Latest news with #SuncorpSuperNetball
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Diamonds star left ‘in agony' as NZ move lasts just three games in ‘big blow' for her team
Diamonds squad member Donnell Wallam has been sent for specialist scans after injuring her wrist in a nasty fall while playing in New Zealand. The star goal shooter's return to play now remains unclear, with Diamonds medical staff to be consulted on the best option for the 31-year-old. Watch every game of the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season, LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Wallam, playing for the Northern Mystics, had been attempting to keep the ball in play off a rebound when she turned to shoot and fell awkwardly, landing on her left arm. It's the same arm Wallam broke while playing under Dan Ryan in England for the Leeds Rhinos before she would go on to light up Super Netball and earn a fairytale Australian call up. Wallam's injury late in the third term of her side's thrilling win over the Southern Steel was described as a 'big, big blow' for the Mystics. 'She took a hard fall,' commentator Jeff McTainsh said. 'She's coming off here, not happy. She landed hard trying to keep it in. 'Just tried to break her fall Wallam, stuck out her left wrist. 'A big, big blow for the Northern Mystics.' Fellow commentator Kruze Tangira said his 'heart dropped' watching Wallam immediately clutch at her injured wrist. 'My stomach was in knots seeing that,' Tangira said. 'She tried to attempt that shot and just fell heavily on her left wrist. 'She was attempting to get the ball back in, we've seen that in previous games where she does a little flick behind the post. 'As soon as it happened, she grabbed that left wrist obviously in agony.' Wallam stayed on court for almost a minute before she was able to head to the bench and not return for the remainder of the contest. The Aussie star recruit was clearly in pain as she made her way from the court. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Mystics confirmed Wallam would be sidelined indefinitely. 'Donnell Wallam is currently undergoing treatment for a hand injury that she suffered in the Mystics Round 3 clash with the Southern Steel,' the club said. 'Donnell will be seeing a hand specialist this week and a return to play plan will be confirmed following consultation with Mystics and Australian Diamonds medical teams. 'We wish Donnell a speedy recovery and can't wait to have her back on court.' Wallam was only in her third game across the ditch after moving on from Super Netball when not offered a deal at the Queensland Firebirds. The goal shooter was sitting inside the league's top five for goals scored – alongside fellow Aussie recruit Charlie Bell at the Stars – before she suffered the arm injury. Wallam is the player who replaced Super Netball's superstar recruit Grace Nweke at the three-time ANZ Premiership champions.
Newsroom
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsroom
Sam Winders helping the next generation to get smart
Sam Winders was in no-man's land when she came home to New Zealand. The 47-test Silver Fern had been playing for the Giants in Sydney for the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season. She spent the last part of the season sitting on the bench and she came home with renewed focus. 'I thought 'Oh my gosh, I am no longer cut out for this life of sitting on the bench'. I just want to play, whatever that looks like,' says the 29-year-old from Rotorua. There were limited spots in the regions she wanted to play so for the first time in her career, she thought of life outside of netball. Winders was lining up to study a Diploma of Teaching when she got a call from Silver Ferns physio Sharon Kearney. 'Shaz called me and said: 'There's a job going at WBOP and I think you should apply',' says Winders. 'I thought 'why not'. It was the first time I had a proper job interview in years – it felt like my first day at school – but it has all fallen into place and I'm loving it.' Winders, who attended John Paul College in Rotorua, where she was deputy head girl, is the new NetballSmart Development Officer for the WBOP region. 'I'm teaching stuff that I am so passionate about, and to a degree, a bit of an expert in. Being able to move well and doing things that make you a better person and a better player,' she says. 'It's a full circle moment, 10 years ago, when the NetballSmart warm up first came out, I was a fresh face university student slash netball player. So going from being an ambassador of NetballSmart to now being fully embedded in it and helping the next generation of players is cool.' Winders in full flight for the Magic against the Central Pulse in Porirua in 2022., Photo: Michael Bradley photography In 2024 ACC accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which came at a cost of $48 million to help people recover. This was the highest number of netball injuries and cost for the past five years. ACC has partnered with Netball NZ since 1997 to deliver NetballSmart. It is the only injury prevention programme to focus solely on improving outcomes for females. In 2025, the Ferns lead physiotherapist Kearney has driven the revision of the programme. The revised warm-up focuses more on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up, and it is more game-specific. Kearney says Winders is an ideal role model for the programme. 'Sam is a hard-working and very competitive player who sustained minimal injuries at an ANZ Premiership, Suncorp Super Netball and international level. She ran hard, decelerated strongly and landed each jump well – no matter how challenging. 'Sam's ability to share her expertise directly with players on achieving success, integrated with NetballSmart messaging to minimise injury risk is invaluable. 'That is why Sam was great as a NetballSmart ambassador and now as one of our regional officers – she can help tell the story of what it takes to play netball like she does.' Winders is focused on developing more young athletes in New Zealand. ACC data shows that the 10 – 14 age group (6,306 claims) and 15 – 19 age group (4,513) had the most netball-related injuries in 2024. 'We don't have the depth of athlete that we need,' she says. 