This week on The 4th Qtr Sarah Karaoglu is joined by Dylan Nexhip and new Firebirds co-coach Katie Walker to talk about the current situation at the Firebirds and what her appointment means for the rest of 2024... Erin Delahunty also joins the panel to unpack the coaching Exodus at the Firebirds and discuss the best possible replacement for Samantha Wallace-Joseph at the NSW Swifts...
Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Fourth Quarter. I'm your host Sarah Carraglu and joining me today is one of our favorite guests on the Couch, Dylan next Hip and a new face for the fourth Quarter, Katie Walker, co coach of the Firebirds, announced this week. Katie, thank you so much for joining us. It's great to have your company.
Well, thanks for having me. It's great to be here, guys.
Let's get straight into it, Katie, A huge surprise that you'd be named coach this week after Lauren Brown exited the Firebirds. What enticed you to take on this role and did the Firebirds approach you?
Yeah, Look, it was a huge surprise to me too, in terms of where my life was a week ago and where it is right now. But yeah, the Five Birds did approach me over the weekend. Obviously, lots has happened at the club, but I have really strong ties with the club. I'm currently the assistant coach of the Five Birds Futures in the SSN Reserve competition, and I've been very closely associated with the club for a long period of time now in coaching capacities and on the advisory board for the past five Birds and lots of different roles, so I'm always in and around the club.
I love coaching.
I did get approached and it was an opportunity that I was excited about, regardless of what's happened. It's any time you get to work with athletes like we have in at the Queensland five Birds, you're always going to jump at that, so I certainly did so.
Katie, I absolutely admire your passion.
Are you able to tell us a little bit more about what role you will play and for how long? And do you think you'll put your hand up for the head coach role in twenty twenty five?
Yeah?
Well, the role of.
Will be with Rosalie Jenki.
Rose and I have worked together in a coaching capacity in twenty twenty I was Ros's assistant coach then and we've worked together before in numerous different roles across netball Queensland and I really enjoyed my time with Rose. And in this capacity we're going to be co coaches, so I will have a large focus on the attacking end with Rose looking after the defense end, and.
We work really really well together.
Our job is to get the best netball out of these girls for the next four weeks. That's certainly what will be concentrating on. The signs this week have been wonderful. We have a big task obviously against the fever this Saturday, but come five pm will be ready.
The girls were firing at training. And in terms.
Of what my role looks like beyond the four weeks, I'm not even thinking about it, Guys. I really want to do a really good job of the role that they've chosen me for over this next four weeks, and I won't be thinking any further beyond that until we get through this period.
Well, let's also talk about Rosalie Jenks' role. What role has she been playing for the Firebirds this season and how does that change? And what I guess is the dynamic between.
The two of you as you look ahead at the next four weeks.
Roses in the pathways in at NETWK Queensland. But I believe prior to me coming into this role this week, she was also in the coaching staff in some capacity. That's what happened prior to my arrival is obviously it's not of my concern, but she certainly was in there.
Helping out in the coaching roles.
Our dynamic is We're very different in our coaching styles, but given that we know each other so well, we bounce off each other really nicely, and there's a really great working relationship there, and I think that's really evident to the players that we work with, which we all know that really helps with in a time like this, in particular when you have a seamless changeover of coaches, when you have two coaches that get along, and I certainly think we bring the best out in each other in our coaching and we'll be looking to do that over this next four weeks.
So what enticed you about this opportunity.
There was obviously a lot of noise in the background, and it obviously took a lot of courage for you to still accept the role.
So tell us about your thinking behind that.
Yeah, Dylan, to me, noise is literally all it was like.
Whilst I acknowledge it's been a challenging season for everyone involved, including those that aren't there anymore that is in the past. I am the kind of person that always want to be be a part of a solution, not part of a problem. And if I think I can add value and have positive impact, then I'm always going to put my hand up and want to be a part of especially a part of the club that I love so much. So it might seem daunting or courageous, it certainly doesn't.
Feel like that to me at all. I feel like I can do a job.
I can really help out these girls to get them back firing and loving their netball again. And it was an easy yes for me, and you know, I'm loving it so far.
Can you shed any lights, obviously if you don't know, you don't know. But on Lauren's decision, do you know if that's something that the club was aware about prior to last last weekend or is that something that happened after the last result.
Yeah, I'm not sure, Sarah.
It's like I said, I don't need to know that information. Lauren is a great friend of mine, and I reached out straight away to make sure she was okay, and she's thrown her full support behind me as well, and.
