains behind the team’s greatest ever Commonwealth Games finish on the Gold Coast earlier this year, when she steered her Roses to a gold medal. On top of coaching the national team, she has been heavily involved in raising the profile of netball and women’s sport in the United Kingdom.
NORMA PLUMMER A familiar face to Samsung Diamonds fans, Norma Plummer heads the South Africa SPAR Proteas team. As many will know, she coached the Samsung Australian Diamonds between the years of 2004 – 2011 winning 67 test matches out of 89 (75%). She has since taken over the running of the South African team and will be looking to use all her netball coaching experience to lead them to a strong finish this series.
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2018 QUAD SERIES
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DIAMONDS RETIREMENTS No sooner had the Samsung Diamonds’ Commonwealth Games campaign finished, attention turned to selections for the next assignment: this International Test Series. And yet with the Quad Series and Constellation Cup now upon us, it’s hard not to notice that something’s missing. Well, four things, in fact. For the first time in a long, long time, the Samsung Diamonds will enter an international campaign without any one of Sharni Layton, Laura Geitz, Madi Robinson or Susan Pettitt in the green and gold. Indeed, many young fans will never have witnessed a Samsung Diamonds game without one of the star quartet featured in it. It was Pettitt who debuted for her country first, when she was selected in the 2006 Commonwealth Games side. That would be the first of three Commonwealth Games silver medals for the goaler, who 12 years later sits at equal-13th on the list of the most capped Samsung Diamonds of all time. Her 71 tests included a victory at the 2007 World Championships, and her ability to hold down both goal shooter and goal attack with equal aplomb mark her as one of the most versatile goalers to have ever pulled on a Samsung Diamonds dress. Matching Pettitt’s 71 Diamonds appearances is Geitz, who exits the game as not only one of the greatest Diamonds of all time, but one of Australian sport’s greatest ever captains. In 2014, she led the Diamonds to victory at the Commonwealth Games, ending Australia’s 12-year drought at the event, and she was again at the helm in 2015 when the Diamonds claimed the Netball World Cup. Few, if any, players will ever be as revered among both her peers and rivals as the Queenslander. Samsung Diamonds fans might feel a sense of relief that Kelsey Browne is entering the team as sister Madi Robinson finishes her time in the green and gold. This is because Browne might be one of the few players who’ll ever be able 8
2018 QUAD SERIES
to match the flair and creativity that Robinson brought to the national team. Her 61 caps were as good as you’ll ever see from a wing attack, and saw her capture the Liz Ellis Diamond and the International Player of the Year awards in both 2012 and 2014. And then there’s Sharni. Our beloved Sharni Layton. The undeniable face (and voice!) of netball in this country in recent years, the Victorian’s 46 test caps were laced with an intensity and ferocious spirit that we’ll probably never see replicated. She remains a crowd favourite for her deeds both on and off the court, and deservedly so. So while the next crop of Australian stars do us all proud throughout this International Test Series, take a moment to remember and appreciate the outstanding quartet of superstars who blazed the brightest of trails for them.
LISA ALEXANDER SAMSUNG DIAMONDS HEAD COACH LISA ALEXANDER’S FIRST TEST AS NATIONAL COACH WAS IN NEWCASTLE IN 2011. SEVEN YEARS LATER SHE RETURNS THERE FOR THE LATEST INTERNATIONAL TEST SERIES. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HER TO REMINISCE ABOUT THAT SPECIAL MOMENT. It’s been seven years now since that first Test where you were in charge in Newcastle. What memories do you have of the game? It’s quite amazing that we’ve ended up being there again after this period of time. It was the first Test match that I was fortunate enough to coach. Coming up against England is always a great challenge. Even in 2011 they had a lot of talent and you couldn’t ignore that. You had your Geva Mentors, Sonia Mkolomas, Jade Clarkes, Sara Baymans and even Jo Harten at that time. They’d just grown up together and they could turn it on at different times, so you were always wary of what they could do.
