Players shore of a great day
THE best netballers from around Australia as well as the Far North are buzzing ahead of tomorrow’s Beach Netball on the Cairns Esplanade.
Australian Diamonds captain, Caitlin Bassett, is flying into Cairns for the event and will spend her time supporting and encouraging netballers, while Kelsey Browne, a Sunshine Coast Lightning inaugural Super Netball Championship player, is a Cairns Beach Netball ambassador.
Cairns netballers Billie Nolan, Saige Christison and Courtney Fowler all put in a training session on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the event.
Browne is looking forward to seeing who can win the
It’s played on the sand, on a half court with modified rules, so everyone can play.
There are five on the court, there are no positions, no thirds and anyone can score.
Goal scoring is also a little different, with 1-point goals from within the square, and 3pointers from outside, also making it an exciting game to watch. James Cook University Cup tomorrow.
“I saw it on social media and instantly thought that was something I’d love to be a part of,” Browne said.
“Beach and netball are two of my favourite things so having them together was a match made in heaven for me. I was lucky enough to have a mutual contact with the Beach Netball directors and told them I’d love to jump on board.”
Beach Netball is played on a specially designed half court on the sand with five players on the beach per team and starts at noon at Cairns Esplanade.
“With this national exposure we hope to encourage Beach Netball fans and players to travel to all locations and create a great experience for their teams and friends,” event director Kate Hardwick said.
“Coming back to Cairns next year, we expect to see a number of interstate players that will get to enjoy everything FNQ has to offer as they come for Beach Netball and stay for an adventure.” ALI Brigginshaw couldn’t wear thongs.
So severe was the racing pain in her foot, having had a plate and six screws inserted into her lower leg after breaking her fibula in three places, the Jillaroos playmaker couldn’t even handle walking on the beach.
Yesterday, Brigginshaw (above) played like the “natural” Immortal Andrew Johns famously called her, laying on half of the Jillaroos’ 10 tries, including one of her own. There are other stories, too. Other stories, on a historic opening day of the 2017 Women’s World Cup, saw Australia power through the Cook Islands 58-4 at Southern Cross Group Stadium, which help to explain the desire and perseverance from 17 women who have proven dreams can become reality. Meg Ward has a story. The 23-year-old made her Jillaroos debut yesterday on the wing, scoring her first World Cup try in the second half.
The 80-minute duration of the Jillaroos’ thumping round one victory was over in less time than it takes Ward to find an oval to play footy on every Saturday. She travels three hours each way from Katherine – where she is based as a firefighter in the air force – to Darwin each weekend to play in the NT women’s premiership.
Consider this when the next NRL player or coach complains about a “taxing away draw”.
Fellow Jillaroos debutant, backrower Talesha Quinn phoned her mum 12 months ago to say she was quitting her job with the Australian Army.
In the 32nd minute yesterday, Quinn powered her way past a string of Cook Islands defenders to score her first try as a Jillaroo. Her beaming smile made the phone call worth it.
The Jillaroos face England on Sunday.