New Silver Ferns interim captain Karin Burger has spoken about the importance of leading by example as her team prepare for the Constellation Cup series against Australia alongside interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie.
Burger, who led the Silver Ferns to victory in their first of three Test wins over South Africa during the recent Tani Jamison Trophy series before the role was handed to Kelly Jackson and then Grace Nweke, was voted into the role by her peers.
Jackson has been announced as vice-captain.
The Tani Jamison series was played out in the wake of the suspension for the rest of the year of coach Dame Noeline Taurua following complaints from some players within the team which have not been revealed or apparently resolved. Dame Noeline said at the weekend she cares "deeply about the Silver Ferns and [I] want to be back coaching the team".
Experienced defender Burger, 32, has been given the leadership role temporarily because of Dame Noeline’s continued absence in what has developed into an employment issue.
“Leading by example is the key,” Burger told 1News today. “With our group, communication and transparency is very key… making sure people are heard and things are actioned as well…
“There were a lot of leadership models put in place so it doesn’t just get put on one player. I know Noels had created an environment… that allowed a lot of leadership from everybody… everyone has to play a role.”
Asked about the Dame Noeline situation – sparked back into life after New Zealand’s victory in the third Test over South Africa when Nweke made a plea on the broadcast for the head coach to return – Burger said: “It’s been a bit up and down over the past few weeks in terms of not having any certainty going forward.
“Regardless of whether people agreed or didn’t agree with the decision, it has been made and is final.
“We’ve acknowledged the position we’re in at the moment and that we’ve got a job to do. Obviously we’re representing our country in the black dress so we have to perform regardless of what’s going on in the background.”
However, Burger, who has previously described the Dame Noeline situation as "sad" and "frustrating", added: “Obviously, [I'm] a bit disappointed in how it’s escalated to this point. I don’t think that’s down to players disagreeing with each other – that’s probably a different conversation.”
Asked about the importance of leading for the collective rather than the few, she said: “That’s been a massive learning curve for everyone – knowing you can be strongly opinionated your way and feel the way you do but that doesn’t take away from someone else.
“Being in a team sport and in a leadership position does mean you have to consider both sides at all times.”
Asked about the unresolved coaching issue, interim coach McCausland-Durie said: “The thing I’ve talked about is that this is a workplace and it all happens to be playing out in an open space. There is always a challenge in a workplace but we need to be really clear on our direction and our vision and that’s about Australia.”
New Zealand play the Diamonds in four Tests – two away and two at home – starting in Melbourne on October 17.
The Silver Ferns are the current holders of the Constellation Cup.
Former Silver Ferns defender Tracey Fear – recently brought in by Netball New Zealand as a high-performance consultant – conceded the last few weeks had been “hugely tough” on the players.
“Their resilience has really been tested. What we’re seeing now is how resilient they actually are. I’ve been really impressed with the way they’ve put it behind them.”
Following the Constellation Cup, the Silver Ferns play two Tests against Scotland and three against England in the United Kingdom in November.
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