Tess picks up the slack
ACTING coach Mark Wrobel expects the Townsville Fire’s veterans to lead by example as they navigate a crucial stretch of home games starting with the Sydney Flames this afternoon.
The defending champions are yet to find their spark so far this season with just the one victory over Adelaide and head coach Claudia Brassard is away on national duties for their next two matches.
The Fire are also coming off a disappointing road loss to Perth, but assistant coach Wrobel – who has stepped into the top role – said he’s been impressed with their efforts at training.
Experienced stars Suzy Batkovic and Tess Madgen are driving that intensity and Wrobel felt they were in a good position to overcome the Flames.
“We probably haven’t had the start to the season we’d like so our leaders are taking extra efforts to step up at the moment,” he said.
“Tess is getting a lot more confident with the way that we play and getting a bit more assertive as well.
“Suzy’s taken command of the group, Tess has shown her leadership skills and Micaela Cocks as well so that’s what we need out of those players, particularly in the head coach’s absence.
“The players will take that little bit of extra responsibility to make sure they don’t allow the group to slacken off at all because they know this next stretch of three home games is crucial to our season.”
Wrobel joked that he has a lot to live up to given Brassard had a perfect record when she filled in for former head coach Chris Lucas, but he said having a star like Batkovic made his job easier.
“She just commands re- spect from the group,” Wrobel said. “We’ve worked well enough together that she knows that we can do the role.
“She’ll do whatever she can do to support that to make sure that there’s no weak links through this time while Clo’s away.”
Batkovic was named in the WNBL team of the week following last weekend’s Adelaide- Perth double and she was confident the Fire won’t have to make any adjustments with Wrobel at the helm.
“Claudia and Mark are very similar with their coaching styles anyway so they’re both on the same page,” Batkovic said.
“Even with Clo going away, there’s no adjustment for us. We still work hard and we respect Mark a lot, so everyone’s up and they’re giving that effort.”
TESS IS GETTING A LOT MORE CONFIDENT WITH THE WAY THAT WE PLAY AND GETTING A BIT MORE ASSERTIVE AS WELL FIRE ACTING COACH MARK WROBEL