Code alert: Diamonds great’s warning for netball

If Netball Australia wants to challenge the major football codes, it must improve elite pathways for Indigenous players, says former Diamond and AFLW player Sharni Norder.

Donnell Wallam only had a year’s experience in Australia’s domestic competition. Picture: Getty Images.

If Netball Australia wants to challenge the major football codes, it must improve elite pathways for Indigenous players, says former Diamond and AFLW player Sharni Norder.

Donnell Wallam became only the third Indigenous Australian to play for the national team. Her debut on Wednesday came amid the fallout of the Hancock Prospecting sponsorship debacle, and Norder has called on the game to heed the commitments it made to Indigenous athletes in 2020.

Over recent seasons the introduction of the two-point shot to Super Netball, the moving of the Super Netball final to Perth for a six-figure sum and then the explosive Hancock Prospecting deal had caused controversy which could have been avoided.

Despite the extraordinary month that caused so much division and saw a $15m sponsorship torched, the game will be stronger for it says Norder.

“I think netball can be the number one women’s sport going forward, if they can evolve,” Norder said.

But it is the support of Indigenous athletes where netball has the most improvement.

“Netball Australia have their statement of declaration to protect and do better by Indigneous Australians and they are yet to do this,” Norder said.

“If netball wants to challenge these other sports, because they’re going to need to continue to grow, if they want to maintain one of those top positions, then they need to keep evolving.

“And I don’t think netball has done that. I think it’s been the same for a very long time.”

I think in regards to even the pathway side of it, there’s always been, you know, a bit of a breakdown in regards to the Indigenous side.”

Wallam was the first Indigenous player in 22 years to take the court for the Diamonds in the Test against England, since Sharon Finnan-White in 2000. Marcia Ella-Duncan is the only other Indigenous Australian to represent the national team.

Wallam came on in the final quarter, scored eight goals including an incredible lay-up which won the match for the Diamonds in the final seconds. The former basketballer, a Noongar woman, only had a year’s experience in Australia’s domestic competition.

Afterwards Wallam had tears in her eyes when she spoke of the incredible pressure and “outside noise” following the dress sponsorship saga. Her fellow Diamonds stood alongside her when she took exception to wearing the Hancock Prospecting logo. She was uncomfortable with comments the late Lang Hancock made about Indigenous Australians in the 1980s.

The lack of consultation with Wallam and others over the $15m partnership with Hancock Prospecting was a major sticking point with the players. There was a sense that they should have been consulted before the multimillion deal with the mining company was announced.

Netball Australia has been dealing with debts of up to $7m recently and was issued a “going concern” notice.

Former Australian Diamonds star Sharni Norder runs coaching clinics.

Hancock Prospecting said they walked away from agreement in part because they “were not made aware prior to the proposed partnerships, of the complexity of existing issues between Netball Australia and the Players Association.”

Norder pointed out a Declaration of Commitment was established in September 2020 after various past Indigenous players shared their stories of mistreatment.

A First Nations Advisory Committee was established and the declaration’s aim was to support Indigenous players, provide greater opportunities and stand with their communities.

In September 2020 Netball Australia and its associations pledged to take significant action to “break down the barriers that have prevented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, coaches, umpires and administrators from flourishing in the sport”.

“We’ve now got a statement of declaration for Indigenous people – before that deal with Hancock Prospecting was signed, did they ask; ‘have we thought about our statement of declaration for Indigenous people’,” Norder said.

“Have we ticked all of those boxes before we say yes and put it out to the public?”

Norder, who takes many netball clinics interstate, recently travelled to the Northern Territory and was reminded of the depth of talent across the country.

“I went to Alice Springs in March and did a few netball clinics and there was so many amazing Indigenous people and I just was like, why aren’t these players coming through to the elite level?” Norder said.

“And I don’t have the answers to that. But you know, these are the things that we need to be focusing on. Getting out to grassroots and helping those pathways. Sharon Finnan-White has done a fantastic job with her academy up in Townsville. And so, you know, it’s about creating more pathways and still making it somewhere that young girls want to play the sport … and I think anyone watching will go ‘I want to be an Australian player now’.”

Norder publicly criticised Hancock Prospecting for their environmental record last month stating that it was “unacceptable” that “our brand” was aligned with a “climate denier”.

Hancock Prospecting hit back at the “virtue signalling” of athletes. Norder said she stood by her statement, she is an Sports Environment Alliance ambassador, and said more high profile athletes will stand up for causes.

“I just think in the way that the world is going, the spotlight is on big sporting organisations and clubs like Netball Australia and the brand they choose to align with,” she said.

“These organisations do play a role in being leaders in society.

“Obviously sports washing is an issue. I think sporting organisations need to understand; ‘we’re probably not going to be able to get away with just chucking a logo on a dress for money like we used to’.

“I think that they just need to know that people are now going to question (certain companies) and have a conversation around it. If they’re happy with that, then still put your name forward and still go for it.

“But if you’re not happy with that, probably steer clear.”

She added: “I would like this to be very clear, what I wrote on social media was completely my own views, completely separate from anything from the Diamonds in regards to my own social conscience.”

In the wake of the Hancock Prospecting scandal, Norder (nee Layton) felt the communication to the players could have been better and more transparent. She said netballers by their very nature are compliant, “obedient”, if they are well informed.

“Netball has always been fan and player focused, but something shifted,” Norder said. “I can’t tell you what that is and I understand that we need to get money in the sport, but to do it well communicated to the players. Netball; you have the most obedient athletes of all time. That’s why I left. I wasn’t obedient. I am not joking.”

“If I am Netball Australia they need to go to the players and say; ‘this is what we need to do’, we need to get the players on board.

“Let’s have a discussion about this, and come to an agreement.Then when they go out to the media, they’re standing as one and the fans go; we don’t love it, but the players on board, we’re going to go with it.”

“We can be stronger if we continue to evolve.”

“Instead they announce it, the players go, wait, what? We weren’t consulted on this. The fans go and stuff you; why aren’t you talking to our players? It’s not the two point shot. It’s not about the grand final. It’s not even about the goddamn $15 million sponsorship. It’s about how they are going about their business and communication.”