Netball Australia will not announce a World Cup squad until player contracts are signed
Netball Australia won’t budge over it’s World Cup delay, revealing they offered a solution to the player pay dispute almost a month ago without any response.
Netball
Don't miss out on the headlines from Netball. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Netball Australia says it understands the impact its decision to rigidly enforce selection criteria is having on Diamonds players but “must uphold good governance standards” and will not announce a World Cup squad before player contracts are signed.
The national body earlier this week reneged on a previously agreed time frame in which to inform Diamonds squad members of their involvement in the World Cup, insisting they sign player contracts under the national team’s as yet unresolved Collective Player Agreement before the team could be nominated.
Players and their union the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) were infuriated by the standoff, which has variously been described to News Corp as “holding players to ransom” and “industrial bullying”.
But NA has broken its silence on the matter, saying the requirement for players to “agree to terms and conditions of the playing contract” is part of the selection criteria available publicly on its website.
NA sources also dispute claims players or ANPA were blindsided, saying they knew the team would not be nominated to World Netball without the CPA in place and had been reminded of that fact more than a week ago.
NA says it has been in negotiations with ANPA for “more than 12 months” on a new CPA, with last year’s Constellation Cup and England Roses series, as well as this year’s Quad Series covered by an interim agreement.
The biggest stumbling block is ANPA’s push for a revenue share model, something NA says the financially fragile sport, which is still servicing $4.2m in debt, cannot afford.
NA commissioned an independent report to examine the possibility of a revenue share model but it was rejected as unsuitable for the sport.
It has instead offered an “upside provision” – essentially a bonus should key financial targets be met – but said it was yet to receive a response from ANPA.
NA boss Kelly Ryan was locked in meetings on Monday night with players and ANPA, as well as NA high performance staff including Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich.
It’s understood meetings were also held on Tuesday night and slated for Wednesday as parties attempt to break the deadlock.
“We are committed to negotiations but netball as a whole is not in a financial position to meet further demands without damaging the future of the sport,” Ryan said.
“We have been open and transparent about Netball Australia’s financial position and the $4.2 million debt currently held.
“ANPA are insisting on a revenue share in the CPA, which an independent report has shown isn’t viable in netball.
“Netball Australia tabled its latest offer on May 18. As a sign of good faith, last week we offered an upside provision should the sport overachieve its metrics in the next three years. We are yet to receive a response to this offer.
“Players received a 20 per cent increase in 2022 and we’ve offered additional benefits as part of our latest proposal.”
Teams are meant to nominate their World Cup lists with World Netball this week but NA is refusing to blink, seemingly regardless of how long the standoff with players goes on.
“We are understanding of the impact this has on the players and I spoke to them all on Monday night to reassure them everyone is working to finalise negotiations,” Ryan said.
“We are fully invested in doing all we can to support the players now and through the 2023 Netball World Cup – a significant moment for all who represent their country.
“Netball Australia must uphold good governance standards and cannot commit to selecting players or announcing a squad before contracts are signed.”
Coaches rage at Netball Aus over Diamonds squad delay
– Erin Smith
Super Netball coaches are calling on Netball Australia to name the Diamonds team despite the pending players’ agreement saying the delay is stressing out players and affecting their ability on the court.
Members of the Diamonds team bound for the World Cup in Africa in July were supposed to be informed on Tuesday if they had made the 15-woman squad or not.
The CPA is still under negotiations and there is no agreement for players to sign.
All Super Netball players are also waiting on their updated CPA before they can be contracted to clubs for the 2024 season and beyond.
Melbourne Vixens coach Simone McKinnis – who potentially has four Diamonds players in her Super Netball squad – said she was “super disappointed” for the players when she learned the plan had changed.
“When there is a date to find something out and then that is shifted it is really tough,” McKinnis said.
“It is a pressure situation and an important time for them so to have that changed at the last minute I feel for them.”
Vixens, sitting fourth in the Super Netball competition, are bound for the finals regardless of their result in this weekend’s final round game. But McKinnis said having this hanging over their heads was far from ideal.
“It is always challenging when you have selections coming up, especially in a World Cup year,” she said.
“The players are very professional and manage it throughout the season but having that shifted and taken away leaves them hanging in limbo.
“It is not good for them, it adds to the stress they are already under. There was an end date to the stress which they had been preparing for and now it has been taken away it is disappointing.”
McKinnis said the athletes were good at managing these stresses but the Vixens had taken extra steps to check in on the players’ mental wellbeing and offer support to those who need it.
“Everything around them is in limbo, nothing is confirmed for any player and to have such a short break before the World Cup it is not good,” McKinnis said.
Sunshine Coast Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds has two potential Diamonds in her squad: shooters Cara Koenen and Steph Wood.
“This is not ideal preparation for us for the final round or for their mindset,” Reynolds said.
“We are not in finals so they just have to get through this week but it is a nervous wait for them.”
While Koenen and Wood’s places in the squad are almost certain due to form and past performance, Reynolds said the not knowing would be weighing on their minds.
“It will be front of their minds, not even at the back, the sooner this can be sorted the sooner we will get some good performances from these athletes,” she said.
“Performance is paramount at the back end of a season and if they are unable to think clearly they can’t perform.”
Neither Reynolds or McKinnis are part of the negotiations for the Diamonds CPA but both said they didn’t understand why the team couldn’t be named.
“The team can still be selected (without the CPA) but once again the players bear the brunt of this stuff,” McKinnis said.
Reynolds said it just wasn’t good enough.
“Surely common sense could have prevailed and sorted it before this date,” she said.
“I feel for the players but also for (Diamonds coach) Stacey (Marinkovich) she just wants the ideal preparation time and to know who her squad is and when she can start training with them.”
Originally published as Netball Australia will not announce a World Cup squad until player contracts are signed
‘They rarely lose two in a row’: Diamonds legend fires warning to NZ
The Diamonds suffered their worst loss to New Zealand in more than a decade on Sunday night but a legend of the sport has backed them to bounce back in coach Stacey Marinkovich’s 50th Test.
Aussie world beaters stunned in ‘shock’ upset
Australia’s all-conquering Diamonds have been demolished in a massive netball upset in the Constellation Cup that no one saw coming.