Super Netball 2022: Pregnant Firebird Romelda Aiken-George loses contract exposing maternity leave issues

It isn’t the Firebirds fault that they won’t risk a contract for a player taking a year’s maternity leave, but it does expose netball’s shocking lack of support for pregnant players.

Romelda Aiken-George is the victim of an inadequate maternity leave policy within netball, among other womens’ sports. Picture: Getty Images

Every Super Netball team wants the same thing in 2023 – a shot at the premiership – and that means putting the best 10 players you have on the court.

It is an elite sport, touted as the top domestic netball competition in the world, so it is hard to blame the Queensland Firebirds for opting to stick with a newly discovered, tried and tested winning formula over a 33-year-old veteran of the sport who has taken a year off.

If anything the messy situation comes back to Netball Australia and their clear lack of a maternity leave policy.

Heavily pregnant Aiken-George sent netball fans into a frenzy when she announced via her social media page that the Firebirds had not renewed her contract because it was “too risky”.

Firebirds deny she wasn’t included in the contracted 10 because of her pregnancy or the fact she would be looking to return just months after giving birth.

In fact the Firebirds had more mothers in their team in 2022 than any other Super Netball squad with captain Kim Ravaillion, Gretel Bueta and English international Ebony Usoro-Brown all taking on the dual role of elite athlete and mum.

Yes Romelda Aiken-George took the year off because she fell pregnant. Sure she has played 198 games and dedicated more than a decade to the club. And she is a top notch shooter. But does that guarantee you a spot on the team on your return?

Fault doesn’t lie with the Firebirds but with the contracting rules of Super Netball and many other women’s sports.

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Romelda Aiken of Firebirds against Giants during the round four Super Netball match between Queensland Firebirds and Giants Netball at Nissan Arena on August 15, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. Photo by Regi Varghese/Getty Images

When I take my maternity leave later this year I expect to still have a job when I return – it is part of my contract.

Aiken-George’s contract ended this year. There was no signed piece of paper guaranteeing her a spot in the 2023 squad following the birth of her child.

Elite athletes don’t work in normal workplaces, and while they still have rights, the clubs are under immense pressure to continue to perform year after year.

If my workplace were to replace me during my maternity leave and find a superstar in the making they would have the ability to offer that person a job and I would still get to keep mine.

The Firebirds did just that – they found 28-year-old Donnell Wallam. She was elevated from training partner into the starting 10 as a replacement for Aiken-George just weeks out from the season starting.

She proved a superstar – shooting at 86 per cent to net 519 goals – the fourth best in the league.

Wallam even earned a call-up to the Diamonds squad and as a travelling reserve for the Commonwealth Games.

Super Netball rules mean Firebirds can only contract 10 players.

They also need to fill all the positions on the court – having too many shooters on the books would mean one less defender or midcourter.

Queensland Firebirds juggling motherhood with their professional sporting careers Kim Ravaillion with Georgie, Eboni Usoro-Brown with Savannah, and Gretel Bueta with Bobbie. Picture Lachie Millard

Is it fair that Wallam – effectively standing in on a maternity contract – who worked so hard to get her chance, should have to step aside so Aiken-George can return to her old job?

Sure we can question how the situation was handled but at the end of the day the Firebirds coach (yet to be announced) and high performance team are under pressure to bring home a trophy – and they are only allowed to do it with 10 people.

In their eyes Aiken-George does not fit that bill.

It highlights the need to readdress all elite women’s sports. Why is there not an allowance within Super Netball to allow athletes returning from pregnancy, serious injury or those who took a break due to mental health issues to be contracted as an extra player?

It would give them a chance to ease back into the sport they devoted their life to – just like many workplaces offer returning mums a chance to start off at part-time before going back to full duties. They could train alongside the team and step in when Covid-19 or injury rules an athlete out.

Australian Diamonds and Firebirds players Gretel Bueta and Donnell Wallam in Brisbane. Picture: Richard Walker

It is Netball Australia who needs to find a solution to this problem – not the clubs.

Because at the end of the day the Firebirds are an elite sporting team, competing in the top domestic netball competition in the world with one ultimate goal – win the premiership.

If you look at all the options one can see how the high performance team could see breaking up a proven shooting circle and ditching one of the most promising players in the sport to welcome back a veteran after a year off “too risky”.