Foxsports.com.au’s Erin Delahunty delivers the latest news and views from around the netball world in her column, The Down Low!
“Imagine not knowing if you’ll have a job in two months. If you might have to move interstate, live apart from your partner, or be told you should retire. Imagine the stress and anxiety of that uncertainty hanging over you. Now imagine trying to play elite sport – represent your country even – with that going on in the background.”
That’s how a top sports agent describes the reality facing Australia’s elite netballers as they await the signing of a new Collective Player Agreement (CPA) between Netball Australia, which runs Super Netball, and the Australian Netball Players’ Association. The current one expires at the end of September.
Did you know you can watch 2 marquee Suncorp Super Netball matches LIVE & FREE every round on Kayo Freebies? Join now and start streaming instantly >
Kathryn Deiulio, general manager of talent marketing at TLA, one of Australia’s leading sports marketing agencies – which represents Liz Watson, Jamie-Lee Price and Jo Weston – told The Down Low that with every Super Netballer coming off contract in July and no CPA, players are in professional and personal limbo.
“As we sit here right now, there is no 2024 Super Netball season because there isn’t a signed CPA. That means the 80 contracted players have no idea what they’re doing at the end of the season, which for those who don’t make finals, will be mid-June,” Deiulio said.
“That goes for the players who’ll represent Australia at the World Cup too.”
Without a CPA – which outlines pay and conditions across the league and is currently being negotiated – there are no rules or timeframes for how and when clubs can talk to and make deals with existing players or those at other clubs.
“In a normal year with a CPA in place, there is an initial window during the home and away season when clubs can talk to their own players, renegotiate and make offers, while other clubs can’t approach them. And then after the grand final, contract chats across the whole league can begin in earnest in what we call the signing period,” Deiulio explained.
“But this year that is all on pause and it’s certainly causing a level of stress,” she said about the contract talks, believed to be impacted by a delay in the receipt of Netball Australia’s most recent financial statements.
“This is players’ futures we’re talking about. It’s pretty hard to plan your life when you don’t know what it’s going to look like in a few months.
“Those representing Australia at the Netball World Cup in South Africa are facing the potential reality of playing in a Super Netball grand final and then flying to South Africa soon after without knowing what 2024 holds, which is quite extraordinary.
“Those players are going to put their bodies on the line for the country, try to win the World Cup under those circumstances.”
Diamonds or not, “some Super Netball players are parents, sole bread winners, they study and work away from netball, have ambassador roles and run coaching clinics”, Deiulio said. There are flow-on effects to partners, children, extended family and clients.
“And even though everyone is in the same boat, not every player deals with it the same. It’s obviously different if you’re a top player who knows you’ll get another deal, compared to an up-and-coming or fringe player or someone who is maybe out of form or heading towards retirement.”
Super Netballers dealt with similar circumstances when the last CPA expired, but that can exacerbate not alleviate anxiety, Deiulio said. It can manifest in teary phone calls or sub-par performances on-court.
“We talk about the importance of mental health … this is something that’s putting undue stress on players, even though they’re so professional, so grateful for how much the sport has grown in recent years … so they don’t complain,” she said.
Deiulio argued the league should be aiming to lock in five-year agreements in the future to avoid the cycle of uncertainty.
It’s believed the current back and forth has included Netball Australia making it clear major pay increases are not on the table.
Firebirds secure second season win | 01:37
Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) chief executive Kathryn Harby-Williams told The Down Low the association is “working through things with Netball Australia and the teams as quickly as possible, to get a fair and reasonable deal for the players that is also in the best interests of the game.”
“It’s quite unusual in sport for all of the athletes to come off contract at the same time … that’s a lot of players wondering where their future lies,” Harby-Williams said.
She said the ANPA would ideally like to have the CPA signed before the final series starts on June 24, “so players can start to be contracted.”
A Netball Australia spokesperson acknowledged the negotiations have presented “some challenges” for players and their clubs.
“We continue to negotiate in good faith with all stakeholders to achieve our joint objectives – to support and secure the long-term sustainability and success of the game from grassroots to the professional level.”
The Down Low also reached out to several players for comment.
