Analysis: Grace Nweke’s plea to Dame Noeline Taurua to return to the Silver Ferns as head coach has created yet another headache for Netball New Zealand, who are yet to decide on the future of the coaching team, writes Scotty Stevenson.
Nweke, who dominated the Taini Jamison series at goal shoot, became the first active Silver Fern to publicly back Dame Noeline during a post-match interview following the side’s nail-biting one-goal victory over South Africa in Invercargill.
“It’s remiss to celebrate the success without acknowledging Noeline Taurua and the work she’s done for this team,” the shooter said, addressing both the television camera and the crowd in attendance.
“Going forward, Noels if you’re listening, we love you and we miss you and we want you back here.
“You’ve done so much for this group and the work you’ve done this whole year – you deserve to be here, and we want you back Noels.”
Star Silver Ferns shooter Grace Nweke said she wants Dame Noeline Taurua back in the coaching box, but also thanked those that stepped up in her absence. (Source: SKY)
It stands to reason that Nweke would support Dame Noeline, who was instrumental in convincing Netball New Zealand to adjust its eligibility settings so the towering shooter could return to the Silver Ferns while still playing her professional club netball in Australia. That decision paved the way for other high-profile Ferns to sign with Super Netball, rather than remain in the ANZ Premiership.
The bigger question now is this: Was Grace Nweke speaking as an individual while brandishing a royal ‘we’, or do her comments reflect the opinion of squad as a whole?
Despite Netball New Zealand’s desperation to keep its stakeholders in the dark when it comes to details of the process it followed in reviewing complaints about the Silver Ferns environment under Dame Noeline, it was reasonable to assume there were differences of opinion among the players. Nweke’s plea to Dame Noeline to return proves that assumption correct. Even if Nweke doesn’t speak for the whole team, her voice is a powerful one.
That is why her decision to speak publicly is so important. This isn’t just a story about netball. It’s a story about silence. Netball New Zealand, silent. The New Zealand Netball Players’ Association, silent. High Performance Sport NZ, who fund netball to the tune of $2.2 million per annum, the highest amount for any non-podium team sport, silent. The PR firm engaged by Netball New Zealand, silent. Is this silence in the interests of the players at heart? If so, we must ask again: which players?
Not Nweke.
We must also ask, which coach? Yvette McCausland-Durie and Liana Leota answered the SOS from Netball New Zealand to guide the team through the Taini Jamison series, but with that assignment now complete, McCausland-Durie told Sport Nation that her time is "technically" up.
“There’s been no decision made beyond this. The 14 players for the next two series will get their email today at 4 o’clock, but for everything else we’re none the wiser to. I’m back to school.”
When pressed on whether she had firmly closed the door on an ongoing role as coach, McCausland-Durie was more equivocal.
“Not completely. I am always open because for me it is about this team, making sure they can get on court and perform. How we navigate that as individuals is equally as challenging for them as it is us. Because you’re not trying to take anyone’s job or step on any toes, it’s about operating in a mana-enhancing way.”
If Netball New Zealand wishes to enhance its mana, it must decide on its coaching future now. The Silver Ferns players showed remarkable composure in sweeping the South Africans, proving the black dress remains a powerful symbol of unity in a sport that appears deeply divided. It is now up to the national body to give those players the right level of certainty as they prepare for the toughest test of the year.
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