This week on The 4th Qtr, Sarah Karaoglu and Dylan Nexhip are joined by proud Kamilaroi woman and former Australian Diamonds squad member Alison Tucker-Munro to talk about the formation of the Inaugural First Nations team, the Black Swans, and her role as First Nations Engagement Lead at Netball Australia; they also unpack all of the action ahead of round 7, the first instalment of First Nations Round in 2024.
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the fourth quarter. My name is Sarah Carraglue and today I'm joined by show regular Dylan and Nexship, and we have a very special guest ahead of unpacking all the exciting news in Round seven and First Nations Round the first installment of twenty twenty four, Camilloy woman Ali Tucker Monroe. Ali, thank you so much for joining us today. It's great to have you on the show. Firstly, how excited are you for this time in Nepal at the moment?
Oh?
Look, I always love the opportunity to have First Nations showcased within our sport, and particularly at that SSN level, and I think for me, I'm really pleased to have seen the round split over two two different parts of the year, which I think, really I guess speaks to the importance of showcasing what National Reconciliation Week is and how we as a sport you need to look at what that means and what we're doing in that space individually and as a collective. But then also obviously the second iteration of it in July around nay Ook Week, which is really exciting to showcase our First Nations people.
Speaking of people working towards doing more in this space, Ali, you have been at the forefront and some very exciting news that came out only weeks ago that Australia will have their first in all rural First Nations team. How long has this been at the front? How long has this been at front of mind for Netble Australia.
Oh look, I think this has been an important piece of a broader puzzle that many of us as passed and even current First Nations netballs and even just First Nation Network participants across Australia have always wanted to see happen. I think there's always been a desire to make sure that you know, we are visible in this sport, and I think this is a really a great way in which we can address this limited representation that we have, particularly at the elite level of talented, average Lntoche Islander players.
Alongside the team announcement we've seen today, the official announcement of the team name Black Swans, are you able to tell us a little bit about the meaning behind the team name?
Oh look, I think the meaning of the name is I guess really unique to us as First Nations people in this country. You know, and a lot of people don't even realize that Black Swans are actually only found in Australia and have actually been I guess sent overseas. So I guess that inherent link to connection to country here in Australia is really important. And I guess it speaks to that connection to country that we have as First Nations people, particularly within this sport. And I guess you know that segues nicely into the First Nations women and girls who are representing their country and their community and their culture with pride in a couple of weeks time. And I guess around that that uniqueness and the grace with which they carry themselves and the presence that they'll have and that they will bring out on court, you know, really speaks to those key attributes that you notice when you do see a Black Swan out on country.
Alie, how will the coming together of this team better the pathway for First Nation athletes in this competition?
Yeah, Look, I think it's really important to acknowledge that there often is no clear pathway that our community sees and knows how to where the front door is and how to enter it. And so I think it's just about starting to build that out a little bit across the netball ecosystem. And I think for me, you know, it's really important to acknowledge that there is some challenges when our when our women and girls you know, do in to the and navigate the high performance pathway space, and there's a range of reasons around that in terms of sort of.
Systemic and behavior and structural barriers.
And I think so for me, this particular team and what this this sort of opportunity presents is it's a real commitment to start to build out you know, participation and pathway programs that you know are looking at accelerating those equitable opportunities for us as First Nations people.
But it's also being done in a really culturally safe space.
And I think that's what's really unique about this opportunity for our girls is that, you know, by creating these sort of safe spaces within net Bore, we're bringing together empowered, really confident, Aboriginal and touristional n women who you know, can reach their full potential. And knowing that, you know, we're all about connection as First Nations people. Connections really important to us, connection to our culture, to our community, and to our country and so again drawing strength from each other and nurturing this community within a netflik community as First Nations women is really really critical and it's about them knowing that, hey, you've always got someone here to sort of lean into or to have a laugh with, or just to listen and get some I guess tips on how to continue to navigate in the pathway, which all these kids are.
Doing at the moment. They're actively a part of.
