Super Netball match abandoned in Adelaide in truly farcical scenes
Court dramas and a power issue have rocked Super Netball on Saturday night with one game abandoned in unbelievable scenes.
In likely the most bizarre Super Netball game ever, the Round 2 NSW Swifts and Adelaide Thunderbirds game was abandoned due to technical issues.
The clubs were tied at 25-25 at halftime before the lights went out.
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“Earlier today we had to delay the match within the allowed window,” Nicole Malcher, Netball Australia’s head of integrity told Fox Netball. “We allowed it to be able to complete the match within the 120 minutes. Because we extended it we don’t have enough time to complete within the window so we do have to declare the match, a draw and two points each.”
Things started off on the wrong foot with a delay to the start time after the surface was deemed too dangerous.
Shocking footage just moments before the scheduled start time showed officials tearing decals up from the court as others rushed to salvage the showdown.
The return of players to the court from halftime was then again delayed due to a power outage.
“It’s so frustrating,” Swifts shooter Helen Housby told Fox Netball afterwards.
“No one likes a draw even when you get to play the 60 minutes. To not have an opportunity to win the game it’s really sad. There will be some emotions in the changing room this is a short season and we know that might be a few points gone missing for us.”
— Adam Hoskins (@hosko) March 25, 2023
There was an outpouring of fury from fans across social media with some calling for the Thunderbirds to face heavy sanctions for not being able to provide an adequate surface.
“Talk about drama, there’s been a lot of drama,” Fox Netball’s Bianca Chatfield said.
“It was flagged with Nicole Malcher – she’s the head of integrity and head of legal counsel at Netball Australia – that the court was deemed unsafe or not ready to be played on and more work needed to be done on the surface.
“We’ve had everybody out on court.
“The umpires were taking a look. It was all about the decals and whether they had the same surface area as what was on the court.
“(Coach) Briony Akle came out, the Swifts came out, the Thunderbirds came out.
“We were all waiting to hear if this game could go ahead.
“Netball Australia ticked every box and checked everything.
“Before every single game the court has to be deemed safe.”
Lacquer missing from some decals making it slippery, umpires and officials currently discussing. pic.twitter.com/Nga9v1BTkU
— Adam Hoskins (@hosko) March 25, 2023
Super netball star’s tearful admission
Giants captain Jo Harten has conceded there were tears when she was ruled out of last week’s season-opening Super Netball clash by strength and conditioning staff.
The English ironwoman had played every round of Super Netball since the competition inception in 2017, until being ruled outlast week despite a herculean effort to regain full fitness following pre-season knee surgery.
In the shooter’s absence – and that of midcourter Maddie Hay – the Giants suffered a drubbing at the hands of a Sunshine Coast Lightning team that finished with the wooden spoon last week.
Harten will line up against defending premiers West Coast Fever at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday, itching to get back on court but understanding her club was looking out for her long-term wellbeing.
“It was a joint decision with the S & C (strength and conditioning), coaching staff and everyone last week to hold me back for another week but I feel fully fit to go (on Sunday),” Harten said after training late this week.
“From my perspective, I’m 100 per cent looking forward to play on Sunday.
“We’ve got some strong minded people on our management team but I fully respect their opinions and they were looking out for me essentially.
“There were a few tears shed from me because I don’t like missing out on a game, I don’t like being the one to let the team down, but I fully back our team and their opinions and that’s why I sat out round 1.”
Coach Julie Fitzgerald said without the experience of players like Harten and Hay – who will play her 50th game on Sunday – her young side struggled to keep up with the Lightning.
“I like to win and I hate to lose but I think when we look at it (it was) a bit of a reality check, we had four kids 21 or under out there and they needed a bit more experience around them and it got to us in the end,” Fitzgerald said.
“But obviously we’re working on a lot of things that went wrong last weekend.
“I think we were both very, very disappointed last week when (Harten) didn’t get across the line (last week) but it’s a long season and we want to have her at her best for the whole season.”
The Giants eventually lost 66-50 to a resurgent Lightning, managing just nine goals in the second term in Harten’s absence.
Thing get little easier this week, with their opponents Fever coming off a win against the Melbourne Vixens in a high-quality grand final rematch.
Harten and Fitzgerald know they’re “up against it” on Sunday and need a 60-minute effort if they’re to cause an upset.
“They’re looking really sharp Fever, they’ve got firepower throughout the court and it’s going to be a full 60-minute performance if we want to match them on Sunday,” Harten said.
Her battle against Diamonds ‘keeper Courtney Bruce will set the tone for the match, with the Giants monstered in the circle last week.
Harten played a reduced role through the international season last year, essentially performing on one leg and will head into the game with little match play under her belt.
But her ability to direct play, as well as the return of Hay and the increased speed and crispness that is likely to give to the circle feeds will lift the Giants.
