‘Hard and honest conversations’ for the Giants ahead of their Super Netball derby clash against the NSW Swifts
Jamie-Lee Price reveals the ‘really hard and honest conversations’ taking place within the four walls of the Giants as they try and turn around their Super Netball season.
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“Hard and honest conversations” are occurring regularly at the Giants as last year’s wooden spooners attempt to drag themselves off the Super Netball canvas.
Ahead of Sunday’s derby clash against the NSW Swifts, leader Jamie-Lee Price said her side was making every attempt to improve after a tough start to the season that has included just one win from the first five rounds.
While that victory came against defending premiers the Adelaide Thunderbirds, it was in the South Australian club’s first outing without world-class defender Shamera Sterling-Humphrey and the mercurial Giants slumped to their worst result of the year the following week.
Without Price’s co-captain and key goaler Jo Harten and defender Tilly McDonell, the Giants were humbled by the Lightning on the Sunshine Coast, going down by 18 points.
While Harten is expected back this week, their derby against the Swifts – unbeaten through the opening five rounds and flying high with the addition of star New Zealand goaler Grace Nweke – could get messy if the Giants cannot get their wagon back on track.
“I think particularly this week we’ve … well, every week we have really hard and honest conversations, which I think really helps,” Price said of the Giants’ raw search for answers.
“That will help us roll into this weekend.
“Every week we train really hard and we’re always trying new things and trying to be better.”
Veteran coach Julie Fitzgerald is likely to have to try something new if the Giants are to stop Nweke – in part because of the Silver Fern’s outstanding start to her Super Netball career but also due to her side’s height mismatch in the circle.
The Giants shuffled Jodi-Ann Ward back to goalkeeper from her regular position of goal defence for parts of last week’s game against the Lightning last week but the 177cm Jamaican gives away 16cm to Nweke and the Giants will be looking to force mistakes in the midcourt before it even reaches the circle.
It’s something the Vixens did effectively against the Swifts last week, and where Price’s own game will come under pressure as she attempts to nullify fellow Diamond and Swifts co-captain Paige Hadley.
“I love playing Paigey. To be able to be really great mates off the court and then be able to compete on the court is a lot of fun,” Price said.
“She’s so competitive and she’s a great leader, so it’s a tough challenge, but I’m really excited.”
Both Hadley and Price are long-term members of their sides and lined up in the 2021 grand final when the NSW clubs faced off in a grand final eventually won by the Swifts.
The Swifts have been to the big dance again since, losing a nail-biter in extra time to Adelaide as the Thunderbirds collected their first Super Netball premiership.
On paper, this one’s a no-brainer but the Swifts know better than to take anything for granted and Hadley said the derby was always a battle regardless of the teams’ respective positions on the ladder.
“No matter where you sit on the ladder it’s always a physical and exciting game,” Hadley said.
“You saw it last year, it was the battle for the wooden spoon pretty much and it went down to the wire.
“Every game we have to be at our best because every team – especially in the derby – is going to want to come and knock us off that 5-0 start, so we’re excited for the challenge that lays ahead.”
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Originally published as ‘Hard and honest conversations’ for the Giants ahead of their Super Netball derby clash against the NSW Swifts
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