The pathway in Australia, and so it's really about opportunity connection and having these amazing high performance pathway athletes thriving and shining in this wonderful team.
And I think having seen the team list, there's some absolute superstars on that list and it's at a very exciting opportunity for them. So how is the preparation for the series coming along?
Oh, look, it's been really exciting. Obviously, you know, it's always busy when it's the netball season and so they're obviously managing a range of commitments across different spectrums.
As pathway athletes. But look, they're.
Working really hard and you know, as I said before, they're just so delighted with this opportunity and what it means not just for them but their families and their communities, and so I can expect quite a few supporters up in Brisbane cheering us on, which is really exciting. And I guess on that note, it's really important to acknowledge the great support from the states and territories who are working with these athletes. Given it is a decentralized team, so they're sort of working hard across different pockets of Australia, but jeez, they're really excited to get into camp and get this game, these games going.
Obviously you've put in so much work to see this team come together, but beyond this tournament, we want to keep following and continue to be able to watch these stars. Is there any other competitions in the works or other ideas and plans that are coming to Fruition? Absolutely, so, I think the key word there is around that beyond beyond what is next.
And so you know, having been around this game for decades like I have, and others who have been around the same time as me, we're all acutely aware of the need to make sure that anything we do in this space is really authentic and that there's some real authentic investment there. You know, there is a bit of a trust deficit that's existed between netball and our communities, and so this will take time and and it will mean that we need to ensure that the actions do match the rectric because that's often permeated this space quite a lot. So I think for me, it is about, you know, thinking about the long game, and I think that's how most people have been able to connect with in terms of this space and standing up this team. It's really about playing that long game and thinking strategically that this is not a one and done component of what we need to do in this space, and that you know, this is about the ecosystem itself also coming on this journey to build and grow their cultural literacy and competency in the netball ecosystem, like I said, and that's where it comes back to all of us playing our part around that. Right in terms of us all being agents have change to make sure that you know, we are that accessible, inclusive and welcoming sport that we know we can be.
And for us netball fans who love to cast an eye over everything, who are some potential players we should keep an eye out for during the series.
Yeah, Well, Garna defender Aleiah Turner. She's a really exciting young younger player based in South Australia. She's been doing some really great stuff down there in essays. She's been a bit hampered by an injury, but I think this is her moment to shine and really, I guess showcase her skills and talents at the series. And I think the Molo sisters Jaden and Tiare are two other really exciting mid quarters who are Murray's from Queensland, and Jaden's been around in the Pathway system for quite a number of years, even though she did compete at nineteen Nationals recently, a lot of these kids have been in the pathway for a number of years and so I'm really looking forward to seeing not just them, but the whole team, you know, really grab this opportunity with two hands and run with it.
Ali as Nepal Australia's first Nations Engagement lead, You're at the forefront of these players' lives. You're seeing them come through the pathway. How on earth were you able to put together this team?
How difficult was that? Knowing there is so much talent to select from.
Yeah, look, and I think that's a really important point to acknowledge that there is so much talent and we know that there's more, right and so I guess for me, when I was sort of exploring and scoping out this opportunity, you know, it's really pleasing to see that there's about one hundred and thirty odd First Nations kids across Australia in the pathway at different facets of the pathway.
And so whilst there's always.
Opportunity for more and we must have more, I think that's important to first of all acknowledge. And I think on that point, you know, working with the States and Territory, the member organizations to work through, you know, some of the activities that they've got happening at ground level and the kids that are moving within those spaces, bringing them in and on this journey was really call as well, because again it's going to take a collective to shift the dial in this space. So look it what was hard to sit through and sort out the kids that we would look to provide this opportunity to and extend an invitation for. But I think you know what I hope to see moving forward is that we start to build this almost incentivizing our kids to continue to see that this is a mechanism by which you know, they can come into these spaces in a really culturally safe space and be around them more. And I guess connect and take away that learning and those cultural I guess insights and strength building to go back out to the pathway and keep plotting and keep working through the system. So look, you know, i'd love to see them coming through in the next couple of years, you know, more visible. And I think that's what the reality is. That it's going to take time. And I think what is important then that we are investing authentically to play the long game here around this.
