Adelaide Thunderbirds to face trials in Brisbane and Sydney to prepare for Super Netball season
Adelaide Thunderbirds are building for their first Super Netball season under Tania Obst and Netball Australia has given them a boost with its announcement of a new pre-season competition.
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Adelaide Thunderbirds’ preparation for their first Super Netball season under new coach Tania Obst will be significantly aided by two hectic weekend of trials.
The Thunderbirds will face four trials in Brisbane on March 8 and 9 after Netball Australia announced the new pre-season competition involving all eight clubs.
In a massive boost as they build for the season opener against West Coast Fever in Mile End on April 28, the Thunderbirds will get valuable hit-outs against Sunshine Coast Lightning, Melbourne Vixens and Queensland Firebirds. The fourth opponent will be determined by the results of those three pool games.
The Thunderbirds will then confront Giants Netball, NSW Swifts and another club, expected to be the Lightning, in Sydney on the final weekend of March.
Given the Thunderbirds have an abundance of new faces in the squad, the trials will be crucial in providing Obst with an opportunity to test combinations.
“Any time you can play against the opposition in more of a training environment is great,” Obst said. “It is an opportunity to get the team together and will be very much eyes open and having a look.
“Everyone will be sussing each other out, but the focus will be on ourselves given we a fairly new team and looking at new combinations.
“All pre-seasons are like that, trying different combinations, and what an environment to do it in. We won’t be playing for points, but we still want to put out performances to see where we are at.
“Three games in three days in Sydney will be an opportunity for more SN quality matches and that is perfect.”
Obst said the team was being put through a solid chunk of training and that will impact on gametime for each player in Brisbane.
And what has pleased the former national 21 and under coach is having all but New Zealand goal attack Maria Folau — who arrives in Adelaide on Monday — at training since she returned from her role as England assistant at the quad series in London last month.
“They are probably at their heaviest point in training with 10 sessions each week,” she said. “Prior to Christmas it was just the South Australian-based players at training, so it is nice to be almost at full capacity.
“Maria will join us this week and the plans are coming together. A benefit of the Brisbane and Sydney trips is the chance to practice being on the road.
“The players are seeing each other every day of the week except Sundays, but there is nothing like going away with your teammates and spending time together.”
There has been no deviation from the challenging pre-season for Adelaide Thunderbirds, despite the hot weather.
The players were put through a series of demanding exercises on the sand and in the water at West Beach by the surf club last week as they build their fitness for the new season.
“The beach was so much fun, it was good to mix it up,” defender Kate Shimmin said.
“It was good for the girls from England and Jamaica to experience some Australian culture.
“I’ve been impressed with their dedication to the club and team, everyone wants to be better. Pre-season has been amazing, quite serious in a good way, and it was good to do something different at the beach.”
The program has included taxing court sessions twice a week as well as basic skills drills after weight work on other days.
“It is one of the hardest pre-seasons I have experienced, probably only behind my first one when (former captain) Nat von Bertouch lapped me,” Shimmin said.
“It has been really tough and everyone has high expectations of themselves. I’ve been so impressed with everyone.
“There is a nice atmosphere and we are all here to work hard and win games this year.”
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