The “decent, noble” move from an iconic Rose, the characteristic that sets shooters Donnell Wallam and Eleanor Cardwell apart, ‘Leaping Liv’ stars for the Vixens and the Pies fail on Anzac Day.
Here are the big talking points out of round six of Super Netball.
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‘FEARLESS FACTOR’ DEFINES SHOOTERS WALLAM, CARDWELL
In separate games this round, two very different shooters – the Firebirds’ First Nations star Donnell Wallam and English Thunderbird Eleanor Cardwell – showed why they’re matchwinners; they share the “fearless factor”.
Wallam was key to her side’s first win of the season, shooting 55/57 in the 70-66 win over the Giants in Brisbane, and her last quarter had shades of her international debut last year, as she took the game by the scruff of the neck.
In the last, she took an intercept at the transverse line, executed a lay-up, landed two super shots and took a rebound. She led from the front with courage and passion in a way that’s all but impossible to teach a player to do.
First-year Firebirds’ coach Bec Bulley, who described the victory as a “bit like a grand final win”, praised Wallam’s game and highlighted her decision-making in the last.
“Nellie’s super shots … and the times when she took them was incredible,” she said.
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English shooter Cardwell – who coolly slotted a super shot in the dying seconds to secure a 64-63 win over the ladder-leading West Coast Fever in Perth on Sunday – also demonstrated a rare fearlessness.
Cardwell, who played the first three quarters at shooter before taking the GA bib in the last, shot 33/34 one-point goals and 8/14 super shots for a total accuracy of 85%.
When it mattered in the last, the MVP sunk 8/8 and 4/5 and didn’t take a backwards step against Fever captain Courtney Bruce, who did everything in her power to throw her off-kilter.
Former Super Netball sideline reporter Fiona Crowe said Wallam and Cardwell share that indefinable attribute sometimes called the X factor.
“For Cardwell to back herself in in that moment was something else, especially when she said post-game that her bench was telling her she should be looking for a one-pointer. I loved it. The emotion. You could feel it,” she said.
“That desire to take responsibility, to be willing to take a high risk for a high reward, to put people on your shoulders … is not something every player has within them. Cardwell has it, so too does Wallam, who was mighty in the last quarter against the Giants,” Crowe said.
‘NOBLE’ HARTEN SAVES THIRLBY SELECTION HEADACHE
When Jo Harten limped from the court in the second quarter of the Giants’ match against the Firebirds in Brisbane on Sunday – after hurting her recently operated-on, not fully rehabilitated left knee – netball nerves in Australia and England started jangling.
Had the English star reinsured the knee? Would it mean she might miss the World Cup? Was it just a scare? Was it “fine” as Harten thought post-game? Was she just being cautious in not returning? If so, what did that say about her confidence in the knee?
After swirling for just over 24 hours, the questions became moot Monday night, when England Netball issued an embargoed press release – to be made public at 8pm Australian time and 11am England time – to say Harten had retired “from international netball with immediate effect”.
‘Go 100% or don’t go at all!’ England superstar reveals shock international retirement
The 34-year-old quickly followed, sharing a post on social media about her decision, and the Giants also issued a statement, making it clear Harten remains committed to the Super Netball club. Tributes for the 117-Test veteran flowed from teammates, opponents and fans all over the world.
It’s not clear if the issue in Sunday’s 70-66 loss or any subsequent scans prompted Harten’s decision but she alluded to as much in her statements.
“I know what it takes to compete against the best in the world, but I feel I cannot give 100 per cent of myself both physically and mentally at this stage.”
UK-based freelance netball writer Denise Evans said Harten’s decision is a testament to her character.
“It’s hard to see it as anything other than a decent and noble move, knowing we are so close to the World Cup and squads are being finalised,” Evans said.
By effectively deselecting herself, Harten “has done head coach Jess Thirlby a solid in avoiding a potential selection headache,” she added.
