This week on The 4th Qtr Catherine Cox AM and Erin Delahunty join Sarah Karaoglu to preview round 9 as we edge closer to the finals, Coxy even picks her starting 7 Diamonds team based on performances in the SSN so far…
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the fourth Quarter. I'm your host Sarah Carraglu and joining me today is Neple journalist Aaron Deella Hunty and legend of the Game Catherine Cox. Coxy, Aaron, Great to have you both with me. Can we believe it's already round night?
It is crazy. It seemed like the season took forever to get here and now it's just going at a rate of knots.
Yeah, we're getting some upsets, which is the best part right now that we're seeing the return fixtures. That's what I'm getting excited about, people being able to get back from those first contests.
Well, before we rip into what is going to be a pretty big weekend of Nettie, let's start with something a little bit different. There's a lot of talk about who will be selected in the Diamonds, so I thought it would be fun if we asked an ex diamond what her starting seven would be for twenty twenty four, purely based on form, so we're not talking about anything other than form in the Sun Corps Supernet Bawl this year, not talking about combinations, nothing like that. So Coxy, if you could please reveal your starting seven Informed Diamonds team for twenty twenty four.
I love being thrown under the bus like this. I selected as a listening so I've gone Sophie Garvin in goal shooter, Kira Austin and interesting, I think now is the time to be a goal attack in the Australian team because there's really no one else. Austin is having a good year and she deserves a spot. There's no one else though that you would put in there. Lizzie Watson. The numbers speak for themselves, even though she shifted clubs and she doesn't have the combinations. She's my wing attack. Kate Maloney. This was a hard one to pick between her or Paige Hadley because Page has been amazing, particularly in the absence of Maddie Prowd. I put Jamie Lee Price on my wing defense. Again not having the best season in the team, you know, with the Giants and the results, but i still think she's been amazing. Sunday Ariyang in lieu of there not being really any other goal defenses if you think about it, that are playing that well. And then I've put Mannix as my keeper, although she could go to goal defense, and then maybe Sarah claw and my keeper. But that's my lineup day, Nay.
I've got some feelings.
I've got some feelings the page Hadley has done much wrong to lose that spot. But I mean the last few weeks in particular, I think Kate Maloney has just I don't know. I think it's the Bun, the straight backed Bun, beautiful netball.
Don't get me started on the Buns and the Vixen's team. I can't tell them apart.
I guess for me, I mean, Joe Western is still playing a little bit of old offense.
I don't know if I think.
I would still go with her, but it's your seven cast, so you can cop all the hate all YT's bring it on.
Mon't be the first time.
Well, let's continue to unpack this. Were there any other surprises in that list for you, erin.
Oh, I mean I think m Mannix probably is a bit of a surprise for me. I mean, we haven't seen Courtney Bruce. She's injured, she's been out for a month, so of course it wasn't going to be her there, So it does actually make sense when you think about it. I would have had Paige Hadley definitely over Kate Maloney.
And I mean it has to be Liz Watson. It has to be. But she had a Monday. He's just knocked off knocking on that door for me.
Following right in mum's footsteps. I'm sure she's on the verge, and I wonder if she'll make the squad this year. Let's talk about that goalkeeper position. Did you think that Ashervan is knocking on that door too?
She is, But and I had a quick look through all the stats before i'd made this decision, just on who'd been win a lot of the ball back and she's right up there is but m Mannix is above her on nearly every stat. So that's why I slipped into my goalkeeper role. I think she should make the squad. And you know interesting, we had Stacy Marinkovich at one of the games we did in Queensland and when we interviewed her, they did say that they weren't going to pick numbers for the sake of picking numbers. They wanted to see how the rest of the season panned out and then they could include more players that way if they needed to. But you'd have to think they're a very good chance of the squad at least.
And Sophie Garbin over Kara Conen. Now, I know I was saying not to do with combinations purely formed, but that naturally comes in hand, especially given that Steph Brettwell has retired from international netball.
Why'd you put her there?
Yeah? That was a dicey one as well, And you know, when you go back to internationals, obviously there's no super shots. So Cara Conin really does come into her own. But I still feel like Sophie Garbin just offers that bit more in terms of what she can do gameplay wise, in terms of the long distance shooting, all of that sort of stuff. So she's definitely my form one.
And Sophie Garbin. I also sat down with you for a special episode of Off the Court. Could you tell us a little a bit about that cox here?