Q&A
It was an emotional moment and this one will be, too, because it’s always big when you’re standing on that line and singing the national anthem, representing your country. It’s still going to be just as special and as heartfelt for me as the first one. You chose to go with an almost unchanged line-up from the 2011 World Cup-winning team, with Amy Steel the only inclusion for the injured Susan Fuhrmann? We thought it was really important to approach it based on the fact that the World Cup team had won, and had done a really good job to win, so we kept the team the same other than a couple of injury issues. Did you feel any pressure debuting as national coach with the team coming off a winning campaign? It’s sometimes hard for people to get their heads around, but with international netball you don’t get the same momentum and rhythm that you get coaching week in and week out in a domestic league, so every single series is like a new series again. There’s always that level of nervousness about it, as you don’t quite know how things are going to click into place. And now you’ll be back in Newcastle to take on England again. Is there a different feel to those regional matches than playing in the major city stadiums? You definitely feel the crowd up closer to you, and I like that. I used to coach in the country in Gippsland and that helped me understand the connection with the community and having the crowd up close and willing you across the line. It really adds to the atmosphere and you feel it – it’s terrific.
SAMSUNG DIAMONDS HEAD COACH 10
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There were some pretty special milestones in that Newcastle Test, with Cath Cox shooting her 2000th international goal and it also marked 100th win for the Diamonds on home soil. After the game we always celebrate the milestones - it’s much nicer to celebrate those things after you’ve had a win. I remember Cath feeling pretty supremely happy with her efforts in that match. At the time I think she was vice-captain and she put out a really good performance and really led the team well. Does is surprise you that Caitlin Bassett is the only player left in the Diamonds side from the 2011 series? I would have hoped we’d have a couple who were going to hang around a little bit longer, but at the end of the day it’s part of what happens in sport, and it’s been a bit of a secret of Australia’s
sustained success that we’ve managed to evolve the team over time and still maintain winning and success. While we’ve lost some experience we’ve gained that exuberance you know you can get from young people. With seven years under your belt, do you approach things differently now to how you went about it in that first Test? In many respects I don’t. Coaching your country is pretty unique and there are certain respectful ways of handling yourself that are really important because you’re seen as a role model coach for your country. People are watching. I’ve probably grown in confidence around knowing what to say and when to say it and I think the players better understand the way that I coach now, because they’ve had more experience with it.
Stream Netball live, fast and data-free. Watch every Samsung Diamonds and Fast5 match on the Netball Live App.
2018 QUAD SERIES
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A BATTLE OF KNOWLEDGE 1.
What position can go over the whole court except the goal circle?
5.
a. Goal Shooter b. Goal Attack c. Wing Attack d. Centre 2.
What does the umpire call when you move your feet when you have the ball?
a. b. c. d. 6.
a. Footwork b. Obstruction c. Contact d. Replayed
HARDER TRIVIA: 3.
4.
The national body for netball was founded in Australia how many years ago?
Who captained the Australian netball team before Liz Ellis? Sharelle McMahon Laura Langman Kath Harby-Williams Catherine Cox
Which shooter scored the winning goal for Australia in the 1999 World Championship? a. b. c. d.
Sharelle McMahon Liz Ellis Rebecca Sanders Mo’onia Gerrard
SELECT THE ODD ONE OUT 1.
a. 61 b. 71 c. 81 d. 91
Catherine Cox, Natalie Von Bertouch, Eloise Southby, Laura Langman, Michelle den Dekker
2.
Australia, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Malawi, South Africa, England, Jamaica,
In which Commonwealth Games did netball first appear?
3.
a. b. c. d.
Caitlin Bassett, Gretel Tippett, Jo Weston, Kelsey Browne, Helen Housby, Emily Mannix
WHO AM I?
1994 - Victoria 1998 – Kuala Lumpur 2002 – Manchester 2006 – Melbourne
I started netball at the age of eight with Green Hills Netball Club in the Hawkesbury Association.
5
I was a scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport in 1991.
4
My netball idol as a young player was Keeley Devery, I debuted for the Australian Diamonds in 1993.
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I won my first major international title at the 1995 World Championships. I won gold at the Kuala Lumpur 1998 and Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games.