The passion and the vision that you have for the pathway for these athletes is.
Incredible and I really admire that. What was your experience of.
Coming through the pathway and how have you used that experience to help drive what's happening.
Oh look, I think like many past Person Nations players, I had found it very very challenging as a young Aboriginal kid in the pathways. I felt different, I felt that I didn't belong, and at times I was made to feel different and made to feel that I didn't belong and then I didn't look.
A certain way or act a certain way.
And I think this that we need to reconcile and reposition this thinking as a sport that you know, it's not good or bad, it's just different, right, and we've got to embrace that difference. And so I've sort of felt that as a coach at times as well, where you know, again I'm facing these challenges of you know, being different, the way in which my culture influences my coaching practice.
It's not good or bad, it's just different.
So you know, despite of you know, I've been coaching for at two almost twenty years now, so you know, I've loved and really enjoy enjoyed the opportunity to transition from a player to a coach. And I guess for me, it's just about making sure then that you know, if our kids are coming through the system, that their their learnings and their experiences are really positive and that you know, they do move on and become potential coaches in the future, or they become umpires, or other ways in which we keep our girls within this great game.
This kind of leads me to my next question, But what do you want to highlight them for people? To remember as we head into the first First Nations round of the season.
Look, I think it is important to acknowledge that our sport must change, and this is a first step, right and that it will take time. But importantly, we are all part of this game and therefore we all play a critical part.
In being part of the change.
So, you know, it is National Reconciliation Week soon and the theme is around.
Is actually now more than ever?
And for me, that really speaks to reconciliation in action, and it really speaks about the importance of non Indigenous allies not just stepping up, but stepping forward and being the change that we want to see in our game.
So you know, we want.
To see that changes First Nations people, and we want to walk and work that journey together with everyone in this sport.
Ali.
We are so grateful for incredible women such as yourself, our strong women in the sport that we love in this country taking steps forward such as you. So thank you very much for the work you're doing in this space, and we cannot wait to see the team compete in the Pacific Netball Series.
No worries, Thank you, Thank you so much for having me.
Thanks Ali, good luck, huge, good luck, I can't wait to watch.
Thanks, hello, and welcome back to the fourth quarter. Now it is time for us to have a little look at the rounds ahead. Very exciting, some huge matchups, Dylan, Let's start with the Lightning and the Firebirds the Queensland Derby.
What are you excited about in this match?
Yeah?
I think anytime there's a derby in a state, it's always an exciting match. And you know, both teams are kind of they're in different positions.
You see the Lightning slowly building some momentum.
After a couple of really up and down weeks and the Firebirds that are struggling to find that form that they started off with. I think it'll be a really close game. Both teams will be really committed and dedicated to getting a win and try to set themselves up coming into the second half of the season.
Very exciting that this is the first match of First Nations round and we have two incredible superstars that we're going to get to watch out on court. Dennel Wallom, who I'm sure is going to want to take it up a notch in this round.
What do you think we're going to see from her?
Yeah, she'd be really really excited to be really up for it, and and she want to bounce back after last week. You know, she sat that third quarter on the bench. So any player with you know, that has her caliber that that gets put in that position, they want to make sure that they come back out the next week and really put out a solid performance. It'd be interesting to see what happens what they work on this week in that attack line. They need to fix a few things up down there to really make sure that they have they get the desired impact they want against the Lightning this week.
What did you think about their attack end, especially when Danell left the court and we had Emily Moore come on.
Yeah, it was interesting.
It was something we probably didn't really expect to see, but you know, when it gets to that stage, you.
Have to try something.
And the third quarter, you know, they only lost it by one, and that was their closest quarter, but you know, the first quarter they lost and the second quarter they lost, and they managed to get it back a little bit closer in that third. So it's interesting to see something different and how they responded to that. Obviously, Wollam plays a really big part in this team and they want her out there for four quarters. I think they need to start to tinker with what's happening out the front, you know. Tip of Dwe, her numbers have been quite interesting. In round one, two, and three altogether, she.
