Net Gains 2022: Debate over international cap is over shadowing incredible development pathway
Despite incessant chatter about the number of imports in Super Netball and how they are blocking the pathways for Australian players – the reality is there for all to see.
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The NSW Swifts’ decision to hand Sophie Fawns a full-time contract should be held as a win for local talent in the world’s best netball competition.
But it’s no real surprise. The Swifts were hamstrung when Sam Wallace went down with a season-ending injury given the UK Super League, and New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership had already started, largely preventing them from drafting in an international player.
Fawns deserves her position in the team. The teen is a rising star and has shown that she can cope with the pressure of being a Super Netball starter, with Wallace on the sidelines to mentor her along with Swifts coach Briony Akle.
She has a head start most players could only dream of.
But the Swifts not a massive risk, nor is it out of line with what most teams in the competition are already doing despite incessant chatter about the number of imports and how they are blocking the pathways for Australian players.
The truth is that almost every club had drafted a young shooter on to their full-time contract list this season.
While Sunshine Coast Lightning were the only club to start the season with an Australian-born goal shooter in their starting seven, in Diamonds representative Cara Koenan, that number is now at three with Donnell Wallam at the Firebirds and Fawns and Kelly Singleton at the Swifts.
It should be remembered too that Firebirds veteran Romelda Aiken-George - now sitting out the season on maternity leave - holds Australian citizenship along with her Jamaican passport and in her 15th season in Queensland is just about as local as they come.
The Lightning started the season with an all-Australian shooting circle having added Reilley Batcheldor to their Diamonds representatives Koenan and Steph Wood and while the Firebirds briefly toyed with the idea of the idea of bringing Maria Folau into the competition, the additionof Wallam has also given them an all-Aussie look after their promotion of Mia Stower to the full-time list to join Gretel Bueta.
In Sydney, Singleton had already won a full-time contract at the Swifts before 18-year-old Fawns was promoted following Wallace’s injury.
Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald thrives on providing pathways for young players and reaped the benefits last season as Sophie Dwyer made such a smooth transition to the starting side after an injury to teammate Kiera Austin that she ended the year in the Diamonds squad.
Austin’s off-season move to Melbourne allowed Fitzgerald to leave Dwyer in the starting side while bringing another young gun - Matisse Leatherbarrow - an opportunity to join the full-time list.
Austin moved to the Vixens and while Malawian shooter Mwai Kumwenda holds the starting goal shooter spot there, the club also elevated Rahni Samason to the top 10 after outstanding cameos last year.
Sophie Garbin made the move to Collingwood from the premiers searching for more court time and while she hasn’t yet hit her straps alongside Shimona Nelson, she is getting plenty of opportunities to impress.
Adelaide lured Tippah Dwan in the off-season, with the former Firebird sharing goal attack duties with rising star Georgie Horjus.
International Jhaniele Fowler remains the focus of West Coast Fever’s attack but coach Dan Ryan is using his Aussie goalers cleverly with Sasha Glasgow in particular coming into her own, taking some of the pressure off the world’s best shooter.
There’s no doubt the internationals remain the focus for most clubs but to pigeonhole them simply as “workers” taking a place from the Aussies is unfair.
Super Netball’s aim to be the best competition in the world demands that the best players play in the competition and rather than taking away opportunities from youngsters, the imports are often fast tracking the locals’ development.
That’s certainly the opinion of Fawns, who said she has lent plenty from Wallace and Helen Housby in her time as a training partner and is now benefiting from having a one-on-one tutor in Wallace on the sidelines to guide her debut in the world’s toughest competition.
Looking at capping the number of internationals in the competition is one thing but severely restricting them or restricting the number in any set position is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
DEPTH KEY TO SUPER NETBALL PREMIERSHIP
The first of the midweek rounds showed how crucial depth will be to winning the Super Netball title this season.
Whether you call them upsets or not - and the winners are unlikely to - there were some unexpected results last week, with three games in eight days a massive ask for players and clubs, especially with the impact of Covid overlaid.
With little prospect of any game being rescheduled, clubs are going to have to rely on players one through 10 to get the job done.
The efforts of those on the bench will be key in deciding which teams make the top four and ultimately which one of those goes on to snare the Super Netball title.
While the compressed fixture was not fan friendly, with some messy games being played, the fatigue factor may have helped Diamonds selectors, who will name their preliminary squad for the Commonwealth Games on Thursday.
Being able to judge the decision-making and skill execution of players under fatigue may help make some line-ball decisions in what is likely to be a tough selection discussion for the final positions.
COMPETITION AS EVEN AS EVER
Results over the past week showed no team can be counted out in this competition.
The Lightning have looked shambolic at times early this season, especially in defence and if you had been framing a market on their match against the then-ladder leading Vixens last weekend, the Melbourne side would have been heavy odds-on favourites.
But in a stunning turnaround, the Lightning showed why they have never missed the Super Netball finals and reminded teams they would be a handful.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gretel Bueta (Queensland Firebirds)
Bueta’s efforts helped the Firebirds become the only team to win both their matches last week, with the goal attack showing why she’s a lock for coach Stacey Marinkovich’s Diamonds side when it is named on Thursday. While she shot at 94 per cent, missing just three shots over the two games, it’s the work she does off the ball and outside the circle that’s as important to her team.
Round 4
Melbourne Vixens v West Coast Fever
Liz Watson (Vixens) 3, Courtney Bruce (Fever) 2, Kiera Austin (Vixens) 1
Giants v Queensland Firebirds
Kim Ravaillion (Firebirds) 3, Gretel Bueta (Firebirds) 2, Matilda McDonell (Giants) 1
Collingwood Magpies v Sunshine Coast Lightning
Kelsey Brown (Magpies) 3, Shimona Nelson (Magpies) 2, Nyah Allen (Magpies) 1
Adelaide Thunderbirds v NSW Swifts
Shamera Sterling (Tbirds) 3, Maddy Turner (Swifts) 2, Allie Smith (Swifts) 1
Round 5
Sunshine Coast Lightning v Melbourne Vixens
Steph Wood (Lightning) 3, Mahalia Cassidy (Lightning) 2, Maddie Hinchliffe (Lightning) 1
Giants v Collingwood Magpies
Jo Harten (Giants) 3, Sophie Dwyer (Giants) 2, Maddie Hay (Giants) 1
West Coast Fever v NSW Swifts
Sunday Aryang (Fever) 3, Courtney Bruce (Fever) 2, Maddy Proud (Swifts) 1
Queensland Firebirds v Adelaide Thunderbirds
Gretel Bueta (Firebirds) 3, Shamera Sterling (Tbirds) 2, Gabi Simpson (Firebirds) 1
Overall leaderboard: Courtney Bruce (Fever) 12, Shamera Sterling (Thunderbirds) 10, Liz Watson (Vixens) 8, Gretel Bueta (Firebirds) 6, Jhaniele Fowler (Fever) 5.
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