Donnell Wallam to use the pride and energy of Super Netball’s First Nations Round to rediscover her spark

Super Netball’s First Nations Round carries such special significance for Donnell Wallam. She spoke to EMMA GREENWOOD about what wearing her Queensland Firebirds’ dress this weekend means to her as a proud Noongar woman.

Donnell Wallam will use the twin motivators of First Nations Round and a battle against one of the league’s toughest opponents to help shake a confidence crunch that has hindered her Super Netball form.

Wallam is one of the best holding shooters in the league and a potent scoring force for the Queensland Firebirds.

But she has been below her brilliant best over the past few weeks and wants to shake the shooting yips ahead of Saturday’s intrastate derby against the Sunshine Coast Lightning.

The Firebirds looked among the most improved teams in the league through the first three rounds of the season after going down to the Thunderbirds by just a goal in their season opener before beating the Giants and then pushing the Swifts to extra time.

But a lacklustre showing against the Vixens and drubbing by the Fever in Perth followed and the Firebirds and Wallam seemed off the pace in a disappointing home loss to the Mavericks last week.

Wallam and her Firebirds’ team are looking to rebound from some disappointing form, including a 36-point loss to West Coast Fever. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

“We’ve just had a bit of like a bit of a dip in our form, team-wide,” Wallam said.

“I need to stand up in those moments and be that experienced player for some of the young girls.

“This weekend, I will hopefully get back to form. I feel like I’ve kind of dipped in confidence and I’m missing a few shots that I should not be missing, which has kind of had a bit of an effect mentally on me.

“So I just have to reflect and put those games behind me now and move on and hopefully we get back to form as a whole group.”

Unfortunately for Wallam, who is likely to come up against Diamonds defender Courtney Bruce on Saturday night, it’s not as easy as just willing herself into the game.

“There’s many times where I’ve been in a game saying (to myself) switch on, switch on, get back to you – and it just doesn’t happen,” Wallam said.

“I’ve just got to do the work away from the game now this weekend, and hopefully, it pays off.”

Wallam is one of the rare players in the game whose performance seems to rise exponentially with pressure and expectation though and she’ll have both this weekend coming up against one of the world’s best defenders in Bruce, while wanting the best out of herself in First Nations Round.

One of just two Indigenous players in the league on a full-time contract – the other is Sunshine Coast midcourter Leesa Mi Mi who will line up for the Lightning on Saturday – First Nations Round brings out the best in Noongar woman Wallam.

Leesa Mi Mi is the other First Nations player on a full-time contract. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“I reflect on what it means to me and who I’m representing and I just get so much energy from that and just knowing that I’m representing so many First Nations girls who want to be in my position and also those who have come before me,” Wallam said.

“It’s a really special round and I get so much strength and motivation from it and the story that our dressed tell and what it means to us and just seeing my teammates and the whole league embrace this round and just really be really proud to wear our First Nations dresses and the conversations that this round starts, I think that’s the most important thing.

“Netball is still on a journey, I guess, to learn more and appreciate our First Nations culture and for me, being in the Firebirds and seeing what they do in this space has just been incredible.

“And it just makes me so proud to be part of the team.”