Had forty six goalscists.
Over the last three rounds, she's only had thirteen goal sists.
So to me, that stat's alarming.
The fact that she's not able to get Wollum the ball means there's something not quite working down there, and that's something.
They need to look at. Emily Moore's come on the last few weeks and.
She's had twenty six goal assists in the last three rounds, and that position between Moore and Dwe has been relatively shared over the last couple of weeks. So if I'm beck Bully, maybe I'm thinking do I start more see how it goes get Wollom into the game by you know, having someone that can can get her to get her the ball a little bit easier.
It's quite interesting though, because the mid quarters have had some pretty great stats. So if we're talking about Lara Dunkley, Kim Revellion Macy Gardner, do you think there's an issue with how they're feeding their attackers.
The ball, not necessarily how they're feeding.
I think once they're getting to circle edge, they're going okay.
I think sometime the issue.
Is for them to get to circle edge, so they're getting a little bit clunky.
And when I say clunky, I feel.
Like sometimes they're just croating that middle channel and they're just running on top of each other a little bit, and then that can make the space really hard to access for Dwine or more coming out of the circle to get the ball. So they just need to revisit that structure there a little bit, potentially use VeVe or kimravellion through that center a little bit more to provide something different if it's not working. You know, Dunkly shows that you can play that wing attack position really well. I'm not sure about her going back into center and that being the best structure for.
The Firebirds and Gardner.
Again, she's building that consistency. We need to remember that she's relatively inexperienced in this environment, so for her to continue to play week by week and get high numbers.
Is a huge challenge. She's absolutely got.
The potential, but I think for them it's just about getting some clear structure and hopefully getting some consistency in what they do.
Well, let's move on to the lightning. The lightning mid court, actually the lightning all over the court fired last week. They had an incredible performance against the Vixen's Liz what especially putting her old team on show. What can we expect from her this week?
Yeah, much of the same. She's so consistent and that's why she's been so good for so long. She rarely ever has a bad game, and her numbers have shown that.
This year.
She's leading goal assists and.
Leading center pass received, So she's someone that's always Her work rate is sensational, and I think what we're seeing is, you know, someone like Lisa Maima who's learning so much from her and she's feeding.
Off of that.
And just that aura that Liz has is enough to bring a team up. And I think after what happens against the Giants, they've really able, you know, they've been able to use that as motivation to really kickstart, and we saw that against the Vixen's. Their challenge now is how they can build that consistency because they.
Don't want it to be a one and done.
Yet We've got our we've come back from that disappointment and we've got our win. They want to make sure that they keep building here and I definitely think if they can play like what they did last week, they should win this game.
Lisa Mimi another player that was brilliant last week. And what do you think she's how do you think she's benefiting from slotting in with the Diamonds attack end.
Oh yeah, she'd be learning so much, and not just in a game, she'd be learning at training and for her as well, you know in that if you have that opportunity, you just want to be a sponge and you want to learn as much as you can and.
Soak everything in.
And you can see that with her with the way that she's playing on court now after six rounds, her game's already evolved so much. Her game sense has evolved, and that's sometimes the biggest challenge when you transition from you know, your.
State league into the SSN.
You've got to make sure that your game awareness and your game sense goes with it too, And you can see that developing. She's reading the space well, She's being able to read where she needs to place the ball to Stephan Takara and to Riley as well, so I'm excited to see, you know how she continues to evolve as the season goes on.
Another young gun who's really stepped up in the absence of Courtney Bruce is Ash Irvin and Tyra Hinchliffe as well. I know we didn't get to your segment on the weekend that we were planning, Bill, but I know you're very impressed by her numbers.
Both of them combined last week eighteen games. A team would be happy to have eighteen games as a whole team, and those two had eighteen games between.
Them, which is huge.