Yeah, look, I'm excited about this one. She's just so modest still. You know, I said to her, how do you feel about you know, if I was to say to you, how do you feel about being the best goal shooter the Australia's got at the moment? And she goes, oh, I feel a bit uncomfortable about that, but I really think she is and it was a really good chat about you know, turning form around and you know, swapping clubs and the challenges she's had in the last couple of years being at a team like the Magpies and not really playing much of her dominant role a goal shooter. So really interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed that chat.
Let's move on to the games now, super exciting. All these teams have played together now, so we've seen the matchups, but obviously teams have kind of moved to where we thought they would be up.
And down the ladder. So let's start with the Swifts and the lightning.
Lisa my my brilliant learning from the likes of Liz Watson and of course some diamonds in that attack end.
What have you liked from her game?
Cox here, Look, I've loved it because when you play with the Liz Watson, you could very easily just slip into the second real feeder in that side. She dominates. She really demands so much ball. Mim I had more assists and more feeds than Liz Watson on the weekend. I mean, that's massive in itself, but I think that's really making them a far more potent and a will for the second half of this season is that they're not so predictable. It's not all about shutting down Liz Watson now. Because you do that, my Miye is going to really take over and I think that's going to be a real asset for them going forward. So she's an important piece of that puzzle now for sure.
Despite the mid court doing a great job, the shooting end probably could fire a little bit more. They were shut down by the Fever on the weekend erin What did you make of that?
Well, I mean, particularly when you're talking about the super shot period, the Fever defenders just rubbed their hands together and said, great, two.
On one, let's go. I sort of could hear.
Liz Allis in my mind just you know, exalting about how great that was because.
They just shut her down.
Steph Frettwell is an amazing, world class player, but there are very few that can win two on one.
So as we always talk about, I.
Think with Dan Ryan's side, just super smart coaching. I'm sure they were prepared for Riley Bachelor d'Or to come on at the end of that game, but they didn't have to worry about it, so they really put the blowtorch onto Steph and then by extension to Kara, and we saw her miss that one attempt that she had done.
So yeah, just brilliant.
Defensive coaching by Dan Ryan and execution out on the court.
So they'll have to come up with something different to break away from that this week. Let's talk about the defensive end. Do we see Courtney Bruce making return Coxing?
Yeah, well, apparently she was on court prior to the game on the weekend, just going through the motions, basically doing the fitness test and they said she was around ninety percent. She could have maybe played, didn't want to push it going off that. You would imagine she's going to be back on court this week and perfect timing to come back to see if Lightning get another sixteen, can go win like they did in Round one over the Swifts.
Let's talk about the Swifts. Probably the biggest news out of that game, Samantha Wallace Joseph was omitted from the team. Have we heard about what the reasoning was behind that. I believe Briani said she just wasn't selected this week.
Yeah, look, I really enjoyed the clarity and the transparency from Brianie it's very easy just to say, oh, she's.
Being rested or load management or whatever it might be. She was dropped. That's the reality of the situation.
We don't know whether that was on form, whether that was anything else that's happening behind the scenes. We saw her not have her best game the week before for the Swifts, so and they had had such a demoralizing loss that I think briani Akle had to do something and that was the lever that she pulled. So I think we'll be keeping really close eyes on the Swifts camp this week to hear whether she's actually back in the fold or not, because she's been huge for them. Of course, that really strong holding shooter for them.
Well, I was going to say, they don't really have another holding shooter. You can put Sophie Fawns there or Helen Howsby, but that's probably not to their best strengths for an entire game. So what did you make of that decision, Coxy?
Yeah, look, I don't think you need a holding shooter. Everyone has one because there's all these great tools, strong shooters in the league, and that's really the role they end up playing. But I reckon the best combinations are the moving ones, because they're so much harder to play on, they're so more unpredictable. And the Australian combo that I still rave about that I loved watching and was one of our best was Susan Pettitt and Sherrel McMahon together, not a whole heap of height, but great ball movers really kept everybody guessing great on the shot from any kind of distance, So I don't see that as being a problem. They're both capable of going back in the circle and plunking and putting themselves up for the hold. Can shoot any distance, both of them as well, so I can't I like it, but there's got to be another option for them if that one's not working, And I reckon that's where we're really starting to see some of the holes with teams. Is just that lack of depth on the benches.
Yeah, what's the change up?
Isn't it that you need when something isn't going right.
Let's move on to the defensive end. What do we think about their performance? Obviously small injury cloud around Sarah Klow. I know she came back out, but there's not sure if they're going to manage that.
This week.
Last week they were leading the most penalties this year.
Was that a surprise to you Cox here?