That's a beautiful thing. So I don't know.
I support her decision one hundred percent, not just because it gives me an opportunity, but because she obviously made a decision that's right for her, and I applaud her for that. And yeah, no, I don't actually know what the background is, but yeah, she's been a wonderful support so far and I really appreciate that.
Of course, in terms.
Of moving forward, how do you galvanize this group and leave what's happened behind and really finish off the season in a successful way.
Yeah, like I said, we acknowledge absolutely that that stuff has happened.
But these are an exceptional group of young women and exceptional group of netballers, and they're very proud. You know, they're very proud netballers. They love playing in front of the Firebirds fans. They want to play great netball. We want four wins. Like I will never be the type of coach that takes on any role that I don't believe we can win.
And that's how we will focus for the next four weeks.
So it's been business as usual this week galvanizing the group. The group haven't had to galvanize at all. They are a tight knit group. They really work hard for each other. They've remained very connected and you know, I really like to be a part and help create environments where people like coming into every day, and it's been that this week and we will continue that throughout this next four weeks, and like I said, we're going for four wins and we will prepare to win four games over the next four weeks. So that will be our focus, just as it always has for these girls, regardless as of whatever else has been happening, that will always be the focus for the Queensland Firebirds.
Katie.
How were you received by the group this week at training? Obviously you had training today and you said it was really positive signs, which we're excited to see their performance. But having a new coach come in and obviously these players are humans first and athletes next to that, and it's definitely been a difficult time I'm sure, losing two key players of the fire two key parts of the Firebirds in recent weeks, I should say.
So, how did they receive you on? What was the mood?
Yeah?
Well, I first got to go in there when the girls were told on Monday morning, both Rose and I and as I said, I've been with this club for a long period of time, and in particular with this playing group.
I've been in and around the club for the past four years.
I have really strong connections and relationships with the girls already. I'm in there all the time with the future Firebirds and although they were exhausted on Monday as which is totally understandable coming back from their trip downs in Melbourne, coming into recovery on Monday, they're exhausted, but we have a plan and I really think everybody operates better when you know that there's a plan in place. I feel like they are excited to see me, which was lovely, And you know, we've made it very clear that we're going to have really clear structure about how we move forward with this group. We're going to attack our netball. We're going to attack every game and that's what the girls want at the.
End of the day. So yeah, I think it was really well received.
Training has been excellent and yeah, we're looking forward to Saturday afternoon, Katie.
In the last five years of Firebirds have had three head coaches and they're currently searching for their fourth. Do you feel the frameworks, the correct frameworks are in place to ensure that the future proofing the club and allowing a coach that takes on this job success in the future and the playing group success.
Yeah.
Look, I mean I can't speak I don't want to speak too much about what what's happening in the background. But I absolutely know that Kate our CEO, and all the people that work in at Netbull.
Queensland they want to be better all the time.
We want to be better all the time as an organization, so we're constantly looking.
At things as to what areas we need to do that in.
Certainly, that's not the ideal scenario to have three head coaches.
That wasn't the intention.
However, that's the position that we're in and I'm very confident that the steps will be taken to make sure that the next coach that comes in and it feels the support and has all the right tools that they.
Need to be successful.
So yeah, I have full confidence in the Queensland five Birds and Netball Queensland to go through that process and come up with a head coach that can steer the club moving forward.
Well, Katie, how excited are you to have your first game at the Helm, being a home game at this arena this weekend?
No, look incredibly excited.
I just can't wait till five o'clock on Saturday. I think we've got to sell out crowd already, or if not very close to our fans. We know what loyal, incredible fans that we have and we take that.
Very seriously in at the Queensland Firebirds. To be honest, I still can't you know, the role that I'm playing.
I still can't believe it. But I'm really excited by it. And I just know that our girls are going to turn up. I know that they're going to play for each other, and I know that they're going to put on a really good show.
For the fans and for themselves and for the organization.
So yeah, I'm beyond excited and on the countdown un till five o'clock.
O Katie, we wish you all the best of luck this weekend and with the rest of the season and potentially future seasons, as we haven't ruled that out quite yet.
I know you didn't give too much.
Away, but thank you so much for joining us on the fourth quarter, and we hope to have you on again very soon.
Thank you guys all the best.
Thanks Katie, and now let's welcome in Nepal journalist Aaron Della Hunting, another favorite of the fourth quarter.
Great to have you with us.
What have you made of the news at the Firebirds and the decision to bring in co coach. Actually, we've got some confirmation now on their roles co coach Katie Walker.