In Saturday’s clash, the Swifts are desperate to bounce back from last week’s painfully slow start against Collingwood when they face the in-form Thunderbirds in Adelaide.
Defender Sarah Klau will return to where it all began to play her 100th national league match and will play a key role in shutting down T-Birds’ import El Cardwell.
“On the court, she gets those clutch moments for us and we know we can rely on her in those tight moments,” Swifts coach Briony Akle said.
“Sarah’s played Cardwell several times on the international scene, so we know they’re a good match-up and it’ll be a good contest out there.”
South Australian product Klau, who played the first eight games of her national league career for the Thunderbirds before signing with the Swifts ahead of the first Super Netball season in 2017, said she was “humbled” to be racking up a century.
“It’s pretty crazy to think that my 100th game is where it all began in Adelaide through my junior years,” Klau said.
“It’s extremely special to play out there in front of my friends and family and to play my 100th game at this level is extremely special. Growing up I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be making 100 games at this level so I’m very humbled and very proud at how far I’ve come.”
Akle said the team had some frank discussions after their 71-63 loss to the Pies last week and while the Thunderbirds deserved to be among the favourites for the competition this year, her team’s focus was firmly on improving their own performance.
“It certainly was very disappointing from a Swifts point of view in round 1 and the way we played in their first half was definitely not the Swifts way and we’ve had a very big training week with hard conversations around what we want our brand of netball to be.
“I certainly think we’ve rectified that at training this week and we’re ready for Thunderbirds.”
‘SOUND UP MYSELF’: NETBALL STAR’S RAPID RISE AFTER ACL
Kiera Austin doesn’t want to sound “up herself”.
A year after making her comeback from a knee reconstruction, Austin has already played a Super Netball grand final, made her Diamonds return and won a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
But she’s adamant her game can go to another level.
It’s not something the former Giant, turned Vixen, always thought possible after she ruptured her ACL in the opening match of the 2021 Super Netball season.
There have been tough times. But the enforced time on the sidelines reminded Austin of how precious playing the sport is to her and she almost has to pinch herself to think of how much she achieved following a quickfire recovery.
“I still pinch myself sometimes,” Austin said.
“It really does (seem surreal). I’ve spoken to a lot of people who have gone through (a knee reconstruction) and they say it’s a two-year injury.
“There’s still times where it flares up or it doesn’t feel as comfortable as a normal knee would feel like but it’s great to be back on the court.
“And you just pinch yourself when you think about what you’ve achieved. But it definitely takes an army to get you there and you’re really grateful for everyone around you in the process of it too.”
It certainly was a process for Austin, who changed clubs at the end of the 2021 season following the meteoric rise of her replacement at the Giants, young gun and now fellow Diamond, Sophie Dwyer, and moved states to link with the Vixens in Melbourne.
With one of netball’s pinnacle events — the Commonwealth Games – held last year and Diamonds spots on the line, Austin’s focus was just to get back on court and start playing.
“Coming back on to court, it was just, get back on court, get a feel for it again,” she said.
“You forget what it’s like to play in front of a crowd. We hadn’t played in front of crowds for two years (because of Covid restrictions).
“So there were a lot of different like aspects that I was super nervous about but even towards the end of the (Diamonds) tours at the end of last year and heading into this year, I can feel how relaxed I am.
“I’ve actually have had a pre-season, I’ve played in front of a crowd again, that (fear) has all subsided.
“I think this last year was just about coming back and this year is: ‘what can I actually do now?’ “
So heading into overdrive is a real prospect.
“I really do (think I can find another level). It’s so weird to sound up yourself and say that but I came back quite fast for me and for an ACL (recovery),” Austin said.
A solid, if not spectacular, showing in last week’s grand final rematch netted 24 points on 21-of-30 shooting, including three super shots.
But it was her defensive efforts and work in the midcourt that showed she was back.
Two gains, an intercept, a deflection resulting in a gain, two pick-ups, three rebounds and 19 centre pass receives show Austin’s importance in helping the Vixens promote the ball.
That will be crucial again in Sunday’s derby against the Magpies, arguably one of the most impressive winners last week following their 71-63 victory over the Swifts.
With the World Cup on the horizon this season, Austin will be under the microscope of Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich and her selectors.
But her thoughts are firmly on the Vixens and a possible premiership tilt in front of a home crowd given the grand final will be held in Melbourne.
“I’ve definitely had selections in the past where that’s all I thought about and you don’t get the results,” she said.
“What was so great for me last year was that I literally had no pressure on myself. I came back, I started playing again and that was the only goal I had and anything else that happened was a bonus.
“Winning a premiership is such a big achievement and that’s obviously going to be your first goal heading into a new season.
“It always does kind of sit in the back your head that you’d love to make a World Cup team but if you’re not selected, then it’s just a reason for you to work harder for that next cycle.
“But I try not to think about it too much.”
Originally published as Super Netball match abandoned in Adelaide in truly farcical scenes
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