My bold prediction is I think ash Urban will be in a diamond's dress by the end of the year if she continues to play the way that she is. And what I've really liked about the development of her game is her anticipation. She's not just reacting and getting a ball because it's a bad pass. She's attacking the pass and being able to get that. She's using her footwork to get back to contest the high ball. You know, her anticipation and her ability to read the play is getting.
Better and better each week.
And I think it's quite interesting to remember as well that she was at the Firebirds last year, Lisa MAMAI was part of the Firebirds program last year, and now you know they're performing so well for the Lightning, So I think it's a little bit of a case at potentially the two that got away for the Firebirds, and yeah, they want to go out there and make sure they're showing that Belinda Reynolds they did the right thing by moving to the Lightning with them.
I think that's probably my matchup of this game will be ash Urban going up against to now Wollam, who is such a strong target for the Firebirds. Who do you think wins that match up?
It's an interesting one. I think it's going to depend a lot what happens out the front. I think ash Urban is a great matchup for Walam. I think she matches her in height and strength. If the Firebirds feeders can hit circle edge and they can deliver with purpose, then absolutely Wollam has every chance to win this matchup. But I think based on form, ash Urban is going to be.
Hard to stop.
It's exciting, well, we can't wait to see how that unfolds. Let's move on to the twenty twenty three Grand Final rematch. I think we've all been waiting for this one. I actually had to check that they hadn't played each other yet, because I feel like the anticipation has just been building. Let's talk about Ramelda Ake and George to start. Now, she was on the opposite end in the Grand Finals, she was playing for the Swifts. How do you think she'd feel now that she'll be coming up against her old side for the rival.
Yeah, it'd be interesting to think how she's feeling.
I think aking George, you know, she's so experienced and she's had so much time in netball that she'll be able to handle any situation like this.
I don't think she'll be feeling.
Any type of oh, you know, just her usual pregame nerves and things like that.
But I actually think she'd be really excited to see lots of the Swifts girls.
You know, she connected so well with that group last year, with the coaching staff, so I think she'll be really excited to be able to see them and reconnect. And it should be, you know, once they step on to court, it'd be business.
As usual, the most exciting and I actually think you'll agree that the most exciting part of this match will be the Swift's attacking end coming up against the thunderbirds defensive end. One person who wasn't in the Grand Final last year was Samantha Wallace. Joseph, how do you think she'll fare in this match?
Yeah, it'd be interesting to see.
I think last week was you know, she played a really great game against the Giants and probably shot her highest numbers for the season, so she'll.
Have confidence from that.
But of course going up against Shami Sterling Humphrey is no easy feat, so it'll take her a while to I think adjust to the different style of defense because Shamira plays like nobody else and.
It takes a little bit of time to get used to that.
Hopefully the Swift's feeders will be confident to be able to give that ball, put it to the right space, and hopefully, Sammy, you'll be able to build into the game early.
But I think you just got to stay.
Strong against someone like Shamira and build into that game and understand that there will be times that she'll get ball that you absolutely don't expect her to get ball, and.
You've got to be okay with that to move on quick.
Latanya Wilson and Shamira Sterling have both said that they would I think they said they would steal Helen House. But when we did a little players in a bit as a player for their team, they believe she's just one of the hardest players they come up against. And it's also one of the most exciting matchups that we see out on court.
What are you expecting from this matchup?
Absolute fireworks.
I think if you remember back to that final series last year, you know, three quarter time when Halen come on to the court, you got meeted met by Shimira and there's some chest bumps and a little bit of stuff happened off the ball before the whistle had even gone, and that continued into.
The Grand Final.
So I think in that space it's going to be a really exciting matchup.
You know, they both they all.
Bring so much passion and you can see that with the way Howsey was playing on the weekend. You know that after she shoots the two points, the hands going up, the come ons, the screams, and Shamira and.
Latanna do the same thing as well.
So I love love that energy that they bring and this is just going to be a matter of who can get those.
Early wins on the boards.