“Harten’s deeply-personal and painful decision reveals a remarkable acceptance and awareness that she knows she can’t perform at her best in Cape Town. And nothing but her best is good enough for her – or England.”
Evans described Essex-born Harten as a one-off. “The Roses would simply not have reached the heights they have without her.
“She retires as one of the best shooters the game has ever seen, with 117 caps and eight major international tournaments. But clearly, her time in the circle is not done, her body has not let her down completely. There’s life in this Giant shooter yet.”
‘LEAPING LIV’ STARS DESPITE ONE-GOAL LOSS
In her first full game in close to a year, Melbourne Vixen Olivia Lewis made a compelling case for a starting bib, starring against league stalwart Romelda Aiken-George in her side’s one-goal loss to the Swifts.
Paired with Jo Weston at goal defence, 22-year-old Lewis got the nod ahead of Emily Mannix at keeper, presumably because she has a solid track record against tall Jamaicans, such as her former teammate at the West Coast, Jhaniele Fowler.
The last time “Leaping Liv” played 60 minutes was against Fever in round 10 last season, in a game the Vixens won by six goals, thanks in no so small part to the four gains she had at keeper.
The 184cm defender, who played in 27 games in three seasons in Perth before she joined the Vixens for the 2022 season, played one of her best games in blue, picking up five gains, which included three intercepts and two deflections with a gain.
Her ability to contest from a standing start, in front, was impressive throughout but a “round-the-body-and-straight-up” intercept of a ball intended for Aiken-George just before halftime may well be a career highlight.
Despite Lewis’ efforts, Aiken-George was still excellent. In one of her best games in red, the 34-year-old Firebird discard shot 46 from 52 at 88% accuracy, took six rebounds, affected a deflection and was named MVP.
Coach Simone McKinnis said post-game that her decision to start WA-born Lewis related to the Swifts’ style.
“(The Swifts play) a style that suits Liv, there’s not a whole lot of movement there. So she does read it quite well and has that great elevation,” she told News Corp’s Kate Allman.
“It took her a while to get a feel for it and timing but she’s doing well,” McKinnis said.
It will be fascinating to see who McKinnis sends to Donnell Wallam when the Vixens host the Firebirds at John Cain Arena on Saturday.
INSPIRED PIES FAIL IN HISTORIC ANZAC GAME
Leading up to her side’s historic Anzac Day clash against Lightning at John Cain Arena on Tuesday, Collingwood coach Nicole Richardson asked her players to “honour the traits of mateship, courage and bravery” synonymous with Australian service members.
But despite a “wonderful experience” during the week visiting Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance alongside the club’s AFLM side, learning about Collingwood players who lost their lives in war and having a minute’s silence in the change rooms pre-game, Richardson’s side failed to win, humbled by Sunshine Coast 65-50.
The coach said post-game she was disappointed the effort didn’t reflect the focus.
“We spoke a lot in the change rooms before the game about making sure we (got) out there and honoured the traits of the service men and women that went before us, of mateship, courage and bravery,” she said.
“I wanted them to reflect on those three traits, work out what that was like for them on the court and whether we could produce that. It’s a shame we weren’t able to do them proud and come away with a win,” Richardson said.
She said her players failed to “execute the basic fundamentals of netball under pressure”.
On Sophie Garbin, who had three turnovers, didn’t score in 27 minutes on court in the first half, and then only sunk 2/7 after the main break, Richardson was circumspect.
“Unfortunately, it’s sport. Players have their highs and their lows and yeah (it) wasn’t one of Sophie’s best games today. Sophie will be the first person to own that and I’m sure she’ll bounce back next week for (the game against the) Thunderbirds,” she said.
Looking to the game against second-placed Adelaide and how her team would tackle Eleanor Cardwell in particular, Richardson said she would be relying on inside knowledge from England defender Geva Mentor.
“Geva has done a lot of work on Ellie. I’m sure she knows her game inside out so that will help. I think we need to apply a lot of physical pressure on her and hopefully try and get under her skin early,” she said.
