Netball Australia slams WA government for double standards with players locked down while AFL roam free
After claiming her team had been treated like “caged animals” in WA, one of Super Netball’s leading players has been subjected to social media abuse.
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After being put through the wringer through five days under harsh quarantine rules in Perth, Giants netball captain Jo Harten has called out vile social abuse which has been slammed by her peers.
Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald says her side went through “every emotion” as they were subjected to harsh quarantine rules for five days in Perth.
But emerging from the situation, which captain Harten said felt like being “caged animals”, the Giants went down by a single goal against the unbeaten Fever.
Then in an ugly aftermath, Harten was hit with a hateful message on Instagram which was labelled “shameful” by some of her Fever opponents.
In a classy response Harten, a member England‘s Commonwealth Games gold medal winning side in 2018, wouldn’t bite back.
What a bitter and unacceptable note to end a competitive game on! @Jarten may have been an opponent tonight, but she is also my friend and someone whom I respect greatly. Unfortunately this happens far too often, I don't accept it and applaud her for calling this out! #shamefulpic.twitter.com/1BzXsaaJE2
— Stacey Jayne Francis-Bayman (@StcyJyneFrancis) May 31, 2021
Fever captain Courtney Bruce, who as goal-keeper marked Harten during the match on Monday night, was quick to throw support to the Giants skipper.
“This is NEVER OK! This behaviour is extremely unacceptable & shouldn‘t be tolerated!” she wrote.
It had already been a tough five days for the Giants who played the match after five days in hotel quarantine.
Their bid to scramble into Western Australia last Thursday before changes to border regulations fell just short, after the state government announced restrictions as they flew across the Nullarbor.
Having been in Victoria from May 22-24 to play the Melbourne Vixens last start, Giants players and staff fell foul of Western Australia’s tough border restrictions and were confined to their hotel rooms with only short breaks each day for training.
Their fate was starkly different to that of Essendon’s AFL players – who played a match at a declared Covid exposure site in Melbourne but were able to roam Perth freely ahead of their clash against West Coast on Saturday after arriving just hours before the Giants and beating WA’s lockdown.
Netball Australia interim CEO Ron Steiner hit out at the West Australian government over what he perceived as a double standard.
But Fitzgerald was unwilling to comment on the difference in treatment, not knowing the details of the Bombers’ circumstances and simply praised her team’s handling of the situation.
“We went through every emotion on those first two days and there was just so much emotion because we didn’t know if we were going to have to stay in quarantine,” she said.
“Once we knew what our fate was, we did a pretty good job of accepting it and we realised that we certainly wouldn’t have the preparation that we (would otherwise have) had but we had six months of preparation and we had to call back on that.
“The fact that we did stick with them, it shows that we are in this competition and we can take on anyone.
“I think they are the benchmark of the competition, so if we can do that under these conditions, then I think we have every chance to go further ahead.”
NETBALL BOSS CALLS OUT WA OVER DOUBLE STANDARDS
Netball Australia has hit out at the WA state government for its double standards after the Giants netballers were forced to quarantine but Essendon’s players were not, despite last week’s game being played at a Covid exposure site.
Netball Australia CEO Ron Steiner hit out at the West Australian government and chief health officer in an internal email seen by the Herald Sun.
In the latest cross-code stoush, Steiner said the netballers had been rebuffed for an exemption despite repeated requests to the WA government.
The Giants netballers had spent time in Melbourne from May 22-24 and flew via Sydney but missed the deadline to dodge quarantine by only hours.
A decision to force inbound arrivals to quarantine was made while the players were in the air over the Nullarbor.
Star Giants player April Brandley was forced to fly home and miss the game after deciding she could not quarantine with her 15-month-old child in a small hotel room.
The Giants played the West Coast Fever in Perth Monday night, succumbing to an agonising 65-66 defeat on a controversial last second held-ball call.
Essendon’s players are allowed to live a normal life with no restrictions after taking on West Coast on Saturday night ahead of a Dreamtime in the West game against Richmond on Saturday.