I mean, they've been shipping away at big penalties all year, so it's probably not surprising that they're now leading that stat. And it's one of those things, isn't it, Aaron. It's like, you know, sometimes it can affect the results of the game, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it can have a positive impact because you've really started to form some cracks in the opposition. But it's been pretty apparent in the last few weeks those penalties are really hurting them because they're not in the contest. They're not putting that defensive pressure on opponents are flying down court and I think on the weekend, whoever they were playing against in the third quarter that they lost by a lot, the Mavericks had one hundred percent center past a goal rate. Screams no defensive pressure. And that's because of those penalties and everything else that's really creeping into the Swifts game.
Who wins this one, God, it's really hard to tell.
If you're going on you know, momentum, you'd have to say the Lightning are looking a little better and they're starting to find their form, and then add to the fact that Courtney Bruce might be in the mix. But you know, you can never doubt the Swifts either, So I don't know. I feel like it'll be close regardless.
I think I know they lost at the weekend, but I think there's a fair bit.
The Lightning will take out of that game, and as you say, having Bruce coming back in as well, I think we all need to be a little bit mindful.
I think probably two or three weeks ago, I probably had the Lightning written off.
Like this is do or die. You know, they've got to get it done. They're coming up against a pretty battered and bruised Swifts. I think I actually think that Lightning might put them to the sword.
How crazy though that both these sides are out of form, no two ways about it, but they can still make finals. They're sitting at equal fourth. How nuts is that.
The ladder is just so tight in the middle.
Makes it all the more exciting. Let's move on to the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the Fever. They'll be facing off on Saturday night. I think the Thunderbirds losing to the Firebirds is probably the most surprising match or result of the weekend.
What did you make of their performance?
Look, I wasn't surprised by that they didn't have Georgie Horges, sire.
I knew we'd end up here.
No.
Do you know what? It's interesting though, because we crossed to Tanya Obs during the commentary and said to her, you know, is what we're looking at, No Georgie Horges, And she said, I mean, it's easy to say that, isn't it. That's the easy way out, But no, And I thought, you know, she's right, because there's obviously other parts of the puzzle, but no, Georgie Horges is a very, very big one. She is their playmaker in that wing attack role. But also when it's not working in the circle and they need a change, they pop her in there and she does the job. So she covers a lot of those bases. Their center pass to goal rate dropped down to forty seven percent, game to goal rate was down to thirty one. Those are both sitting well over twenty percent less than where they normally are, So that to me really does scream a lack of somebody controlling the ball through the middle. And you know, Georgie Horges is the only difference from one week where they smash the Swifts to the next week losing to the Firebirds.
Aaron, have you heard will she be back this week?
Is there anything going around in those rumors?
Well, we don't know for sure.
Obviously, would be great to start getting some more transparency around injuries. We always have a little bit of obcucation with some of the clubs. You know, she's indicated that hopefully she will be back, But I mean, tanyoops is going to be watching really really closely, because I think anyone there wouldn't have been many of them who underestimated how good she was, given the way that Kath talks about it on the broadcast.
Now now they well and truly know.
And I think you're so you're so correcting when you say it's not just the feeds in. It's not just the speed, it's not just the cuts and drive, it's everything else that she brings to the court and the way she sort of knits all of that mid court even as it comes through together as well.
So yeah, I think a lot certainly hangs.
On her, and I actually do think it is as simple as Georgie was out me too.
The past few weeks Shenise Beckford has been benched. What have we made of that decision? And do we think that Olivia Wilkinson is the better option.
I think Olivia Wilkinson has shown us that she packs a punch when she comes on, whether or not that's a sixty minute sustainable option, But I feel like there's nothing really like that anymore in this current format because everybody makes the changes and you've got your players that will come on and do certain things at certain times of the game, so that's not a bad place to be. Beckford could well end up being the one that comes on and packs a punch because she offers something completely different. So I guess the beauty for Dan Ryan is if he wants to change that starting seven, he can, and he can change it pretty quickly if it's not working. But I think it's worth exploring a different option and bringing some hide out just in.
Case Janelle Folon and Mard going to new heights yet again. I just don't know how her game continues to grow. How do you think she'll go up against the likes of a Shamira Stirling.
I think we all know she sets herselves for these games. I don't know whether she sticks up Shamira's pitcher on a.
Her or next to her bed or what she does.
But she's clearly one of those players you can tell when she walks out Cath if you're court size, she takes the big breath before she sort of walks out.
And is introduced.
She'll be excited, I think, to play against Shmira because she knows I mean, she was still brilliant at the weekend, but not her best performance. She won't have two bad games in a row, and her Jamaican teammate will know.
That better than anyone.