In terms of it, Hallan starts, you know, sinking those twos, or a Shamira and Latania start getting those intercepts early. Whoever can get the small wins early is probably going to put themselves in a good position to win that battle.
Talking about some other battles all over the court. In the mid court, Taylor Williams is probably in career best form. Page Hardley also unstoppable. Who wins that battle?
Oh, that's a tough one.
I think watching Page on Sunday against the Giants, she was just insane. She was on a mission, and when Page on a mission, she is on an absolute mission.
And I think there was one passage of play where I saw her get.
A ball, she passed it, she got it back again, passed it, got it back again, hit circle edge and fed the ball. She was doing absolutely everything. So she is determined and she'll have that hunger to make sure that she wants to go get.
That Grand Final revenge.
Taylor William's strength this is a mid quarter, is a defensive ability.
So I think it's a really good.
Match up for the Thunderbirds because she's going to want to make sure that she can take Paige Hadley out of the game, and someone like Kathy Fellows, who's the assistant coach of Thunderbirds, who's got such a great defensive brain, will know that that's a strategy that they need to implement. I think for Williams to win this battle, she's going to have to be really consistent with her attacking game too.
She can't just worry about the defense work.
She needs to make sure that she's retaining ball, hitting circle edge, making sure.
She's delivering to the feeders.
Because Page will make sure that she's accountable, makes her accountable.
At both ends.
Who wins this match, I'm going to say Thunderbirds because it's in Adelaide, but I think it will come down to the wire.
Do you think it's going to be another extra time game?
Why not? That's what we want.
We know the.
Swifts and the Thunderbirds love to go into extra time together, so we'll see. We can't wait to see how that match plays out. Let's move on to the Mavericks and the Giants. The Giants dill still searching for their second win of the season and their first one, obviously not overly convincing. It was a match one and extra time. What do you think they're going to put out this week.
Well, I think Maddi Hay will be back this week. From what I understand. She played in the game the Academy Game on Sunday. She played a full game of Premier League last week.
As well, so I think they'll be.
Looking to bring her back into the mix and try to just create a little bit of more structure in.
That attack line.
We know that Maddi Hay has a really good netbor brain, she can access space really well, and she's already got a connection with everyone down there. I think for Giants as well, they need to start thinking about, well, what's not working and then thinking about well, what can we change, what do we need to increase or make different, because you know, currently with a game plan is not having the success that they want. And I think the worrying thing for the Giants is that these games that they're losing potentially not even close as well. There's been lots of blowouts, so you have to kind of get to the point where it's time to think, well, let's reimagine what we're doing, let's innovate our game plan, let's change it up, and let's try something completely new.
What is that completely new decision with their roster you think that they can do. Is that actually starting with Matisa leather Burrow, Is it starting with Erin O'Brien or what else do you think they could put forward.
Yeah, you've obviously got the opportunity to have positional switches, but the roster of ten does limit that.
You know, you could put.
Matissa out there for a start, you off with something different and maybe it's a different space that the feeders will be able to give the ball and we might create a little bit of clarity in that attack end. You know, do you do something completely different and put Sophie Dwyer into goal shooter and start Joe out at goal attack? You know, you could bring Erin O'Brien on, give her a go there as well. I'd also love to see them just experiment.
With their structure as well.
You've got Sam Winders, who's from New Zealand, who who grew up playing zone style defense.
You've got Jody and Ward whose strength is to go for a ball.
Do you start to completely ship from that one on one and start to play a little bit more offline defensively and change that structure completely and then yeah, I think having Maddy hayback will make a big difference in that wing attack position, someone that can run through the lines a little bit more of that change of direction that plays off the body a little bit more to see if.
That can just help them, you know.
So Joe doesn't have to come out of the circlus much because I think when that happens they get a little bit stuck.
There has been a lot of talk about the Giants defensive end. We saw how Shamona Jock was such a strong target for the Mavericks over the weekend. She got Player of the match and rightfully, so how do you think Tilly will go up against her?
Yeah?
