Lisa Alexander: Silver Ferns playing dangerous mind games on concussion issue

The Silver Ferns are at it again, trying to influence referees by using the concussion debate to target Australia’s best defender, writes former Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander.

New Zealand have been playing mind games for five months leading into the Netball World Cup in Cape Town, igniting a concussion debate that has unfairly targeted Australian Diamonds’ defender Courtney Bruce.

The discussion around concussion is far too serious to be cobbled together with an attempt to sway umpiring decisions before world netball’s biggest showcase, but I’ve noted how the Silver Ferns were planting the seeds as far back as March on an issue they want addressed in South Africa, starting this weekend.

Every news story out of New Zealand earlier this year talking about potential rule changes has identified an incident last year involving contact between goalkeeper Bruce and Silver Ferns star shooter Grace Nweke.

The Silver Ferns were not happy a caution or send-off, in their opinion, was missed, and have been campaigning ever since for any head-high contact in a match to be an automatic “sin bin” for the offender.

Bruce plays the game hard but fair and is one of the world’s best goalkeepers. Her level of skill, athletic capability and mental toughness have grown to elite standard.

Courtney Bruce (right) and Grace Nweke battle for the ball in the Constellation Cup last year.

Bruce displays incredible defensive discipline in timing her intercepts and disruptions, all the while staying in play on most occasions with regard to the contact and obstruction rules.

Raising this debate leading into the World Cup is a tactic to rattle the Diamonds and seek to influence the umpires when Bruce finally goes head-to-head again with Nweke in South Africa.

It is a battle that could decide the World Cup, so I’m not surprised they’ve launched this attack on Australia’s most influential defender.

New Zealand is notorious for this tactic. Of course, many of our experienced international umpires are wise to these tactics and let it wash over and would never be influenced in the slightest. 

But it doesn’t mean they don’t talk about it.

Once during a Constellation Cup series in New Zealand when I was coaching, my husband overheard umpires at an airport between games talking among themselves: “Pay not what you see but what you think they are doing.”

I can remember that Test match very well, as we were beaten on the scoreboard and the penalty count was very lopsided too.

We went on to win the series, but the NZ press accused us of ugly defending.

Courtney Bruce is the most important player in the Diamonds defence.

The truth is NZ believes Australia is rough because of our “human backpacks”, or hard one-on-one defence, and we believe they hit late with their offline defence, which can lead to players being tunnelled just like in AFL – except netballers fall on wooden boards, and not grass.

That is why I believe netball is so much tougher than AFL, it is true one-on-one contesting, and you fall on wooden boards and you can get concussed.

I have a memory like an elephant and that is why I am perturbed that NZ have again been playing the woman and not the ball.

They know world umpires read all the press from NZ and Australian netball.

They believe it will be spoken about among the umpire group and if they could gain even a 1 per cent advantage, one call could mean the difference in a close final.

The best umpires may read it but know what is going on, and then ask questions in training sessions to better understand how skilful and disciplined the players are to identify the tactics being used so there are not excessive penalties called.

The umpires at the Netball World Cup are extremely capable and experienced, especially those making the finals matches. They will be preparing and training for all scenarios and conducting practice matches, training sessions and performance analysis, and they have assessors watching every match and providing feedback. They are world class and have earned this level through a rigorous process.

Bruce and Nweke in action.

Bruce gets a turnover against Nweke.

The most recent rules review has a big emphasis on player safety. These rules are critical in allowing netball to have a physical and athletic aerial game that is exciting to watch but still protects players from the risk of serious injury, especially concussion.

These rules cover all levels of the game from grassroots to World Cup level.

This review does not focus on one style of play, as various styles of play can equally create risk, and suggesting one style is inherently more dangerous than another is misleading and unfair.

We all agree player welfare is critically important to the game, but that includes mental welfare, not just physical welfare. 

By targeting a particular player, in this case Bruce, the pile-on nature of social media can have a profound effect on a player’s mental health.

I support Netball Australia’s stance on reminding their fans about the nature of support for the players, coaches and umpires on social media. All involved in a Netball World Cup are giving their very best in every moment and will make mistakes, as is the case in any world-class level of pursuit, they do not deserve to have their character called into question.

Injuries happen in netball, as do concussions. They happen in training, they happen in games. Netball is a high-speed physical contact sport that is played hard on both sides.

New Zealand has a history of flying out of the circle and colliding with players – so they need to be careful what they wish for when it comes to contact.

Playing mind games through the media just might come back to bite them.

Originally published as Lisa Alexander: Silver Ferns playing dangerous mind games on concussion issue