Caitlin Bassett future: Former Australian netball captain without Super Netball deal

Not so long ago Caitlin Bassett was captain of the Diamonds — now she hasn’t been offered a Super Netball contract. Her story raises serious questions about Aussie netball.

Caitlin Bassett in 18 months has gone from Australian captain to unwanted in Super Netball Picture: Getty Images

Eighteen months ago Caitlin Bassett was firmly ensconced as captain of the Australian netball team. Seven months ago she was told she was no longer needed as Diamonds captain.

Today Bassett, one of the most consistent shooters Australia has produced, hasn’t been offered a contract for a Super Netball team.

It has some asking the question; has an Australian captain in any sport ever been treated so poorly?

Bassett’s rapid fall from grace has raised many questions around the management of netball in Australia.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison presents the Constellation Cup to Caitlin Bassett.

Bassett has been part of world championship and Commonwealth Games gold medal winning teams, and the question is being asked by some in netball whether enough is being done to keep her playing here.

Then there’s the blazing issue of whether this country’s national league, Super Netball, looks after imports better than its own talent.

Currently seven out of the eight Super Netball teams have an import as goal shooter. The top five goal shooters in Super Netball last season were from the Caribbean or England.

Only one Diamond is getting regular court time as a goal shooter — Cara Koenen at the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

At the other end of the court, the defensive goal for four of the eight Super teams is being guarded by an import.

Caitlin Bassett warms up ahead of a game for the Giants.

Caitlin Bassett is without a Super Netball deal.

It’s an issue that hasn’t been missed by some of Australia’s best players. They worry about the pathways for junior talent and the lack of match time on hand for some of Australia’s best up-and-coming players.

They worry that the national side will lose its strength heading into the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year, the pinnacle of the sport.

Under the guise of having the best competition in the world, Australian players are no longer getting opportunities.

Some point to the fact that the competition that preceded Super Netball, the ANZ Championships which featured five Australian and five New Zealand teams, showed that Australia was capable of producing the best competition in the world using just their own talent.

The Australian teams consistently beat the New Zealand teams and rules had to be changed in order to keep Kiwis in finals contention.

Some players believe that this competition supported the development of Australian athletes and delivered the Diamonds back-to-back World Championship gold medals on top of a resounding 18-goal win over the Silver Ferns in the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2014.

Caitlin Bassett has experienced the highs and lows of sport in recent years.

Since the introduction of the Super Netball competition and unlimited imports Australia has fallen short of its goals winning only silver at both benchmark competitions over the last cycle.

Players are unsettled that Netball Australia doesn’t provide a competition with international rules for players to perform at benchmark events. The two-point super goal is not a feature of international tournaments.

To put it into context, imagine the Australian cricket team trying to win the Ashes but they are only allowed to play Twenty20 in the lead up?

For now, Bassett is furiously trying to recover after an operation on the menisci in both her left and right knees

It was around this time last year Bassett was forced to leave the Giants.

Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald barely gave the decorated shooter court time. Communication between the pair broke down and so Bassett departed.

Bassett uprooted her life in Sydney to play netball in New Zealand for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. She did it so she would stay in form for the Diamonds.

It was last February she was told she was no longer Australian captain, the honour instead to be rotated among the team. Bassett humbly took the news and always the team player she just rolled on.

Bassett was due to resume national duties ahead of Tests against New Zealand and England this October but that won’t happen.

There have been overtures from the London Pulse – to link up with the former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander – but those close to Bassett say she is determined to stay in Australia, to continue to grow the game here.

With the trade period well underway in Super Netball, time will tell if the services of one Australia’s most decorated and talented shooters will be required.

Originally published as Caitlin Bassett future: Former Australian netball captain without Super Netball deal