I think Shimona creates such a great presence and what she does amazingly now is she can pull a ball in from anywhere. Her hands have developed so much, her game sense has developed, and she's getting delivered ball really well by both Nankerville and Djovic and also card well as well. So it's going to be an absolute tough, tough task for Tilly McDonald. But I think for any goalkeeper in this competition, there's never an easy task, no matter who you come up against.
It's always a challenge.
Like I said, I'd love to see them do something different in terms of what's happening out the front, you know, play a little bit more offline, make them think that space is there, and completely change up, you know, that space for the feeder. I think when you get stuck playing on the body, which Tilly can a little bit, sometimes that space becomes really clear and it just allows you to contest for that ball. So I'd love to see them have.
Some variation in what they do. They need a plan A, a plan B, and a plan.
C, and they have to shift between what's working at that time.
Another surprise over the weekend Jamie Lee Price getting the first suspension of the round.
End of the season.
Do you think that that suspension was warranted or do you think there's a little bit of Oh, Jamie is quite a physical player, and you know, do you think it was coming her way for that reason?
That's interesting.
I think every incident needs to be treated as a separate or isolated incident. And you know, during the game, when it happened so quick and it's in a real time, it's so hard to assess in that moment, and the umpire has to make a decision like that, so whatever their brain tells them at that time, they have to go with. I think, you know, people can pull it apart afterwards and say was it the right thing?
Was it not?
But it's so much easier to judge in slow motion and when you can pull it apart like that, and I know that, you know, the umpires will review and they will decide, you know, make a decision on that and provide the appropriate feedback. I definitely think the fact that you know there was that incident in Adelaide with Shmira and Jamie Lee potentially put her on the radar of the umpires because that's something that they would have discussed as well. Unfortunately, someone had to be the first person that was sent off with these new rules in this competition, and unforre fortunately for Jamie Lee has fallen her way. What I love that she said is that she's not going to change the way that she plays. She's obviously going to review it like anyone would, and she'll make decisions based on that. But you know, her tenacity and her strength is what sets her apart, and that's her point of difference and I hope it doesn't deter her from playing, you know, the brand of netball that she's developed over such a period of time.
A follow up question, do you think that that sendoff has opened the floodgates for more sendoffs? Do you think umpires are now going to be less reluctant considering that the first one is out of the way.
I don't know.
It could go both. It could go, you know, one of either ways. The other way could be that they're like, oh, I don't want to be scrutinized if I do it, so I'm not going to worry about it.
But potentially it could.
I think the interesting thing is it's being unpied so differently in every league around the world.
You know, the Super League in England's.
Different, what's happening in the A and Z Championships different, and what's happening in our leagues different as well. And obviously with new rules, when new things are implement and it takes a while to develop that consistency. What I think is going to be super interesting is when you get to the Internationals at the end of the year and you've got umpires from different countries that have been umpiring in different leagues all coming together to umpire These internationals.
That's when we're going to see a little bit of chaos.
I think, well, we can't wait to see how that unfolded.
So, yes, it's not directed my way. I'll be happy if I wait.
To ask you about all of those incidents. Dyl Let's move on to the Fever and the Vixens the top end of the table clash. Will the Fever remain undefeated? I think the Vixens are kind of lucky that they've been able to see every other team fail when trying to take down the Fever because they know what does and doesn't work. Do you think they've got enoughing to take to be able to take them down?
Oh, it's a challenging one.
I think you need ten strong to beat the Fever, and the Fever has shown they've got so much depth, and we saw that against the Thunderbirds. You know the fact that Alice teag Neild only played forty minutes for the game in Jordan.
Cransburg come on and got twenty plus goals.
You know, that's something that we hadn't seen before and they were able to do that against the Thunderbirds and have success still, So the fact that they've got ten fantastic players even eleven because Kelsey Brown wasn't there as well, and have Ruth Arian come in, They're not losing anything there as well.
It's going to be a hard task for.
