Players have a say as Vic netball teams prepare to hit road

NETBALL Australia is considering requests from Collingwood Magpies and Melbourne Vixens players before announcing where the Victorian clubs will be relocated to allow the Super Netball season to start next month.

With Victoria in lockdown, the two sides are resigned to having to leave their state to be part of the season, which is set to start on August 1.

But to ease the stress of having to move away from home for an indefinite period, they have asked NA to consider factors including living arrangements and the possibility of family moving with them, before a decision is made on where they will be relocated.

“The reality is for the players is clearly they need to get out of Victoria, and they understand that,” Australian Netball Players’ Association CEO Kathryn Harby-Williams said. “What we’ve done is been proactive and had those clubs put forward their thoughts on if they need to go into a hub, what they would need, more to cater for their wellbeing, to ensure they can survive a period of time, wherever that may be.

“Their preference is to go somewhere without having to quarantine but clearly, in this current environment, that’s not an easy exercise.

“Players do understand there’s a financial around this as well.

“We feel comfortable that they have put forward their issues so that they can be considered as part of the decisionmaking process.”

NA is set to release the Super Netball season details next week. The season was originally scheduled to start on reality

May 2 before it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Saturday, August 1 was later announced as the new starting date.

The financial impact of COVID-19 on netball has led to NA announcing an independent “State of the Game” review, to be headed by Diamonds legend Liz Ellis.