2
In 2011, I was inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame. Since retiring from netball I have worked as a TV sports commentator and presenter.
1
Who am I? Liz Ellis Select the odd one out: 1) Laura Langman, 2) Northern Ireland, 3) Helen Housby 2018 QUAD SERIES
Quiz Answers: 1) d, 2) a, 3) d, 4) b, 5) c, 6) a
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SAMSUNG DIAMONDS
LISA ALEXANDER Head Coach
CAITLIN BASSETT Positions: GS DOB: 23/05/1988 Height: 193cm Test Caps: 83
APRIL BRANDLEY Positions: GD, GK DOB: 19/04/1990 Height: 185cm Test Caps: 28
KELSEY BROWNE Positions: WA, C DOB: 17/01/1992 Height: 164cm Test Caps: 0
COURTNEY BRUCE Positions: GK, GD DOB: 08/12/1993 Height: 189cm Test Caps: 17
EMILY MANNIX Positions: GK, GD DOB: 16/04/1994 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 3
KIM RAVAILLION Positions: C, WD, WA DOB: 26/07/1993 Height: 176cm Test Caps: 57
GABI SIMPSON Positions: WD, C DOB: 17/10/1992 Height: 176cm Test Caps: 32
CAITLIN THWAITES Positions: GS, GA DOB: 29/12/1986 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 41
GRETEL TIPPETT Positions: GA, WA, GS DOB: 03/07/1993 Height: 191cm Test Caps: 16
LIZ WATSON Positions: C, WA DOB: 30/03/1994 Height: 178cm Test Caps: 22
JO WESTON Positions: GD, GK, WD DOB: 14/02/1994 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 17
STEPHANIE WOOD Positions: GA, WA DOB: 28/11/1991 Height: 175cm Test Caps: 15
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ENGLAND ROSES C
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TRACEY NEVILLE Head Coach VC
AMA AGBEZE Positions: GD, GK, WD DOB: 12/11/1982 Height: 183cm Test Caps: 97
JO HARTEN Positions: GS, GA DOB: 21/03/1989 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 95
JADE CLARKE Positions: C, WD, WA DOB: 17/10/1983 Height: 174cm Test Caps: 150
KADEEN CORBIN Positions: GS, GA DOB: 27/11/1991 Height: 178cm Test Caps: 59
SASHA CORBIN Positions: WA, C DOB: 23/04/1988 Height: 170cm Test Caps: 62
JODIE GIBSON Positions: GK, GD DOB: 30/10/1992 Height: 178cm Test Caps: 18
LAYLA GUSCOTH Positions: GD, WD, GK DOB: 02/03/1992 Height: 183cm Test Caps: 15
SERENA GUTHRIE Positions: WD, C DOB: 05/01/1990 Height: 175cm Test Caps: 81
HELEN HOUSBY Positions: GA, GS DOB: 19/01/1995 Height: 183cm Test Caps: 47
NATALIE HAYTHORNTHWAITE Positions: WA, GA DOB: 09/12/1992 Height: 174cm Test Caps: 28
GEVA MENTOR Positions: GK DOB: 17/09/1984 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 132
CHELSEA PITMAN Positions: WA, C DOB: 08/06/1988 Height: 181cm Test Caps: 19
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NEW ZEALAND SILVER FERNS
NOELINE TAURUA Head Coach
KARIN BURGER Positions: GK, GD, WD DOB: 12/04/1993 Height: 184cm Test Caps: 0
GINA CRAMPTON Positions: WA, C DOB: 07/12/1991 Height: 174cm Test Caps: 16
ALIYAH DUNN Positions: GA, GS DOB: 19/10/1999 Height: 190cm Test Caps: 0
AMELIARANNE EKENASIO Positions: GS, GA DOB: 11/01/1991 Height: 186cm Test Caps: 21
MARIA FOLAU Positions: GA, GS DOB: 18/02/1987 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 128