The Vixens, and as well, being over and in Perth makes it even more challenging the fact that Kate Eddie is still probably not going to be available, Zarah Walters is still under a question mark, so Fixen's don't have that full depth of their ten, which means I don't think they'll be able to get the job done.
But for Vixens, you can never say never.
They've got stars all over the court and Mannix plays really well against Valen Nemad, so.
Expect her to do that do a really good job there.
And Joe Weston has had lots of experience playing against Denise Beckford before, so it'd be interesting to see if she can use that international experience to really shut her out of the game. And I think if you can take out one of those players across center or wing attack, it goes a long way to being able to shut down that Fever attack line.
We know how hard it is to play at roc Arena. This is the twenty twenty two Grand Final rematch. So there's a lot of matchups all over the court that we want to see players that remain in those sides that played in that game. Who is going to stand out in this match for you?
Yeah, I think it's a really great opportunity for Sophie Garbin in this game. She plays really well against someone like Katie Dehaney and as well against someone like fran Williams. So I think that's the opportunity for the Vixen's there to really utilize that one on one. You know, if Austin plays like she did against the Swifts of the week before where she was player of the match, then that's also going to go a long way. Vixen's will have to get to that clinical netball that we know them being able to play in their attack end for them to be able to win this game. You know, if Kelsey Brown's back and we've got Kate Maloney in the center, expect fireworks there. You know, they're both Victorian Pathway players and they've known each other for years and years and years and played against each other many many times, So I think that'll be a high quality match up. But you know, in this and there's internationals all over the court. There's fantastic young players coming through all over the court, so it's going to be a really great battle.
If you're coaching the Vixen's what is their Achilles hill? What are you sorry? What is the Fever's Achilles hill? What are you telling them to do? What player are you telling them to shut down? If you're going to say Janil, that's easier said than done, But what is the focus point when you're trying to stop them from feeding such a strong target like Janil?
Yeah, I think your focus and everyone talks about this, you have to do the work up the court, but trying to actually understand what that means and there's different strategies you can implement in that space. For me, it's making sure that there's no easy second phase ball.
So.
Work has to be done off first phase on center pass.
There.
If you can get a ball to go back, then hopefully that's going to take be a step forward in terms of you being able to win that ball. Then you need to look at that dominant connection and who's dominating the connection with foul and MR during the game. So if it's an East Beckford, that's dominating that, you then need to think about, well, what's your strategy to take her out of the equation in terms of limiting her ball supply, whether it be isolating her and making her feed it from from in the center third or whatever it might be.
But then if it's.
Alice Teague Neil that's killing you by cutting up, cutting you up and hitting circle edge, well, what's your strategy to be able to take her out of the game. So I think you have to go into the game with a plan to take you know, to nullify the impact of your center, their center, their wing attack, and their goal attack, and then decide during that game being able to switch between based on who's dominating the game, and then implement.
That strategy at that time.
So it takes a lot of prep work to be able to get through that get to.
That point, a lot of analysis to get to that point. But you're also with fever.
You have to play for us sixty minutes of consistent netball, and teams haven't been able to do that. The Thunderbirds at the start of that last quarter, that first three or four minutes, so that's what cost them the game last week.
And you can't have a lapse like that. You know, you've seen teams like the Swifts, who.
Had an amazing second quartergatest them.
But that's not enough.
You can't just do fifteen minutes of netball against Foever, you have to play sixty minutes to be able to beat them.
Well, if anybody can do it, I would dare say it would be the Vixens. So we wait anxiously for that clash.
Who wins it?
Deal? I think the Fever Yeah, especially in Perth, I think so.
I think because it's in Perth, and also the Vixens don't have their ten all right, Well.
We will see how that unfolds.
Dylan, thank you for joining me for another great preview.
My pleasure. Thanks for having me, and to all of.
Our viewers, thank you so much for watching another episode of the fourth Quarter on Fox Netball. Make sure you tune in this weekend to all of the action. We also will be airing a special episode of Off the Court featuring Dannelle Wallom on Saturday night, so don't miss it.