Super Netball: Coaches don’t expect physicality to drop off despite controversial send-off
Super Netball coaches do not believe the physicality of the competition has been affected by the controversial send-off of Giants defender Kristiana Manu’a last week.
Netball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Netball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Super Netball’s physicality can’t and won’t be affected by the controversial send-off of Giants defender Kristiana Manu’a last week according to the coaches.
Manu’a became the first player in Super Netball history to be sent off after two incidents of rough play in the clash against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Umpires followed correct procedure in banishing Manu’a from the court but many questioned whether the “rough play” tag for incidents in which the defender had eyes only for the ball would affect the intensity of challenges going forward.
Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald, whose players bounced back from the midweek controversy to challenge the competition-leading Vixens before ultimately losing on Sunday, said the Manu’a decision would not affect the way her side approached games.
“I honestly don’t think it will,” Fitzgerald said after her team’s loss to the competition-leading Vixens on Sunday.
“There’s a lot on the line in every game we play and there was nothing out there (on Sunday) I would deem as irresponsible or rough or dirty, it was just two teams really putting their bodies on the line and going for the ball.
“I hope that will continue and I think the same about the Lightning game (last) Wednesday.”
Absolute respect 🙌
— GIANTS Netball (@GIANTS_Netball) August 23, 2020
This interview speaks volumes about our club and the people in it. pic.twitter.com/RUk6cwszM7
The umpires were given the all clear after an review of the send-off and Manu’a said on Sunday she had felt nothing but support since the incidents.
“I’m so thankful for the team, and the whole netball community in general everyone has really backed me,” she told Channel Nine.
“I’m happy to just sweep it under the rug and keep playing and hopefully winning some games.”
Vixens coach Simone McKinnis also said teams would continue to “get on with it” despite the spotlight on the physicality.
“I didn’t think twice about there being any impact from the umpires, I didn’t think that things would be different,” she said.
“We’ve got a good, strong, tough game,brilliant athletes going 100 per cent out there and it’s good to see.”
Sunshine Coast mentor Kylee Byrne said the send-off would not change the way her players approached the game.
But she said it was important to continue to keep communication lines open to officials, who were also in a tough situation in a compressed season.
“We had some umpires at training on Friday because we’ve go to support them as well,” Byrne said.
“They’re in a really tough situation. A few of them are only just getting out of quarantine and having to umpire matches.”
Originally published as Super Netball: Coaches don’t expect physicality to drop off despite controversial send-off