Sunshine Coast Lightning are preparing to entrust a rookie with a key role as they look to close the gap on Melbourne Vixens and the Super Netball finals places.
Netball: Former Diamonds captain Kimberlee Green has urged Netball Australia to sort out the Collective Players Agreement with all players set to be out of contract at the end of the Super Netball season.
The Vixens goaler, who made the move to the Melbourne club last season after tearing her ACL and missing the Giants grand final appearance, is desperate to win a premiership.
The Melbourne squad have won all five home games this season – losing their three away games.
They are fourth on the ladder eight points ahead of Sunday’s rival Lightning.
If they can get their first away win of the season it would put them three wins ahead of Lightning with five games to go.
Kiera Austin and the Vixens are closing in on a finals berth.
Of their last five encounters Lightning have won just once, in Round 5 last year – but Austin said you could never count the Sunny Coast team out – even with their injury depleted squad.
Lightning have had a rough season losing Reilley Batcheldor with an ACL tear pre-season and then Tara Hinchcliffe and Shannon Eagland to the same injury.
“They are just a spirited team, they look like they always have each others’ back,” Austin said.
“They have had a difficult season with long term injuries and last week the personal news of the passing of Charlie Bell’s dad so a win would boost their spirits.
“You can’t ever write off a Lightning team, especially a Lightning team at home who still have potential to make finals.
“It is really important we knuckle down and get the win.”
Austin is confident the Vixens are well placed for the run home.
Austin said overall the Vixens were in a good spot going into the final stretch of the season.
“We had a few games where it was a bit up and down but we are finding some good patches toward the right end of the season rather than peaking too soon,” she said.
Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds said this weekend’s match was “pivotal” to their finals hopes.
“We will be attacking this contest like it is a final,” Reynolds said.
Rookie Ava Black will again be called into the squad with Reynolds still yet to find a permanent replacement for the injured Eagland.
“She was injected into the centre role last time we played Vixens and I thought she did a great job. She has a lot of speed about her and brings a lot of variety to the midcourt,” Reynolds said.
Just four points kept Lightning from the win when the two teams met in Melbourne in Round 4.
“Vixens are a top quality outfit, they have really strong players across the court and impact players on the bench,” Reynolds said.
“We know we can beat them, we matched it with them right up until the last few minutes of the game in Round 4.
“We know that we have to have impacts over every quarter and treasure possession if we want to win.”
Vixens play Lightning at Sunshine Coast at 2pm on Sunday.
NETBALL CONTRACT SAGA BECOMES MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE
Sunshine Coast Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds says a solution to Netball Australia’s contracting fiasco needs to be found quickly as the uncertainty is damaging the mental health of players – particularly those stuck on the sidelines with long term injuries.
All 80 Super Netball players will be off contract come the end of the season and currently have no certainty about which colours they will be wearing or if they will be playing at all in the 2024 competition.
The contracts hinge on the signing of a new Collective Player Agreement (CPA) between Netball Australia and the Australian Netball Players’ Association. The current agreement is set to expire in September.
Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds wants the CPA and contract issues sorted ASAP. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Reynolds, who joined Lightning on a two-year deal this year after a stint as Fever’s assistant coach, said the drawn out process was a “distraction” to players and had affected their mental health.
“It is a unique situation, it’s not ideal and is putting an extra layer of stress on players, administrators and coaches,” she said.
“They need certainty for their financial situation, they love the sport and just want to be able to get on with their business.
“The sooner it is sorted the better. It has been a tough time for everyone including coaches as we try to create a direction for next season.”
Lightning has been hit hard with injuries this season with Reilley Batcheldor doing her ACL pre-season and Tara Hinchcliffe and Shannon Eagland tearing an ACL within weeks of each other.
Reynolds said the uncertainty around contracts had an extra impact on injured players’ mental health.
“It is not an easy journey for the girls in rehab, the contracting is a concern for the girls not playing as they don’t have a chance to prove what they can do,” she said.
“There are a lot of parts to rehab but for us first and foremost is taking care of the mental side and making sure they stay connected to the group and having discussions about what their future might look like.”
Kiera Austin and the Vixens are closing in on a finals berth.
Moving forward Reynolds said it would be beneficial to increase the squad sizes to 12 – even if that was 10 elite athletes and two rookies.
“If we stretch it to 12 we broaden our talent pool so we aren’t losing talent to other sports,” Reynolds said. “It would also give us options if injuries occur like at Lightning this season so we don’t have to go externally for players.”
Vixens goaler Kiera Austin said it was a tough situation.
“Some athletes will be more comfortable than others in terms of having an idea about whether their club wants to keep them but it is a daunting position to be in,” Austin said.
“We have been told they are working hard behind the scenes, hopefully what is created will elevate netball from where it is at the moment.”