Lisa Alexander: Netball Australia’s grand final decision a sellout and slap in the face

In an exclusive column, former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander slams Netball Australia’s grand final decision and questions the organisation’s culture.

This is a complete sell out of the integrity of our great game. It is a sell out of transparency and it is a slap in the face to the players, coaches and fans who have invested so much time and effort into the game of netball.

Netball Australia’s decision to sell the Super Netball grand final to Perth is a questionable business decision by a governing body that does not align with its own values which is to empower women and girls, by NOT consulting with the athlete group at least.

To use the excuse you need the money is just a sell out. It’s not about the financial ins and outs.

They’re using that as an excuse to make a decision that is just plainly shortsighted, lacking in transparency and will bring the game into disrepute among peers.

That is why I’m calling it a sellout, it’s a sellout in so many respects and I can’t even fathom why they would think it’s the right decision to make at this time.

Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander is hugged by Caitlin Thwaites after a charity game in 2020.

PLAYERS OUTRAGED

History and tradition is important, it is what we pass on from mothers to daughters particularly around netball because it is such a community based sport for women and girls.

In netball our history is important and so is the graft and grind to get our first semi professional league in 1997 when we got the Commonwealth Bank Trophy series started.

Apart from the farcical Trans Tasman system, which guaranteed a New Zealand Franchise final spot, our game has always been about the earning of a home grand final.

It’s what we play for and strive to achieve all year. The chance to win the trophy in fro

I’ve never seen a playing group so upset or unified like they are now with their extraordinary statement on Thursday night speaking out against this move.

NSW Swifts celebrate last year’s grand final win, which was played in Brisbane due to Covid.

But I completely understand it because when I reflect upon my time as Diamonds coach, one of my big planks was to ensure the playing group had a voice.

Everything we did we passed through the playing group. That’s not saying the tail is wagging the dog, but you have to bring your people along with you otherwise you don’t get success.

Sports must listen to the athletes because they’re the ones actually bleeding the blood, breaking the bones and sweating the sweat in the arena of sport.

I tried to encourage the athletes to speak up then, they are now speaking up loudly and I am proud of them.

I challenged them at that time, I want a Prime Minister out of this group and I do want that, I want them speaking up and speaking out about what they think is the wrong way to go for our sport in terms of its core values.

CULTURE OF NETBALL AUSTRALIA

Netball Australia has been selling out at different times for many years. They’ve had to for different reasons but I’ve always thought it was very narrow thinking.

The Super shot for example, that is just a complete sellout of the sport. 

It’s not needed and while it was done to try and get new audiences I’ve always thought it was the wrong way to present our sport.

It is basically ridiculed by the international audience and although some of them pretend they like it over here in England, at the end of the day, everyone thinks that it’s not our sport and it’s just trying to be more like basketball.

You don’t see rugby or cricket changing its traditional game and its scoring. Why is that?

These are the sort of decisions that make our sport look amateurish and naive.

I think CEO Kelly Ryan has underestimated her netball family on this grand final issue.

She has been talking the talk around collaboration, reconciliation and bringing our sport together, working for the common good, but this smacks of we will just look after our very short term financial state and I would ask: where is the money? Why is there a $4 million debt.

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan.

I will hear it is because of Covid but that’s not the whole story.

Netball Australia has been in situations where they’ve been in debt before and it just continues.

And if this deal is to do with the Diamonds having their camp in Perth, my question would be why is it the Diamonds camp needs to be supported by State government money,when there should be Commonwealth Games Association money going towards that preparation Camp?

What I would be most worried about if I am Netball Australia is the amount of money they’re starting to pay the AFLW players, that is the biggest concern for me and our sport, the competition for our future elite athletes and community participation numbers.

The $100,000 prize money for the champion team is just a smoke screen for what is a poor decision made under pressure.

It is demeaning to the women who have gone before, who have built this sport from the ground up and still managed to balance the budget.

Watch Suncorp Super Netball on Kayo. Every game of every round LIVE. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now >

Jo Weston (centre) of the Melbourne Vixens has been a leading voice for the players.

CAN VIXENS STILL WIN IT?

The Vixens are the team that are most impacted by this decision. They will win the minor premiership and should have had the best shot to earn the home grand final.

What a story that would be, last to first. 

The Vixens beat the Fever in Perth three weeks ago, should play them in the first week of the finals in Melbourne and may then have to do it again in a grand final in Perth.

That’s three wins in a row over a quality Fever outfit to win a premiership. The laws of probability begin to outweigh you and the travel becomes a factor, but at the end of the day high performance programs can do it.

I’m very confident the Vixens can do it particularly with the support they have from the VIS and Netball Victoria. Both organisations are outstanding in their support of the Vixen to be the best Super Netball Franchise in the League.

They will get the job done but it’s not going to be easy. Nothing great is ever easy.