Net Gains 2023: Netball Australia confirm no funding received from Hancock Prospecting in 2022

Netball Australia’s broken relationship with mining giant Hancock Prospecting cost the sport millions - but the true cost of that sponsorship deal being blown up can finally be revealed.

Netball Australia has confirmed it did not receive a dollar from Hancock Prospecting despite the mining giant offering to stump up interim funding following the breakdown of sponsorship talks last year.

NA revealed financial details for 2022 in its annual report last week following a briefing to member association presidents and CEOs on Thursday night.

While sponsorship and broadcast income accounted for $18.8 million – almost 50 per cent of all revenue – chief executive Kelly Ryan confirmed none of it was from Hancock Prospecting.

Hancock released a statement on October 22 last year announcing it had withdrawn support for NA and the proposed $15 million four-year deal that was on the table for the financially stricken sport.

The move came after Donnell Wallam, just the third First Nations woman to be named for the Diamonds, initially sought an exemption from wearing the Hancock Prospecting logo for her debut series against England given statements made by company founder Lang Hancock in the 1980s about Indigenous Australians being sterilised to solve “the problem”.

Wallam’s teammates and the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) supported her stance, with the Diamonds vowing to live their “Sisters in Arms” mantra and seeking an exemption for the entire team for the Roses series.

The proposed deal between Hancock Prospecting and Netball Australia to support the Diamonds and high performance programs broke down with no interim funding forthcoming. Photo: Getty Images

The Diamonds, and eventually Wallam, had agreed to wear the Hancock logo for the England series before the deal broke down.

The Hancock statement, which blindsided netball officials, who were given just 10 minutes’ advance notice, said it had not been made aware of “the complexity of existing issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association”.

Hancock’s fully-owned subsidiary Roy Hill, which had been set to become major sponsor of the West Coast Fever in one of Super Netball’s richest deals, also withdrew support from the club.

But with the Hancock sponsorship of NA due to kick in in the last quarter of 2022, the company offered interim funding.

“Hancock appreciates Netball Australia’s warm welcome and support, and because of this Hancock and Roy Hill have advised Netball Australia and Netball WA respectively, that it will instead provide a four-month sponsorship should they and their players wish to accept it, to continue funding the athletes and to help Netball as it arranges alternative funding and sponsorships,” the statement read.

Ryan confirmed to News Corp last week no money had been received.

A Hancock Prospecting spokesperson said the company never withdrew the offer of interim funds, however Netball Australia chose not to accept the offer.

Hancock Prospecting executive chairman Gina Rinehart.

NA announced a $15 million four-and-a-half year deal with Visit Victoria just over a week after the breakdown of the Hancock proposal, with the Victorian Government in talks with the national body just 24 hours after the termination of the former arrangement.

That gave the sport a replacement sponsor, but with the new deal starting from January 1 this year, there was a funding gap that was not replaced.

West Coast Fever, which was seen as “collateral damage” in the Hancock/NA breakdown, also replaced its proposed $2 million four-year deal with Roy Hill, with a $2.6 million four-year deal with Fortescue Metals Group it announced last November.

But Netball WA, which holds the Fever licence, confirmed to News Corp it did receive interim funding from Roy Hill.

NA last week announced a $4.7 million turnaround on last year’s finances, posting a modest $300,000 profit, despite still holding $4.2 million in debt.

MAGPIES’ ‘COMPROMISING’ WEEK

Interesting choice of words from Collingwood co-captain Geva Mentor when interviewed ahead of the Magpies’ match against the NSW Swifts on Sunday afternoon, saying the upheaval at the club had been a “compromising week for all of us”.

The uncertainty of the club’s future and the fact the Magpies’ woes are playing out in public would be enormously stressful for the players, who are all off contract at the end of the season and playing for their futures – regardless of whether that’s with Collingwood or not.

But the playing group, who gathered in a tight huddle on court ahead of the match, with the players all smiling broadly.

“The resilience this group has shown, I’ve been so impressed,” Mentor said.

“Everyone’s handled it in their own way. At the end of the day, we play a team sport for a reason, so we can stay connected, and it’s great to be able to get out and do what we love.

“I think as leaders, Braz (Ash Brazill) and I just have to make sure we step up on court, make sure we keep everyone in a happy environment – we’ve used humour a lot this week.”

Magpies huddle ahead of their round 10 match against the Swifts. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

That attitude did not translate to on-court results though, with the Pies beaten by the Swifts 85-56 to retain their place at the foot of the Super Netball ladder.

With Collingwood set to make a decision on its future in the competition this week, players should at least have some clarity about whether they will be looking for a new home next season.

The question may be whether they want to stay if they do not feel the netball program has the full backing of the AFL club.

PROUD CONCUSSION CONCERN

Plenty of concern for Swifts midcourter Maddy Proud after a head clash with former teammate Sophie Garbin that left her stumbling to get to her feet.

With the collision missed by umpires though, it was up to Swifts coach Briony Akle, eventually backed by the reserve umpire, two call for the match to be stopped and Proud to be taken from the court for assessment.

The move to interrupt games this season is a good one – even more so for players like Proud who have a history of concussion.

The Diamonds squad member eventually returned to the game in what was a surprise move to most, but not to Proud herself.

“It was a nice little hard one, but no dramas. I think with those things they’ve just got to take extra precaution and I passed all the tests and am feeling fine now,” Proud said after the match.

There was some concern surrounding how long it initially took officials to stop the match but Proud herself had no such issues.

“I thought I was fine so I just kept playing,” she said.

“But then I had to go through the whole protocol to come back on in terms of making sure I had the right amount of time (off the court).

“They were very diligent in making sure they did the right things and I was good to go.”

Maddy Proud of the Swifts. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

FEVER BACK TO BEST

West Coast Fever headed into the season as almost overwhelming premiership favourites, with most rating them as likely to lift back-to-back trophies.

But they headed into round 10 having lost three of their past four games and suddenly look fallible.

They put that to bed against the Queensland Firebirds, though, setting the highest score in Super Netball history on their way to a 97-63 victory.

They also had the highest winning margin and Sasha Glasgow’s 14 super shots was the most since the introduction of the controversial two-point goal in 2020.

It put Fever right back in the winning frame, pushing them to third place on the ladder, although they – and the fourth-placed Melbourne Vixens – are still two points behind both the Adelaide Thunderbirds and NSW Swifts, who lead the competition on 30 points.

With the top four settled, the battle is now on for first and second and the double chance it will bring in the finals.

And that could yet be controversial, with the split points from the abandoned Thunderbirds-Swifts clash likely to affect the final ladder.

KOENEN INJURY RELIEF

Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich would have been breathing a little easier by Sunday night knowing the injury sustained by her star shooter Cara Koenen was not as bad as first thought.

Koenen limped from the court in the Sunshine Coast Lightning’s loss to the Giants on Saturday after seemingly badly rolling her ankle.

Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds offered some hope when she said Koenen had “very flexible ankles” and the goaler herself confirmed she is likely to line up for the Lightning this weekend to take on the Magpies when appearing on Fox Netball’s Pivot program on Sunday night.

“The ankle is actually doing pretty well,” said Koenen, confirming she had spent the 24 hours since the match icing and elevating her ankle to ensure a rapid recovery.

“There’s been no trouble and we should be right by next week.”

Koenen underlined her fitness by taking part in an in-studio shooting challenge with no issue.

Originally published as Net Gains 2023: Netball Australia confirm no funding received from Hancock Prospecting in 2022