Batkovic still has fire for success
TOWNSVILLE Fire skipper Suzy Batkovic jokes “something must be wrong with her”.
Despite leading the team to three WNBL championships in the past four years, the 37- year- old craves more.
Even though she boarded a plane just days after guiding the Fire to a grand final series win over Melbourne in January to play in France, Batkovic hasn’t lost any of her desire to win another trophy.
“I think there’s something wrong with me, for some reason it ( motivation) hasn’t worn off yet,” Batkovic said.
“I’m a competitive person, I haven’t lost any love of the game and it helps I’m at a club I love.
“The first two weeks ( in France) I was mentally and physically tired, but after that I felt refreshed and ready to start training now.
“We don’t start until mid- September with pre- season, but I want to make sure I get myself ahead of the game and I’m ready to go.
“It ( winning the championship) sunk in when I got home, because I rushed off to do something else.
“The French league is very physical, you come out pretty battered and bruised and it was probably why I was hurting a bit by the end of the season.
“It’s nice to walk into the stadium today and see that trophy, there’s still fire in the belly.”
Batkovic is confident the Fire will be able to adapt to a changing of the guard with experienced backcourt duo Mia Murray ( sabbatical) and Kelly Wilson ( Canberra Capitals) both moving on.
However she believes the acquisition of former Australian Opals teammate Tess Madgen will help fill the void.
“It’ll be strange not having Mia here, she’s been my vice- captain for a few years now,” Batkovic said.
“But Tess Madgen was a really good get. She’s a great person and a blue collar worker.
“She’s a bit like ( Fire teammate) Micaela Cocks, they’re like bunnies and don’t stop, and Tess is similar to me in terms of being really competitive.
“I’m sure we’ll bang heads at times at training because we both want to win, but she’s going to be great to watch.
“She’ll bring a lot to us. She’s coming back from an ACL but is playing in the SEABL ( for Dandenong) so when she rolls into here she’ll be back to where she was.”