Firebirds coach Bec Bulley would be “feeling the pressure” after her side’s winless start to 2023, according to Fox Netball’s Catherine Cox, despite the GIANTS also sitting without a victory.
The Firebirds, who are yet to play both of last year’s grand finalists, haven’t been able to get a win on the board in their three games so far.
In contrast, the GIANTS played both the Melbourne Vixens and West Coast Fever in back-to-back weeks, losing by just five goals and one-goal respectively.
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While Bulley, in her first season as a head coach after crossing from her role as Swifts assistant, has come out and said she isn’t under pressure to bank early wins, Cox told Centre Circle she believed that was “a lie”.
“That’s a lie … she’s feeling the pressure,” Cox claimed.
“She’s put it out there, probably to reassure herself, her team, the fans of Queensland – great. That’s what you’d expect most coaches to do.
“But she has to be feeling the pressure, she can’t not be.”
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The Firebirds have the most inexperienced roster in Super Netball, following the late withdrawal of star goal attack Gretel Tippett (pregnancy) before the season commenced.
It left Bulley with the likes of debutant Remi Kamo and three-gamer Ashlee Unie in defence, and Emily Moore (debut season), 11-gamer Mia Stower and 14-gamer Macy Gardner to assist second-year star Donnell Wallam and 17-gamer Ruby Bakewell-Doran on the list of just 10 players.
Cox said she believed the GIANTS were closer to securing a first win than the Firebirds – despite this being the first time a Julie Fitzgerald team has gone 0-3 to start a season.
“We have seen before teams having slow starts and kicking into gear and making it all work magically,” Cox said.
“I’m far more confident in the GIANTS starting to get the wins on the board than the Firebirds.
“They had a big blowout margin in Round 1 (without skipper Jo Harten) … but those two games (against Vixens and Fever) were against top quality sides.
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“They’re being pushed … but they’re also up for the challenge. They are not far off it.
“I feel like their first win isn’t far away.”
Fellow Centre Circle panellist Anne Sargeant said it was not the time to “panic” at GIANTS.
“While it looks like they are about to hit the panic button, it’s not really the case. The Firebirds scenario a little different,” she explained.
“A new team, Bec Bulley – a new coach has inherited a playing roster. There’s been changes in the coaching roster.
“Their first couple of matches were a scramble.”
Cox said given the Firebirds coaching drama, where assistant coach Sara Francis-Bayman departed in “mysterious” circumstances just days out from Round 1, the team could be fatigued.
“Because of that drama before the season even started, it probably feels like Round 14 to them,”
she said.
The comments come as Francis-Bayman announced her next career move, signing on as Netball WA’s assistant talent coach and assistant coach to the State under 17s team.
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As part of her role, Francis-Bayman will immediately travel to Darwin to taken part in the National Netball Championships starting next week.
“The parting of ways with the Firebirds was a talent left in limbo,” Sargeant said.
“The Francis-Baymans, they located out here (from England) for that job. This is a wonderful branch being offered.
“A wonderful talent, an international with a great coaching background.
“I just wonder if she’ll be sitting on a Fever bench down the track in a coaching role.”
“I feel like there’s a big wrong being put right here,” Cox added.