And I think we're going to get the prize fight that everyone's hoping for that we have already seen once this season, but now it's much more delicately poised.
Yeah, and interesting because she's averaging fifty five goals a game fowl in them mar She only had forty nine when she played Sterling Humphrey last time, so she does have less of an impact that I'm sure Shamira Sterling Humphrey would like it to be even less this time round.
What are you going to expect from sunday Ariyang since you've put her in your starting seven for the diamonds.
Are you expecting her to win her battles this weekend?
I reckon she will, and I mean largely depends on if Georgie Horges is back too, doesn't it, Because I mean I feel like if she's playing up against a younger Fru, she'll win that battle anyway. But if it's a Freu without the support of a Horge just out the front, then it's even easier for Sunday Ariyang. But it's going to be a great battle. And of course that was only one goal the difference last time these sides met. So what are we going to be looking at? I'll be looking at the telly, that's for sure. If I'm not working on it, I want to watch that one.
Moving on to the Giants and the Firebirds. Actually, first, sorry, who do we expect.
To win that battle?
You can go first, he.
I'm going to say with Horges Thunderbirds without fever.
Oh Cox is gonna love that. She'll say the exact same.
That's true, true, I agree with you one d all right.
Let's move on to the Giants and the Firebirds. Firebirds, what was the difference in their performance on the weekend?
Do you know they were just they were so confident from the start. They came out with the energy they were there to play. It was very clear to see. But interesting coaching too from Beck Bully because as soon as we saw the lineup and it was Dunkling in the middle and then Gardner on the wing, we thought, oh gosh, that's not really anything they've done this year. I had to go back and have a look. They did it once in Round one for one quarter. That's been the only time that lineups happened. But it really worked for them, you know, in light of not having Kim Revellion out on court, that's the way they went with VeVe who was brilliant as well. Obviously their defense end was fantastic, but Nell Wallin was also in best mode as well. Every player did their job, but they were all pumped from the get go for a big performance and you could see and every time you went to the huddle there was plenty of energy, there was plenty of chat, and they weren't going to let it sleep once they got control of it.
Aaron with you agree, it's real.
It was real backs against the wall stuff, wasn't it. You sort of felt as if they were like we've got the Raining Premiers, We've got nothing to lose. I felt like Ruby back buldoor and played a game like, you know what, Diamons selections are happening. No pressure on me today, No one expects us to win, you know, against the Raining Premiers, and they just went, you know what, we are going to do it, and we're going to do it without Rav. I think Lara Dunkley was a big part of that as well. She's clearly someone that where there's a.
Leadership vacuum, she will step into it.
So when Rav wasn't there, she really, you know, carried a lot on her shoulders as well, and you can tell. And they should be so proud of that win and that will give them so much confidence into this game and probably the best time for them to meet the giants, and I think probably the worst time for Julie Fitzgerald's side, because I think they're probably stirring down the barrel of another loss as well.
Yeah, I think a few players in that side believed that they were putting themselves up for Diamond selection.
To now Wollan was brilliant.
Ruby Bakewell, Dorin, do you think they'll make the squad Cox.
Here, Yeah, one hundred percent. I think they'll make the squad. You know, as Stacy Moreenkovich said, they're not going to select players for the sake of it if they don't get in this time round. They've still got a bit of the season to prove themselves. But I feel like on the form that they've shown, particularly against quality opposition, Danelle up against Shimira Stirling, Humphrey, Hello, has a good game and they win the game, So surely she's on the radar.
Let's talk about the Giants, Jamie Lee Price and Joe Harden not being out on court.
How much of an impact does that have?
Huge, there's your co captains. I mean, you know, even without Joe Harton, I feel like Jamie Lee Price is a very different leader. She's not overly vocal, great leader on court in terms of what she does, but to have them both gone left a big void in terms of who was steering the ship and controlling what was happening out on court. Aside from the fact that they miss the prowess of both of them in their positions and how much they dominate the game. So you know, they really do need both of them back. I think if there are any chance of beating the Firebirds on the weekend, for sure.
Aaron, Yeah.
And they're so sort of experienced, top heavy, aren't they. I feel like a lot of their experience and their matches, even international experience, sits.
With a few so it's not as.
If other teams you might be able to take out one or two.
When you still even out the number.
Of experience, you kind of fall off a bit of a cliff experience wise. I think at the Giants, when you think you've gotten a Matisse leather barrow at one end and then you've got a Tilly McDonald at the other end. They've been in and around the system, but they're not one hundred, one hundred and fifty game players, so then it kind of has.
This flow on effect to each of those players.