Yeah, look, that was the bit that stuck out to me from that interview. I have to say, Sarah, and the fact they're going to split.
Their roles on the court as well.
I think there'll be a lot of discussion around netball circles in that. The few people I spoke to about Katie this week once we heard the news all talked about her positivity and as a player when she was at the Firebirds, being the teammate you wanted on your side. Also, bloody hard worker with another phrase that seemed to come up a lot. So I think you can already tell she's going to hit the ground running with that group. And having already had that relationship and that experience with some of the players through the Pathway is obviously going to be key for her too.
Yeah, and I think as well, just listening to her through that interview, you could feel her passion, you could feel her energy, and I love that she was solution based, so she was not worrying about what's happened, because what's done is done.
She wasn't part of that.
What she is part of is what happens next, and I love that she said that they're going out there to win the last four games and they know that they've got a big challenge this weekend against a fever, but she was really optimistic with how they were shaping up, which I love to hear.
Do you believe that one of these co coaches, whether that be Katie Walker or Rosalie Jenki, is going to end up the full time head coach?
Do you think that that's the pathway they're going down, dil.
I think this is a trial run for Katie Walker. Absolutely.
I think these next four weeks are a trial run for her. Does that mean that she will be offered the head coach role, I'm not too sure.
I really hope Nepal.
Queensland and the Firebirds are seeking support with this whole process from potentially an external consultant, someone that's got a lot of high performance background from whatever field it may be, because I feel like that they need this assistance. They need a change, they need to change this pattern that's occurred over the last five years where they've cycled through three head coaches.
So I really hope they're seeking some support with that. I think she'll end up putting a hand up for it.
Absolutely, you could feel that through a passion and her drive and her want to see the club and these players succeed, and then I think they'll have to do their due diligence and follow that process at the end of the day. But I definitely think she'll put her hand up.
I mean, if she wins the next four games, if they beat Fever this weekend, she'll be going a long way to getting that job. I'd imagine Dylan it definitely. I definitely got the same sense that she would be putting her hand up. I mean smart to just focus on the next four games. You would expect that. But I also think too, this is the best league in the world. It's been very messy and we've heard all sorts of stories that have come out of there, but this will be a worldwide search. There are coaches all over the world. We've seen, you know, people flip between countries now, so I don't think it's a fat air complay that it will go to one of those co coaches. They might look to have a really fresh start exactly as Dial said again, after reviewing all the processes at Netbull Queensland with You know, the ad is doing the rounds at the moment, so it'd be really fascinating to see how quickly they can get someone in place, because they need to be there for the trade period obviously. You know that's so key looking to head to the next season, which for the Firebirds at the moment is really only a month away.
Well, we can't wait to see how that game plays out. It is must win for the Firebirds for a multitude of reasons. But we have got three other Super ne Fa games this weekend, so let's give them a little.
Bit of love.
The Thunderbirds take on the Mavericks in what will be Eleanor Cardwell's potential first time up against her old team.
What do you think of that deal?
Well, it's still potential.
She is still returning from injury, and I really hope that there is this opportunity for us to see her up against our old team. I do think she'll be back this week from what we heard last week. Whether or not she gets the start, I'm not sure you we saw Gabby Sinclair last week twelve from twelve, seven from seven pretty flawless effort. Shimona Jock forty seven from forty nine. And I also think Cardwell, as she does return, she will be unlimited minutes as well, so then Tracy Neville has to decide how she uses those minutes and when she uses those minutes. I do expect her to see her back, and I think that'll just add an extra flavor to this game.
I don't think it's just MAVs fans that want her to be playing. I reckon those Thunderbird fans want to see her as well. We were sort of let down a little bit the first time they went around. I mean, we've got to see Nat Butler, didn't we in a Maverick stress. But I think Eleanor Cardwell is a bit more of a drawer card for both of these teams. I think last time I was on, we were talking about, you know, another injury to Eleanor, and I said that, you know, their fortunes hinge on it, and I think the same goes this weekend. As good as Jock and Sinclair have been and not taking anything away from them, they are coming up against the Thunderbirds and they will just be rubbing their hands together, particularly with Josh, to try and put that real pressure on her to maybe see some cracks from the old Shimona. We haven't seen her this year, but maybe we will this weekend, and that.
Was my question as well.
The MAVs only scored thirty seven last time they played them, which is a little bit of a worry. You're not going to win a game if you can only score thirty seven, so they will need to find an avenue to goal and maybe Alan or Cardwell will be that avenue to goal.