'Often in netball, we bypass the athlete, and we go, 'who's tall, who's got the physical attributes of being a netball player?' Let's pick them. 'So, you get to the Silver Ferns, and people can't jump or turn fast or accelerate well or stop efficiently – they just lack those athletic capabilities or may have sustained significant injuries on their journey to the top. 'In the sessions I am leading, we are taking that concept and running with it. We train them to be athletes, embedding in habits early which gives them freedom to do whatever they want in the game and decrease injury risk.' Winders says for young people, they want to prevent a serious injury, like rupturing your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) at all costs. In 2024, ACC accepted 373 ACL related netball injuries, and 335 of those were female. Sam is the new NetballSmart development officer in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo: Supplied 'I have seen it in my teams, the huge personal cost an injury like that has, it puts everything on hold and some players, they might not be the same again. 'I grew up here in Rotorua and we had so many talented players who didn't make it to the next level so that is a big drive for me, making sure we are looking after our local players.' Winders says it's a special feeling coming away from a team training where the players are fully engaged in learning the NetballSmart dynamic warm-up. She says players who complete the warm-up have up to 50 percent less chance of injury. 'From the team point of view, the teams who have the fewest number of injuries are generally the most successful as well.' And for Winders, she hasn't hung up her bib, just yet. For now, she is playing club netball for Ngongotahā in the Tauranga Premier Competition. 'I don't think I will ever lose that love of playing and competing, but I'm also getting huge rewards from working with our young players.' ACC claims – netball injuries In 2024 ACC accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which came at a cost of $48 million to help people recover. In 2024 ACC accepted 373 ACL related netball injuries, and 335 of those were female. What is NetballSmart NetballSmart is an evidence-based framework made up of six principles. It helps improve your performance in sport by preventing injuries. The revised warm-up focuses more on increased emphasis on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up and it is more game-specific. For more:
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua completes shock comeback for Giants in Australia's Super Netball
Former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua 'absolutely loved every minute' of court time six years after retiring from professional netball. The 39-year-old made a shock return on Sunday for the injury-depleted Giants in the Suncorp Super Netball competition, answering an SOS call from coach Julie Fitzgerald.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Casey Kopua marks Diamonds shooting combo in shock netball return
Casey Kopua in her Suncorp Super Netball debut. Photo: Brendon Thorne Former Silver Fern Casey Kopua got a full game in the world's toughest netball league, six years after retiring. The Giants stunned the netball world when they announced that Kopua would join the injury depleted team for this weekend's Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) game against the Melbourne Vixens in Sydney. Kopua retired from elite netball after helping the Silver Ferns win the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool, when she was named MVP of the final. Apart from the odd club game in Matamata and one-off indoor netball tournaments, that's been it for Kopua in the years since. The mother of three has kept herself fit but it was an extraordinary sight seeing the 39-year-old make her debut in the world's strongest league, after that amount of time away from elite netball. Casey Kopua in the final of the 2019 World Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT The Giants, who are languishing at the bottom of SSN, suffered another loss on Sunday but pushed their opponents for three quarters before the Vixens prevailed 71-61. Kopua said she was shocked to be named in the starting line-up. She played a full game at goal keep and was marking none other than the Australian Diamonds goal shoot Sophie Garbin. Vixens goal attack Kiera Austin often pairs with Garbin in the Diamonds shooting end and neither had ever played against Kopua. The Giants got off to a fast start and the Vixens feeders were wary of Kopua and her reputation as one of the greats of the game. The former Silver Ferns captain played 112 Tests for New Zealand. Kopua finished with just a couple of deflections but her presence in the circle and pressure over the shot, did put some hesitation into the minds of the Vixens. Former Magic team-mates Jo Harten (left) and Casey Kopua - reunited at the Giants. Photo: Supplied Kopua constantly talked to and encouraged young Giants goal defence Erin O'Brien. Giants coach Julie Fitzgerald coached Kopua at the Magic in the former trans-Tasman competition. Kopua also played with Giants stalwarts Jo Harten and Jamie-Lee Price at the Magic. Kopua only arrived in Sydney in the middle of the week, after Fitzgerald put out an SOS to her former player. Today's game was also the first time Kopua has played under the two-point shot rule innovation. Casey Kopua is embraced by former Australian Diamond, turned commentator Catherine Cox. Photo: Giants Instagram The Giants led 19-15 after the first quarter and held a two goal lead at half time. But the Vixens took a two goal lead at the final break and put their foot down in the final quarter. At half-time Kopua told Fox Sport that the SSN was what she expected. " …and a whole lot more, it's a lot of fun though playing with different girls and the Aussie style but just getting amongst it, it's awesome," Kopua said. She said she couldn't say no to Fitzgerald. "There's not many people I would have said yes to but I'm loving it and the girls are lovely and we're having a good time on court." It's not known yet if Kopua will stay on as a replacement player for the Giants for the rest of the season. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Netball: Are NZ, Aussie umpires interpreting 'dangerous play' differently?