Players have boasted of being able to go to cafes and have recovery at the beach, while the Giants are locked in their hotel rooms.
Essendon’s players needed only a negative Covid test to be allowed free run of the city.
The Herald Sun has confirmed Steiner wrote the email after repeated attempts to secure an exemption went on deaf ears from the WA government.
“As frustrating and disappointing is the lack of flexibility of the WA CHO, and more importantly, the impact on the Giants, the Board can be reassured that (Netball Australia) management has explored, agitated and exhausted all avenues in trying to get the best possible outcome on behalf of the Giants,” Steiner wrote.
“Giants had been in Vic from 22-24 May, had limited movements around Melbourne and had not been to any of the declared Covid exposure sites.
“Giants had left Sydney prior to the WA CHO order being made. Giants arrived into Perth under quarantine restrictions at approximately 12.30pm Perth local time. The CHO order did not recognise travellers already inbound to the State.
“The CHO order to change in border rules were implemented while the team was in the air meaning that when they arrived in Perth everyone had to adhere to the Western Australian government protocols; being tested for COVID-19 and self isolating.
“Essendon Football Club, even though travelling direct from Victoria, and even though they played at Marvel Stadium on the date in which it was a declared exposure site, arrived two hours before the change and thus escaped the new protocols.
“(Netball Australia) has been liaising with WAPOL (West Australian Police), and all the respective State Police and Health leaders, well in advance of, and since the decision was made.
“(Netball Australia), via WAPOL, submitted a proposal to the Assistant Commissioner and CHO for the Giants to arrive into Perth, be tested and isolate until a negative result.
“CHO was not prepared to compromise; our proposal was not accepted, resulting in the quarantine scenario playing out.
“We advocated for Giants for a reasonable variation to the CHO’s order to be under the same conditions as Essendon Football Club – get tested and isolate until result cleared. Our request (on more than one occasion), was denied despite us noting that Essendon arrived prior to the order, were not subject to any quarantine requirements, but feasibly presented a greater risk.”
The WA State Government on Monday night said the alternative to the Giants players enduring quarantine was them being denied entry to the state.
The spokesman said Essendon, which recorded negative Covid tests by 6.30am the day after they arrived, had complied with every WA health guidelines
“WA Police and the WA chief health officer have worked through a number of potential arrangements and protocols for some sporting and entertainment events in Perth, including Netball, due to the outbreak in Victoria and current border restrictions,” the spokesman said.
“It’s important to note that the Giants arrived on the day the hard border came into effect. However the State Government through WA Police in consultation with the Chief Health officer worked tirelessly with the team to ensure they were able to apply appropriate health protocols and work with the Giants to accommodate their game safely and ensure it could go ahead.
“The alternative was to prohibit the Giants from entering WA. Instead a commonsense approach, with the right health protocols was taken.
“The Giants had been in Victoria during the exposure period and arrived after the hard border came into effect, therefore were subject to the strengthened restrictions including self quarantine.
“To draw a direct comparison with the Essendon football team is inaccurate.
“Essendon arrived before the hard border was introduced and followed the rules for Victorian arrivals at the time, which was to quarantine until a negative test result was recorded.”
Giants captain Jo Harten said her team felt like “caged animals” after five days in quarantine in Perth, but coach Julie Fitzgerald would not be drawn on the State Government’s decision to enact different standards on netballers to those of the AFL.
Netball game in quarantine. Note cameramen in background in full protective gear pic.twitter.com/euG9WG8AMN
— Jenny Sinclair (@summerhill1003) May 31, 2021
“We went through every emotion on those first two days and there was just so much emotion because we didn’t know if we were going to have to stay in quarantine,” she said.
“Once we knew what our fate was, we did a pretty good job of accepting it and we realised that we certainly wouldn’t have the preparation that we (would otherwise have) had but we had six months of preparation and we had to call back on that.
The Giants will fly out in coming days for a clash against the NSW Swifts, while Essendon will return home on Sunday after their Dreamtime clash.
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