I think if there's any game she's going to be up for, it will be this one. And I can imagine that she'll be very animated on the sidelines, even whether she's playing unmanaged.
Minutes or not. Let's move on to the Swifts.
The biggest talking point to come out of the Swifts camp obviously the Swifts take on the Vixens in the Sergeant mckinnes's Cup Round two this Sunday. We're still looking for a replacement for Samantha Wallace, Joseph, who do we think that can be? Who have you got your eyes on?
Dylan Well?
I think it has to be someone from Australia, someone within one of the Australian State league pathways, potentially a training partner from any franchise. We saw Tongu in international Unique Polavi absolutely dominate in Queensland last week at the Pacific Netball Series MVP of the tournament.
And we know that Briany was with Tonga.
At the World Cup in twenty twenty three, so there's already a relationship there. I'd bite the bullet, I'd give her, give her a go. If you think about the teams that have been successful in SSN, you know you had Caitlin Bassett, you had Sam Wallace, Fallen Nehmad MJ. You've had Lucy Austin and Alan or Cardwell. They all have a post shooter, all right, so I think they need to be searching in that area and going down that line. And Unique Polavi has proven herself on that World Cup stage, So that's who I would.
Be looking at to give a go first. And yeah, seeing how.
That goes, Aaron, well, you've taken their words out of my mouth. Steel and I've had the tune of watching Unique play a few times at Lowell level and she'd Ellie's one of those players that you think, how is she running around on this court? She needs to be on John Cane arena, or ken Rosewell or wherever it might be. I really hope that she's given you into the future, whether that's next year, you know, out of the training partner pathway and into her full time. But if we're being you know, looking a little bit wider internationally, I mean, I think Ugandan shooter Marritrolik, who's currently applying her trade in the UK. I feel like she would be a perfect fit for the Swifts potentially, but I would love to see unique in there as well.
Let's talk about the Lightning and the Giants. Interesting one here, Courtney Bruce. Yes, she's been on limited minutes. She looked quite frustrated last week when she was kind of pointing at the clock and it looked like the doctors were trying to manage her injury and she wanted to get back out there.
Ash Irvin got the go ahead.
What do we think about the minutes that Cotney Bruce is getting and the development of ash Hurban.
Yeah, well, I'm not a doctor, so I don't know. I don't know the full picture in terms of the injury.
And obviously they're keeping her on limited minutes for a specific reason and that's their field and they have all the advice and all the tests to be able to back up their decisions there. So, unfortunately it's as part of sport, and as hard as it is as a player to be on manage minutes, you just have to accept it and you have to deal with it no matter what the situation is. I think the challenge for Courtney is she can probably feel how her body's feeling in the game, and it feels fine, and she thinks that she could be out there for a little bit longer, but you also don't know what could happen if you do go over your manage minutes as well. Ash Irvin again just keeps going from strength to strength, and I think when Courtney is back to full fitness, this Lightning defense end is going to benefit from this so much. The fact that they can put Courtney in keep her or in Gold offense. You've got Tara Hinchliffe who is getting better and better by every minute she plays, and same with ash Irvin. You've got three people that are going to absolutely dominate those two positions. So I think at the end of the day, as hard as it is right now, it's a really great position for Lightning to be in.
But you've essentially got three starting players who all want big minutes. Obviously, ash Ervin and Tyra Hinchliffe, I guess have been sitting in the back seat for a little bit longer because they're newer to the sport. I guess when you're looking at a veteran like Courtney Bruce. But do you think that they're going to be one of them at least looking for new opportunities come next season Erin?
Well, look, I mean we just talked about Grace Neweki very quickly. To me, ash Irwin is the solution to the Diamonds Grace Neweki problem, So I expect to see her lockdown that goalkeeper position. I think in the next World Cup she'll be playing goalkeeper for Australia, Courtney Bruce will be playing gold defense. So I think that there's just an embarrassment of riches for them at the moment, and maybe Hinchcliff is the unfortunate, unlucky one in that trio. I mean, it's urban has been so good you can't take her off the court, but you also underestimate Courtney Bruce at your peril. We've all watched her in tournaments where we thought that she's started poorly, or she started quietly, or someone's had the better of her, and then she wins games of her own off her own back. So I expect her when she gets over you know, the injury, and she's obviously been carefully managed to make sure that she's hitting. You know, she's hitting at the right time. Sunshine Coast Lightning have probably got the best run home of anyone, particularly those three teams fighting for that last top four spot, and she will be in fremo condition, I think, and maybe we'll see her out at gold defense with Ash behind her.
