‘Absolutely not’: Ex-Diamonds coach Norma Plummer rejects talk she’s next Firebirds mentor

The rumour mill went into overdrive when a former Diamonds coach was spotted at the maligned Queensland Firebirds’ game at the weekend.

Veteran coach Norma Plummer has hosed down speculation she’s set to join the battling Queensland Firebirds.

The former Diamonds and South African netball mentor was drawn into the drama surrounding the Firebirds coaching position after being spied courtside at the Queenslanders’ clash against the Mavericks in Melbourne on Sunday.

Having announced on Thursday they’d axed head coach Bec Bulley less than halfway through her four-year coaching deal, the Firebirds headed into the clash against the Mavericks with Bulley’s assistant Lauren Brown at the helm, only to announce on Monday that she too had stepped down.

Both former head coach Bec Bulley and her assistant Lauren Brown have left the Queensland Firebirds after a tumultuous week. Photo: Getty Images

That only increased whispers that Plummer could step in for the remainder of the season.

But the 79-year-old, who retired last year after leading the Proteas in series against Australia and then England following the World Cup in South Africa, said she was “absolutely not” in the Firebirds picture.

“I don’t know who started that (talk) but absolutely not – people just throw names about. Definitely no,” she said in a message to this masthead.

It seems that her mere presence at Sunday’s match has started the rumour mill given the Birdies’ dire situation.

Offered tickets to the Mavs’ final home game of the season, Plummer and her daughter accepted as “netball groupies” but she was not scouting her future team.

Any suggestion she was – and she was aware of the chatter – seems to have come from people jumping to conclusions and Plummer was keen to knock the talk on the head.

Some believed the no-nonsense mentor would be the perfect foil for a playing group many believe has attempted to wield its power against the club’s coaching staff.

Both Netball Queensland and captain Kim Ravaillion have rubbished claims of a mutiny against Bulley though.

Netball Queensland and senior Firebirds players have rubbished claims a player mutiny led to Bec Bulley’s axing five rounds from the end of the season. Photo: Getty Images

The club, which faces an uphill battle to avoid the wooden spoon this season given it faces three of the top four in the final month of fixtures, announced on Monday that Firebirds Futures assistant Katie Walker would join the coaching staff for the rest of the season.

Walker will work alongside Netball Queensland head of talent and development Roselee Jencke to prepare the team.

Jencke, a former head coach of the team herself – and mother of midcourter Macy Gardner – coached the team for the last time in 2020.

During her 12 seasons in charge, the Firebirds made five grand finals, winning three ANZ Championship titles.

With half of their list off contract at the end of the season – including their only Diamonds player, Donnell Wallam and captain Ravaillion – the Firebirds are determined to have a new coach in place by the start of the free agency period.

Originally published as ‘Absolutely not’: Ex-Diamonds coach Norma Plummer rejects talk she’s next Firebirds mentor