Collingwood players hit out at Netball Australia’s strategic direction

In wake of Collingwood’s departure from Super Netball, the club’s players have furiously hit out at Netball Australia, attacking the code’s “strategic direction.”

Shattered Collingwood players have savaged Netball Australia’s “strategic direction”, branding the relationship between head office and the player group “untenable” after they were left as “collateral damage” in the Magpies crisis.

Six hours after the Magpies shocked the netball world by making good on their threat to shut down their netball program at the end of 2023, the playing group issued a strongly worded statement that acknowledged the failure of their own club bosses but took pointed aim at the Netball Australia executive.

“We acknowledge the club has been transparent with the commercial realities that led to this decision. We acknowledge the club has also accepted the program could have been better. We appreciate and respect their candidness,” the Magpies’ playing group statement said.

Collingwood have shut down their netball program. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

“As athletes we consider ourselves part of the netball program and acknowledge we also had a role to play in the program’s viability. Success on court translates to commercial gain.

“However, we feel compelled to highlight the role (or lack thereof) Netball Australia played in today’s decision.

“We feel like collateral damage in a much larger issue for Netball Australia. There is untenable dysfunction and disharmony between administration and the playing group. There is also no confidence in the strategic direction of Netball Australia.

“As a playing group we care deeply about sport at every level. From grassroots to the elite level, we want to see as many people playing, watching and being connected to netball as possible.

“We want to leave the sport in a better position than we found it. We want the best netball and opportunities within netball for generations to come.

“We call on greater governance, transparency, and leadership from Netball Australia.”

The statement was a powerful missive directly at the feet of chief executive Kelly Ryan with players increasingly frustrated at the direction of the sport.

It’s not just the 10 Collingwood players plus the extended list of training partners who are currently gripped by waves of uncertainty at the moment, a cloud still hangs over the entire competition.

The league must field eight teams to survive, but as Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly expressed in his statement confirming the Magpies would leave the competition, delays over the new pay deal is just one of many problems that contributed to their club’s departure.

The players have called for better governance and leadership by Netball Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

And in that sense, the Magpies are not alone.

Every player in the league is off contract. Nobody has a deal for 2024 and the longer the Netball Australia pay dispute drags on, the greater the impact it has on every player.

Diamonds players face the very real prospect of heading to a July World Cup not knowing if they have a contract for next season or how much they will be paid.

Players are sustaining injuries now that will impact their ability to sign new deals.

The mental impact of such uncertainty is enormous, players lives are on hold until a deal can be struck.

The situation is a mess and while the Magpies players are the ones feeling the most shock right now and know with absolute certainty they will have to change clubs and uproot their lives next season, the other 70 contracted netball players across the country share in their anxiety about what the future holds.

Originally published as Collingwood players hit out at Netball Australia’s strategic direction