Cairns Netball: New team joins Senior Division 1 competition
Far North Queensland’s premier netball competition will look a little different when it returns this month, with a new team set to take the court.
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Far North Queensland’s premier netball competition will look a little different when it returns this month, with a new team set to take the court.
Phoenix Sports & Culture Club, one of the region’s fastest-growing community sporting organisations, will enter a Senior Division 1 team into Cairns Netball Association’s winter season for the first time.
The Phoenix Fierce will join returning clubs WGC Sharks, North Cairns Tigers, South Cairns Cutters, Cairns Saints and Brothers Leprechauns for this year’s six-team Senior Division 1 competition, which starts on July 22.
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Fierce player-coach Naomi Moke said the team was excited to be part of the new season.
“We are so keen and ready to go,” she said.
“We’ve had been doing our online training throughout COVID and it just feels like this is the longest pre-season ever, so it will be really cool to get together on the court.
“This is the first time some of the girls will be playing together, so for us its about getting to know them off the court as well as how they play, and then seeing how we can improve and make sure we peak at the right time, which will be towards the end of the season.”
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Moke, a former WNBL player with Townsville Fire and Bulleen Boomers, said the team would feature a couple of her Cairns Dolphins teammates.
“Unfortunately, the QBL hasn’t gone ahead this season, but it is good to still get the girls involved in that team environment,” she said.
“They’re athletic and strong, but I’ll need to make sure they get some of the rules down pat and aren’t stepping or contacting too much. That will be my main job.”
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Phoenix Sports & Culture Club made its first foray into netball last October, entering five teams into Cairns Netball Association’s summer season.
Since the inaugural campaign, the club has doubled its netball contingent to be represented by 10 teams in the upcoming winter season, with five junior and five senior sides.
“We have an under-14s, two under-12s, an under-10s and an under-9s team,” Moke said.
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“We wanted to start young to try and build up that club culture of developing our players and coaches, so if they end up choosing netball as their sport, we can make sure we’re giving them the best opportunity to go further, whether it be Cairns rep or higher honours.
“With our Division 1 team, we want to lead by example so the juniors can look up to us.”
Phoenix Fierce will replace former Senior Division 1 team Trinity Beach Bulldogs, who have chosen not to enter a side into this year’s first-grade competition.
Cairns Netball operations manager Tanya Dearns said the Bulldogs would instead enter its strongest side into the second division.
“They didn’t believe their team would be strong enough to compete in Div 1, which is their prerogative,” she said.
Originally published as Cairns Netball: New team joins Senior Division 1 competition