KATRINA GRANT Positions: GK, GD, WD DOB: 06/05/1987 Height: 186cm Test Caps: 118
LAURA LANGMAN Positions: C, WA, WD DOB: 16/04/1986 Height: 172cm Test Caps: 141
TE PAEA SELBY-RICKIT Positions: GS, GA DOB: 14/01/1992 Height: 188cm Test Caps: 30
SAMANTHA SINCLAIR Positions: C, WA, WD DOB: 05/06/1995 Height: 171cm Test Caps: 26
MICHAELA SOKOLICH-BEATSON Positions: GD, WD DOB: 02/10/1996 Height: 184cm Test Caps: 8
ELISAPETA TOEAVA Positions: WA, C DOB: 10/03/1994 Height: 161cm Test Caps: 0
JANE WATSON Positions: GK, GD, WD DOB: 07/03/1990 Height: 181cm Test Caps: 19 2018 QUAD SERIES
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SOUTH AFRICA SPAR PROTEAS C
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NORMA PLUMMER Head Coach
VC
BONGIWE MSOMI Positions: WA, C DOB: 19/01/1988 Height: 167cm
KARLA PRETORIUS Positions: GD, WD DOB: 12/03/1990 Height: 181cm
SIGRID BURGER DOB: 23/02/1996 Height: 195cm
KHANYISA CHAWANE Positions: WD, C DOB: 14/01/1996 Height: 173cm
ROMÉ DREYER Positions: C, WA DOB: 28/04/1994 Height: 170cm
MARYKA HOLTZHAUSEN Positions: GA, GS DOB: 02/06/1987 Height: 181cm
JESSICA KHOMO Positions: GK DOB: 18/05/1991 Height: 176cm
DANELLE LOCHNER Positions: GS, GA DOB: 16/05/1997 Height: 184cm
PHUMZA MAWENI Positions: GK, GD DOB: 04/09/1984 Height: 187cm
LENIZE POTGIETER Positions: GS DOB: 02/05/1994 Height: 187cm
MONIQUE REYNEKE Positions: GD, WD DOB: 09/03/1996
MEGAN ROUX
SHADINE VAN DER MERWE Positions: GD, GK, WD DOB: 25/11/1992 Height: 179cm
INE-MARÍ VENTER Positions: GS, GA DOB: 21/04/1995 Height: 192cm
ZANELE VIMBELA Positions: GK, GD DOB: 28/04/1989 Height: 184cm
2018 QUAD SERIES
PUMP UP SONGS TO GET YOU HYPED FOR A GAME BASSETT’S PLAYLIST Childish Gambino Retro Ciara Level up Drake In my feelings Halsey Gasoline Demi Lovato Solo Sage the Gemini Now and later 2018 QUAD SERIES
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P R E-M ATC H M E A L P L A N Have you ever wondered what a high-performing professional athlete will normally eat on match day? Then here’s the Samsung Australian Diamonds Performance Dietitian Kerry Leech giving a few examples of what a Samsung Diamond player might consume in and around game time.
DINNER-NIGHT BEFORE
Pasta with a tomato-based sauce or pesto
A choice of steak, chicken or salmon with a top up of food from the buffet including steamed rice, pasta, potato or sweet potato complimented with salad or vegetables
Grilled or poached chicken, steamed rice and salad
Or
Low fat muffins, yoghurts and fruits that the players will often take as a snack for later Water or Hydralyte for fluids
Pasta with either bolognese sauce or pesto FINISHED WITH A fruit platter to finish the meal. Water is the drink of choice
PRE-GAME A light and small snack, just before the players leave for the courts or at the courts – such as:
BREAKFAST
Cut up fruit, a muesli bar, banana bread or pikelets
Very light meals - cereal with milk, yoghurt or toast
Dried fruit and nuts are all on the snack table.
