Super Netball star brushes off ‘disappointing’ Grand Final call ahead of blockbuster
The Melbourne Vixens were dealt the short straw by a shock Grand Final call, but they’re fully focused on just getting there first.
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Melbourne Vixens star Jo Weston says her team is laser focused on winning through to the Super Netball Grand Final and making up for finishing last on the ladder last season.
The Vixens have been the team to beat all season and have only lost two games in a sensational campaign in which they have rediscovered the form that saw them claim the 2020 premiership.
Without injured Diamonds captain Liz Watson last year, they plummeted down the table and won the wooden spoon in a disappointing season.
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But with a healthy and balanced side, the Vixens are back to the best this year and are the favourites to win the premiership.
But first they will have to beat the second-placed West Coast Fever in Saturday’s major semi-final in Melbourne.
The winner will progress straight through to the Grand Final, while the loser gets a double chance and will face the winner of the minor semi-final between the Giants and Magpies next week.
“We’re just really looking forward to the first final this weekend,” Weston told news.com.au.
“We’re always hoping to be coming through with a win. The Fever are a really tough opponent.
“You’ve got big powerhouses down each end of the court so we know it’s going to be a really big fight. But we’re just hoping to come out really strong, play our game and come away with a win and go straight through.”
The Vixens have beaten the Fever in their two meetings this season and they will once again have the challenge of containing Fever goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler, who tied her own record with a 808-point season.
“That whole court defensive pressure is really important when playing against a shooter like Fowler because she’s incredibly tall, incredibly strong as well, so beating her in a one-one-one contest is tough,” Weston said.
“So for us it’s about a full court pressure out the front, really putting the pressure on each part the Fever are taking it and having really good defence over so we’re blocking their vision down court.”
‘Disappointed’ Weston brushes off controversial Grand Final call
If the Vixens beat the Fever, they won’t get to host the Grand Final, even despite finishing on top of the table.
That’s because Netball Australia made the decision this month to sell off the Grand Final to the highest bidder.
It means the Grand Final will be held at Perth’s RAC Arena, Fever’s home court, regardless of whether or not they make the decider.
Weston, who is the president of the Australian Netball Players Association, criticised the lack of transparency and consultation from Netball Australia regarding the decision.
“From a Vixens perspective we were just disappointed mainly for our fans and members that haven’t had the opportunity to watch us at home for so many years,” Weston said.
“Obviously we wouldn’t have been officially eligible to host that Grand Final unless we win the game on Saturday, but having that opportunity revoked was really hard and out of our control.
“From the players association perspective, we had a lot of discussion between all of the teams and it’s probably hard for me to remove myself being in the team that was significantly affected by the decision.
“But at the end of the day, all we’re wanting from Netball Australia is an appropriate consultation process and probably looking at some of the broader impacts some of their decisions have on the playing group.
“We like to think our sporting organisation would respect us as players and trust us with information, and I think that’s what’s been the most disappointing part of it all.”
If the Vixens do make the Grand Final, Weston said playing the biggest game of the season on the other side of the country holds no fear.
“We’ve already travelled over to Perth this season and had success at that arena so for us it feels like any other court,” she said.
“I’m hoping that if we do make the Grand Final we’ll have some support in the stands, whether its family or friends or even locals in Perth that might feel the need to support us over their own home team.
“We’ve had a really solid team that travels with us every week and we’re just focusing on playing the best netball we can and blocking out any of those external factors.”
But the star defender said the Vixens’ entire focus is on getting to the Grand Final first, where they hope to cap a remarkable return to form by claiming the Super Netball title.
“Last year was pretty disappointing,” Weston said.
“We won in 2020 and to finish on the bottom of the ladder in 2021 was really disappointing. “To have such an incredible turnaround this year we really want to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best position to win a spot in that grand final and then go the extra step and make up for last year.”
Netball Australia has partnered with Woolworths’ Pick Fresh Play Fresh grants program, an extension of Woolworths’ junior netball participation program NetSetGO.
A total of $100,000 worth of grants are on offer as part of the program — five worth $10,000 and 10 worth $5,000 — designed to assist with initiatives including facility improvements, equipment and training programs.
“I think it’s pretty cool they’re offering quite a large number of grants to clubs and associations,” Weston said.
“I’m sure my own club Waverley District would have loved to apart of this.
“It’s just about assisting initiatives like facility improvements, putting up new posts — all of those things that can really help netball clubs get back after the last couple of years of Covid. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Netball clubs and associations can apply for the Woolworths Pick Fresh Play Fresh Grants at pickfreshplayfresh.netball.com.au/grants. Entries close on Sunday June 19. The winners will be announced during the week of 4 July following the Super Netball Grand Final.
Super Netball Finals Week 1
Major semi-final: Melbourne Vixens vs West Coast Fever — Saturday 7pm AEST
Minor semi-final: Giants vs Collingwood Magpies — Sunday 4pm AEST
Originally published as Super Netball star brushes off ‘disappointing’ Grand Final call ahead of blockbuster
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