Not a bad problem to have having those three as your defenders.
Let's talk about the Giants.
An incredible milestone for Julie Fitzgerald which may never happen again in this sport. We hope it does, but four hundred National League games is very impressive.
Not the performance she would have wanted from her team though.
Oh no, definitely not.
And I think you know, Julie is so she's so humble, and she didn't want a big fuss made, but she deserved a big fuss to be made because what she's achieved is absolutely incredible. But once that first whistle went, she was business as usual. She was in coaching, she was doing her thing, analyzing the game, and yeah, she will be disappointed with the result. And I think they'd be certain parts of that game that should be disappointed with it. They want to make sure that they correct this week, making sure that they can access their goal and looking what they can do.
To build that pressure all the way through the court.
I think that they made a few too many penalties that allowed Thunderbirds to get some easy flow happening, and it just released the pressure because you could see when they played stayed in play, they were able to cause some turnover.
So for them this week it all just be ironing out some of those kinks.
And I think they match up defensively quite well against the Lightning as well.
And we saw that last time they played.
So they know that they beat them last time, so they know they're in with a chance again and I think they'll have a little bit of fire in their.
Valley to bounce back.
Aaron, would you agree, I think.
Look, I think they could probably have better drawers than a you know, a desperate Sunshine Coast Lightning looking to lockdown a top four position on the Sunny Coast. I'm a little bit worried that this could get ugly on Sunday. To be honest, I think the Sunshine Coast Lightning I just mentioned about Courtney Bruce are hitting their straps at the right time. They've got a really good run home, Bruce coming back you know, into fitness and form. Yeah, it could be messy.
Not to mention, this is the first game since score Gate.
We saw, as we will now call it, we saw the Lightning react the following week after losing to the Giants in that kufaffle, and they came out and beat the Vixen's. So I think they'll definitely have some fire and the fire in the belly this week.
Yeah, let's hope the netball does a talking this week and not the logistical drama that went with that game. Hopefully we'll see an absolute cracker, but the Lightning won't revenge for that game and having to stay late in that cold k stadium.
They will definitely want some revenge.
Let's talk about the Diamonds before we move on and wrap up. Guys, Look, there's four spots still up for grabs. Who do we think is going to get them? Taylor Williams is another name that's come into the conversation at the moment.
Do we think that the Diamonds need another center on the books.
Look, I know that the squad can be increased, but I don't think that means you have to increase your squad. So I'm not sure that Stacey will increase the number of people in the squad. She might obviously there could be a couple of potential additional invitees, maybe Taylor Williams and Tara Hinchliff.
They're probably the two that I would be looking at.
We need to remember that this is a national team at the end of the day, and it's not about filling a squad or make or reaching a quota. We have to have twenty two because that's what it says. It should be the best of the best and people who actually the coaches currently right now think have the potenttential to represent Australia and.
Pull on the yellow dress.
And if they're not on, if they're not already in the squad, then there's a reason for that. So I think potentially there's that opportunity for some of those fringe players, you know, to continue to work in their clubs and what they need to work on them. For Taylor Williams, it's probably her efficiency and attack that they're looking at, particularly when you've got someone like Jamie Lee Price and you've got Kate Maloney, who are both in exceptional form that plays center and wing defense. Taylor Williams needs to think, well, what is my point of difference to them at the moment, and that's what she needs to be working on if she wants to get into the Diamond squad. So those two would be on the radar, But I'm not convinced Stacy Irinkovic is going to increase her squad.
Aaron, would you agree?
Yeah?
Look, I really don't like agreeing with Dylan, but I have to agree with him again that I don't think will necessarily see it extended. And I mean I hasten to even say the words, but where there's an injury, of course she's probably going to want to top up, but touching every piece of wood that we can. We haven't seen those really significant season ending injuries to any Diamonds in the last little bit, so I don't think that we'll see anyone necessarily added. I mean Ford, I think for me, Horges and Irvin going in, they kind of had to. They deserved it that you know they've done enough. But I think for the moment, she'll probably stick to what she's got. But it's a long time until October.
Dylan Aaron, thank you so much for joining me again.
It's always a pleasure.
Enjoyed it. Thank you.
Thanks, and to all of our viewers, thank you so much for watching another episode of the fourth quarter. Make sure you catch all of the action this weekend on Fox Nepple. And don't forget Jamie Lee Price joined Kim Green for a special episode of Off the Court that will premiere on Fox Nepple this Saturday night.