A larger breakfast will consist of toast with avocado and eggs (always a favourite)
Drinks – a coffee, but generally it is water or Hydralyte
Drink – water or maybe an electrolyte drink
RECOVERY FOOD
LUNCH (THE PRE-MATCH MEAL)
After the game, we try to have some food or drink to replace fuel used during the game
Soup and a make your own sandwich bar with breads, rolls and wraps filled with either lean sliced meats or chicken
Examples of this are fruit, sports drinks, yoghurt or protein bars
DINNER Steak, fish or chicken or maybe a treat style meal – pizza or make your own burgers are often a favourite We often add a dessert choice as well – ice cream, sorbet or maybe a fruit crumble
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2018 QUAD SERIES
THY G EAL TRON H S W G RO G ROW
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2018 QUAD SERIES
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LIZ ELLIS FORMER AUSTRALIAN CAPTAIN LIZ ELLIS DISCUSSES ALL THINGS SAMSUNG DIAMONDS, WITH A NEW-LOOK AUSSIE TEAM SELECTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TEST SERIES, AND THE WORLD CUP LOOMING NEXT YEAR. What do you see as the main priorities for the diamonds in the run-in to the world cup? For me it’s about figuring out who their best seven are, and getting that cohesion going for the full 60 minutes. We saw in the 2018 Commonwealth Games final that there are any number of players getting out there and doing the job, but you’ve still got to have your top seven. You’ve got to know who your best seven are and they’ve got to be able to produce for the full hour and in big situations. I think the Diamonds might be a little bit scarred by the fact that they lost a close game (in the gold medal match), so it’s about making sure they’ve got the right processes in place for when things get close.
Q+A Through the International Test Series, we’ll likely see a number of players receive opportunities, but you’d like to see them staying out there for longer? Yes, just to know what they’re capable of producing - how it feels to be really tired in a really close match. It’s the last time that we’ll be able to see what the Diamonds can produce before the World Cup next year. There’ll be new players they want to introduce to that international level of netball, but given the returning players coming back into the New Zealand line-up, the strength of England, and South Africa being a team that this time last year pushed everyone to the limit, the Diamonds aren’t going to be in a situation where they’ll be able to throw out any combination and know it’ll work. It’s a matter of building your combinations, and I suspect they’ll need to do that by giving people the full 60 minutes to play through. What are some of the challenges the Samsung Diamonds will face as a group as the World Cup approaches? For me I think the defensive line is yet to prove that it can win those big moments in big matches. That’s the confidence that can be built through these sorts of Test Series. And then it’s the introduction of someone like Kelsey Browne into the team, and making sure that she understands the structures, that the players around her understand her, and then building the confidence in that new midcourt. Everything with the Diamonds has to be geared towards next year’s World Cup. You can see from the selection of the squad that one of the things they felt they needed to look at was the wing defence position, and that’s why there’s a number of wing defences in the squad, to all push each other and see who comes out on top. It’s about making sure you’ve got all your bases covered.
The Samsung Diamonds have had a number of major retirements post-Commonwealth Games. What did you learn when you went through that period as a player? One of the biggest things is not to go until you’re ready. Lots of people want to retire players once they hit 30 but I think we’ve seen plenty of players hit their straps in their early 30s. The way that the players prepare now and the time they have to put into recovery, I actually think we can see players play well beyond 30. I was a far more mature player into my mid-30s and I played some of my best netball in my last year when I was 34. You should retire when you’re ready and when you’ve had enough. What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give to the players as they move away from their professional sporting careers?
You’ve got to plan it. I plan everything. Nothing is left to chance and that’s what I was like with my retirement. I had a physical plan, I had a mental plan and I had a career plan. Don’t just retire and then figure out what to do next – have a good idea of what you’re going to do, before you go anywhere near announcing it. Announcing your retirement before your last game - YES or NO? For me, the best thing I did was announce my retirement after my last game. If you announce it early, you run the risk that it doesn’t help you and becomes overwhelming. For me, it was something that then didn’t take over the entire narrative and the World Cup and what we were doing, because no one knew about it, so I could just get on with business.
It’s important to think about it as not retiring from international netball but retiring to something. Everyone’s got different situations, but for me it was about retiring to a few different things that I wanted to achieve outside of netball. It’s not the end, it’s actually the beginning of something new.