We saw Gina Crampton have such a good game and she almost looked like a leader.
To me.
It's the first game for the club, and I think that probably speaks to how much they did miss JLP and Joe harton this weekend.
If you're Julie, what's your game plan this weekend heading into this match?
Oh gosh, well, it depends largely if you've got those players back, doesn't it. But I think when the Giants are best, they really are moving the ball a bit quicker. I mean, they are typically a slower side, you know, they take the body, they body up, they find the space, they let it go. But when I've seen them at the best, they're moving the ball a little bit sharper than that. I'd like to see that sort of creep back into the mix. For sure. They're always going to struggle with a tool shooter. They haven't got the height in defense to be able to stop some of the prominent goal shooters in the competition. They're coming up against Danelle Wallam, that will be an issue for them, no two ways about it. It was the Firebirds at one by three the last time these sides met, and I think you know that was all about that defense, just not being able to stop that tall holding shooter like they've struggled to all season.
Sounds like you think the Firebirds will be taking this one out too.
Cox here, Yeah, sadly I do.
For Julie Fitzgerald, more agreeing from you too. Let's move on to the Vixens and the Mavericks. Vixens didn't make any changes in their match on the weekend. What does that tell you?
That tells me that they have a very strong, fit fits reliable starting seven, which is great. But if there's something not working in that starting seven, or god forbid, there's an injury, what happens to the Vixens at the moment? Right now? Purring along because I haven't had any issues, but we've seen all these big guns being pulled out with injury and whatever else across the season. I worry about the Vixens and if they have to make a change, what does it look like. At one point, they flashed their bench up on the weekend and I was a bit like, Oh, I know these players, but I've got to just hang and have a double check of their names because there was a lot of youth. There was Barkmere, Coffee and Graham on the bench. They're not going to get starting seven positions and play sixty minutes. So what happens if there's a problem with the start with the starting seven for the Vixens. That's my only concern for them.
Aaron, you want to add to that, well, Samona Kinnis is definitely one of those coaches I feel like, regardless of having that depth. She likes what she likes and she leaves her seven out there. I thought at the weekend in particular, you thought there was nothing to go to. You definitely had that feeling.
I didn't.
I saw, you know, Ruby Barkmeyer play in the domestic you know, the Domestic Victorian League a couple of weeks ago in Bendigo, and there's a big step up from Bendigo to Super Netball.
So that is definitely a concern.
But having said that, they have filled the whole of Kate Eddie.
I think that's what we're all forgetting. They've been able to make that fix.
But as you say, the next one is the issue when they suddenly need even if it's just for five or ten minutes in a game, if it's a blood, if it's whatever it might be, that that then becomes a big flashing red card. But I mean, historically we have seen teams win with the Step seven. It's only been in the last couple of seasons that we've really started seeing more rotation because of the super shot. So I think we'll probably continue to see that from Simone mckinness for the next couple of weeks at least.
Well, let's talk about the Mavericks. Do we think that they're growing and building in the way that we'd expect them to and are we expecting them to get a few more wins this season?
Coxy absolutely, and a lot of it for me is around Jock. I was absolutely gobsmacked that it took them to round three to have her in the ten because we know what she's capable of, and since she's been there, they've really started to exploit her strengths and work a lot around her, and that's where a lot of those wins have come from. So I think they are going to get better and better. They're the ones that really have the momentum, I feel like more than any other team at the moment. So yeah, they are a danger and I reckon it'll be closer than the seven goals that it was last time when they played the Vixens.
Ooh, I think that probably depends on Eleanor Cardwell's quadricept muscle.
For me, she's so important for them. They won without her.
She was only on the court for half an hour, but a little bit luck.
We were talking about with the Vixens, how much how many injuries.
Can they possibly sustain This is you know, it's getting to the point where you're wondering how they're going to fill this team. Probably speaks to a bigger issue that I know is important to you, cathur around having bigger squads.
But they're just getting it done. And this is.
What you know we've seen over the years from Tracy Neville.
She finds a way to win.
So I don't think it's going to be close at all at the weekend. I think the Vixens are going to stamp their authority on Victoria. They love to say that they're Victoria's team at.
Home at John Cane Arena.
I think the margin will be more than ten, maybe even more than fifteen.
Ooh, I think that's all we have time for. So Coxy Aaron, as always, it's a pleasure to have you both joining me on the fourth Quarter.
Hope to have you on again soon, look forward to it.
Thanks sire, thank you.
And to all of you was thank you so much for watching another episode of the fourth Quarter. Don't forget to catch all of the action on Fox Nepple this weekend.