Fa'amu Ioane was stood down two minutes for dangerous play against the Magic. Photo: Kerry Marshall/ Analysis: Two players received suspensions in round one of New Zealand's ANZ Premiership last weekend, the same number across the entire season of last year's Australian netball league. After five rounds of Australia's 2025 competition, there have been no suspensions so far, despite being considered the more physical league. In last year's ANZ Premiership, several suspensions were dished out across the season, where fewer games are played compared to the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) competition, begging the question whether New Zealand and Australian umpires are on the same page, when it comes to interpreting dangerous play. World Netball's updated rules came into force at the start of last year, putting greater emphasis on player safety and effectively lowering the threshold for suspending players for two minutes. Under the new rules, any play that results in the head and/or neck being contacted must be considered dangerous play, whether intentional or not. An umpire must suspend a player in instances of dangerous play, and a player must be ordered off for the rest of the game for intentional or highly reckless acts of dangerous play that endanger player safety. A settling-in period was always expected, as umpires and players adapted to the various rule changes, but there seems a gap between what is considered dangerous play, depending which side of the Tasman you are on. From a World Netball perspective, the application needs to become more consistent, because Silver Ferns players will compete in the international window under Australians umpires and vice versa. In the first game of the season, Pulse midcourter Fa'amu Ioane was sent to the sideline for two minutes for dangerous play, after an intercept attempt resulted in a Magic player falling to the ground. Steel goal shoot Aliyah Dunn was also sent to the bench for two minutes, when she wasn't able to fully avoid Tactix defender Karin Burger, who tried to land after grabbing an intercept. Netball NZ national technical officials manager Josh Bowring is in a unique position to understand the subtleties between the two countries. Last year, the Australian retired after a very successful international umpiring career. Bowring also spent three years in New Zealand from 2019 and officiated in the ANZ Premiership, where he picked up two Umpire of the Year awards. Steel shooter Aliyah Dunn served two minutes on the sideline for colliding with Tactix defender Karin Burger. Photo: Photosport Bowring spent many years umpiring in the Australian league and officiated the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) Grand Final last year. He's shifted back to Wellington for his new role at Netball New Zealand. "The style of play is different between New Zealand, Australia, and England, so I do think we see very subtle variations in officiating," he said. "Those styles do influence what umpires are managing. "They're exposed to their own, so in Australia, it is very man on man, very physical week in, week out. In New Zealand, there's a mixture of man on man verses space playing and similarly in England. "I think umpires do become a little bit more acclimatised based on the style of what they are exposed to week in, week out." Bowring said the two suspensions in the Australian league last year were both for head contacts. "The rulebook is very clear now with head-high contact. I think that is being applied equally, and now high performance umpires in New Zealand and Australia understand that anything head high will warrant an automatic suspension." Bowring said ANZ Premiership umpires were encouraged to confer with each other. "What we really focused on this year in our pre-season environment is team-work and collaboration, so when we're dealing with these sort of high-impact decisions like suspensions or ordering off, the two on-court umpires can consult and collaborate with each other. "Ultimately, we are wanting the best outcome. I think having that conversation in those moments probably puts us in a better position to make the right call." Former top New Zealand umpire Jono Bredin is a member of World Netball's Rules Advisory Panel (RAP), which developed the revised rules. Ultimately, each country runs their own competitions, and are responsible for their own umpires and their decisions. There have also been suspensions in this year's UK Super League (NSL). Bredin said they were still closely monitoring the application of the new rules and were available to support member countries. "We're only 12 months into these new rules in full force, so there is certainly still an element of education and application required to get that consistency. "The intent of the dangerous-play rule changes were predominantly to protect against those risky scenarios, where everyone watching kind of shuts their eyes and holds their breath, and to discourage players going for balls that they have no feasible chance of getting and, in that action, the collateral damage is bowling someone to the ground. "Also protecting people, and the main one was contact to the head or neck." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