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2018 AUSTRALIA POST ONE NETBALL COMMUNITY AWARDS CELEBRATE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Netball Australia, along with Member Organisations, are committed to providing welcoming, inclusive and supportive netball environments, programs, competitions for people from all backgrounds, at all levels of the game. Inclusion and diversity will be celebrated across the International Test Series, highlighting the work being done across the netball community to break down barriers to participation in sport and provide opportunities for everyone to get involved and enjoy netball. Together with our Community and Social Inclusion Partner, Australia Post, we have delivered the Australia Post One Netball Program since 2014, engaging Australia’s increasingly diverse communities through the sport of netball with the message that everyone, regardless of background or ability, is welcome. Together, we recently announced the eight winners of the 2018 Australia Post One Netball Community Awards for their dedication to creating diverse and inclusive netball environments. Netball Australia CEO, Marne Fechner, said the Awards, now in their fifth year, are designed to celebrate the individuals, clubs and associations who are making a genuine difference in ensuring everyone, regardless of background or ability is welcome in netball.
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This year’s winners are inspiring examples of the ethos of the Awards and demonstrate the power of passionate clubs and associations breaking down barriers and bringing people together.
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- Marne Fechner
Emily Higgins from Melbourne’s East Brighton Vampires Netball Club is one of eight winners in the 2018 Australia Post One Netball Community Awards. Higgins was recognised for setting up and running a weekly All Abilities Netball program. The program encourages and supports children with different disabilities to play and enjoy netball in a safe and welcoming environment. “I started the All Abilities program because my son saw his sisters playing netball and wanted to join in but there was no team that could accommodate his requirements. 22
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Now, there’s somewhere for him and for kids like him, to enjoy netball and feel like they’re a part of something. We welcome any new players at any time,” said Emily. Australia Post General Manager of Marketing and Community, Andrea Pearman, said the quality of nominations was once again exceptional.
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The stories that we see each year of the wonderful diversity and inclusion work being done right across Australia reinforces the importance of these Awards in celebrating the power of sport to help communities work better for everyone.
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-Andrea Pearman Jamee Stair from Mana Netball Club in New South Wales was also recognised with an award for founding and coaching the first Indigenous netball team to participate in the Bathurst Netball Competition.
“I am extremely proud to have helped create the opportunity for these girls and their families. I hope to encourage more clubs and associations to take the extra step to ensure that everyone has the chance to get involved through sports like netball.” Stair was able to secure sponsorship with a local business which provided the players with uniforms and shoes and has fostered an inclusive environment where they can improve their skills and play netball each week. Samsung Diamonds Head Coach and newly appointed Australia Post One Netball Ambassador, Lisa Alexander, said the Awards are a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the tremendous work being done by the netball family in the broader community. “These Awards highlight the power of netball and what it can do to transform communities all over Australia. Often the first touch point for anyone looking to participate in netball, these inclusion champions are creating a welcoming environment for anyone to enjoy the game we love. To learn more about One Netball visit onenetball.org.au
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WORLD CUP: A LOOK BACK/FORWARD Remember when Helen Housby was just a kid trying to make a name for herself as an international netballer?
Fast forward to the 2019 World Cup however, and what a tantalising proposition netball fans have on their plate.
Or when few people outside South Africa knew the name Karla Mostert?
Following England’s Commonwealth Games victory and Jamaica’s bronze medal win over New Zealand, what’s clear is that there is no such thing as certainties in this sport anymore.
Mostert is now Karla Pretorius, of course, but it was at the 2015 Netball World Cup that the future two-time Suncorp Super Netball champion really put herself on the radar of international coaches as one of the rising stars of world netball. Likewise, that World Cup was Housby’s first real outing as a starting seven player for the England Roses, with the tournament serving as a major launchpad for a huge number of international careers. For Australians the 2015 event will always hold a special place, of course, with a victory on home soil coming after a furious comeback by the Silver Ferns in the gold medal decider. But it was still largely a race in two, as the Aussies and the Kiwis were always considered an odds-on proposition to be playing off for gold.
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Australia and New Zealand are both on the rebound, England is now facing the prospect of being the ‘hunted’, Jamaica will still possess the biggest weapon in world netball in Jhaniele Fowler, and South Africa remains an ever-present threat under former Samsung Diamonds coach Norma Plummer. And let’s not forget Malawi and Uganda, who continue to grow in both confidence and stature as netballing nations, with Malawi having done what was once unthinkable and toppled the Silver Ferns on the Gold Coast. Throw a home Cup for England into the mix the event is to be held in Liverpool - and you’ve got all the makings of the most significant netball tournament the world has ever seen. It’s never too early to start getting excited.
