Super Netball 2023: Star shooter says her absence won’t ruin Queensland Firebirds’ chances

The Queensland Firebirds will be without one of the stars of world netball this season but the shooter believes her team is still a Super Netball chance.

Star shooter Gretel Bueta believes the Queensland Firebirds will remain a Super Netball threat this season despite her withdrawal on maternity leave.

Bueta, who lead the Diamonds to Commonwealth Games gold last year and is widely regarded as the best goal attack in the world, will sit out the season after confirming earlier this month she and husband Niko had fallen pregnant with their second child after suffering a heartbreaking miscarriage last year.

It means the Firebirds will be without their go-to shooter on top of losing international goalkeeper Eboni Usoro-Brown (retired), homegrown defender Kim Jenner (West Coast Fever) and midcourter Jemma Mi Mi (motherood) from last year’s team.

Gretel Bueta with son Bobby, 2, is pregnant again. Picture by Luke Marsden.

Bueta’s absence has been seen by many as a hammer blow, with few pundits rating the Firebirds a chance of ending their recent finals hoodoo.

But Bueta has backed her teammates, having seen first-hand the work that has gone into the pre-season under new coach Bec Bulley.

“I come to two main training sessions a week and I see how hard they work and they’re ready,” Bueta said.

“They’ve got a new coach in Bec Bulley and she’s made the environment very professional and you just need to watch a training session to see how united they are and how focused they are to compete this season, so I think they’re going to surprise a lot of people.”

Bueta has backed recent Aussie Diamonds debutant Donnell Wallam to stand up in her absence, praising her ability to rise in the pressure moments.

Firebirds star Gretel Bueta believes the Queenslanders will be competitive in her absence. Picture: Lachie Millard

Mia Stower will partner Wallam in the starting line-up, with the Firebirds confirming this week former Giants training partner Emily Moore - who has spent most of the pre-season with the club - would fill the vacancy caused by Bueta’s maternity leave.

Bulley has full faith Moore and Stower will fill their new roles with great poise.

“I’m really excited for both of them to have some more minutes in the SSN (Suncorp Super Netball),” Bulley said.

“Mia has been in this environment for about three years now and she’s learnt a lot from Gretel in that time, so I’m really excited for her to come out and show what she’s capable of.

“Obviously this will be Emily’s first opportunity to play SSN but she’s been training in SSN environments through the Giants Academy for the past three years so I just think this is an awesome opportunity, she’s got nothing to lose but to give it her best shot.

“I had the pleasure of coaching Emily back in the state league in NSW. I just think she’s a really smart player, she’s very unselfish, she’s a great team person, she’s prepared to take the long shots and I’m just excited for her to have this opportunity.

Mia Stower will be promoted to the Firebirds’ starting line-up in Bueta’s absence. Photo: Getty Images

“And I think she’s going to combine really well with our other shooters Donnell and Mia.”

The Firebirds have not made the Super Netball finals since 2018 and will start the new season as underdogs but like Bueta, Bulley believes they will not jut be there to make up the numbers.

“Of course Gretel is a huge loss,” Bulley said.

“In my eyes she was the world’s best goal attack at the Commonwealth Games, so she’s definitely a big loss, however, we’ve still got some great players in our team.

“We’ve got Donnell Wallam, Kim Ravaillion, Gabi Simpson, Ruby Bakewell-Doran - they’re all international players in their own right or have been in the past - so we’re not a one-player team.

“I think everyone is going to step up. Sometimes it’s great to be the underdog, there’s no pressure.”

Donnell Wallam will be locked in a battle for a Diamonds World Cup shooting spot throughout the Super Netball season. Photo: Getty Images

Wallam in particular will be keen to step up with a World Cup spot on the line this season.

While she made her debut against England in dramatic scenes last year in the wake of the sponsorship controversy - showing how well she copes with pressure - Collingwood goaler Sophie Garbin was taken to the recent Quad Series and the pair are likely to be in a head-to-head showdown over the Super Netball season.

Bueta believes it could be the player that most impresses against international defenders - like the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ Jamaican goalkeeper Shamera Sterling, Magpies’ keeper Geva Mentor (England) and Sunshine Coast Lightning goal defence Karla Pretorius (South Africa) that gets the World Cup nod.

The Firebirds hone their Super Netball preparations with a match against men’s team the Queensland Suns on Friday ahead of next weekend’s pre-season Team Girls Cup on the Gold Coast.