Caitlin Bassett wears Gel Netburner Professional FF 2018 QUAD SERIES
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FAST5 AUS
NETBALL WORLD SERIES AUSTRALIA TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT The team, being led by West Coast Fever head coach Stacey Marinkovich for the second year running, features three Samsung Australian Diamonds squad members and six new additions to the 2017 team. Australia will be looking for redemption after finishing in third position last year, behind England and Jamaica.
2018 AUSTRALIAN FAST5 NETBALL WORLD SERIES TEAM JESSICA ANSTISS – WESTERN AUSTRALIA KIERA AUSTIN – NEW SOUTH WALES VERITY CHARLES – NEW SOUTH WALES SOPHIE GARBIN – WESTERN AUSTRALIA MATILDA GARRETT – VICTORIA KIMBERLEY JENNER – QUEENSLAND SARAH KLAU – SOUTH AUSTRALIA KATE MOLONEY – VICTORIA SAMANTHA POOLMAN – NEW SOUTH WALES KAYLIA STANTON – WESTERN AUSTRALIA This year is the final time the series will be played in Australia, where it has been hosted since 2016.
FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE AND TICKETS VISIT: FAST5WORLDSERIES.COM.AU
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*Check your local guides
THE UMPIRES TIME TO SHINE After only just returning from the Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final, AA and IUA badged umpire Josh Bowring kept the intensity of his training high in the lead up to the international season. Bowring and two other Australian umpires in Helen George and Bronwen Adams, were selected to officiate in the New Zealand leg of the 2018 Quad Series.
“I have been trying to keep my in-season mentality, with the regular training regime that I have been doing for Suncorp Super Netball - so a little bit of conditioning work, interval training, and continue to be really clear with my oncourt objectives,” said Bowring. The Tasmanian based high performance official has been around the world with his whistle, after being chosen to umpire the 2015 World Cup Series in Sydney, the 2018 Commonwealth Games and many other international events.
“Getting to umpire the different flavours of netball and the different styles that each country bring to the court is great,” said Bowring.
“There are always different challenges presented to you because of those different styles of playing within each game you umpire, but we love those mental and physical challenges.” With the much-anticipated World Cup being just around the corner, umpires across the International Test Series could see the Quad and Constellation Cup events as a perfect opportunity to shine for selectors. But the experienced umpire admits that the opportunity to be selected isn’t on his mind as much as it might have been when he was first awarded his International Umpire Award.
“You want to go out there in every game and showcase the best of your skills and abilities to allow the players to flourish and showcase their magic,” said Bowring. “Our performances do get looked at in Suncorp Super Netball and the international level and there is input from umpires and coaches from around the world, so to a degree it is a little bit out of our hands.” “All we can do is put out our best performance and hope we get chosen from there.”
NETBALL QUAD SERIES UMPIRES NEWCASTLE Angela Armstrong-Lush (New Zealand) Joan Abdullah (Singapore) Elizna Van den Berg (South Africa) MELBOURNE Angela Armstrong-Lush (New Zealand) Gareth Fowler (New Zealand) Joan Abdullah (Singapore) Elizna Van den Berg (South Africa) Tara Warner (Australia) Yu Bee Ling (Singapore)
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RALLY YOUR FRIENDS Register today @playfast5
playfast5.com.au
GIRLS SHOULD “ MORE PLAY NETBALL. IT GIVES
ME SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND WORK HARD FOR. - Lilly
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You can help girls like Lilly achieve their dreams. The Confident Girls Foundation provides opportunities to help vulnerable Australian girls to thrive. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: www.confidentgirls.com.au @ConfidentGirlsFoundation 28
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Let’s Target at least 30 minutes of heart-rate raising physical activity a day.
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Playing sport builds confidence for life. Start playing, keep playing. suncorp.com.au/teamgirls
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