Frustrated Tutaia demands ‘best’ umpires
Frustrated Silver Ferns star Maria Tutaia has called for the best umpires in the world to be controlling international netball, regardless of their nationality.
Both New Zealand and Australia were left bewildered at times in Thursday’s Constellation Cup opener in Auckland by some of the penalties and warnings handed out, but crucially what wasn’t whistled.
English umpires Kate Stephenson and Jackie Mizon missed a controversial call with two minutes left with Australia ahead 54-52, where goal keep Courtney Bruce appeared to nudge Silver Ferns shooter Bailey Mes out of the way and the Diamonds scooped up possession.
Stephanie Wood slotted the goal at the other end of the court as Australia held off a frenetic Silver Ferns comeback to strike first blood in the four-test series, winning 57-54. It continued Australia’s dominant recent record in New Zealand, winning eight of their past nine matches across the ditch.
Neutral umpires control international netball, meaning many of the finest Australian and Kiwi whistleblowers never adjudicate matches between the two traditional powerhouses.
Tutaia was annoyed with some of the physicality the Australian defenders were able to get away with in the Silver Ferns’ shooting end. The match featured 146 penalties, with the Silver Ferns called for 76 and Australia 70.
‘‘There is stuff that happens right in front of your face that they don’t call and that’s really frustrating as a player,’’ Tutaia said ahead of tomorrow’s second test in Christchurch.
‘‘We are out there to play skillful, clean netball and if that’s the way the game has to go and if umpires aren’t calling that, then look that’s out of our control. We’ll still continue to try and play skillful netball, like Kiwis usually do.’’
Tutaia, the most experienced player in the Silver Ferns’ squad with 112 caps since debuting in 2005, supported the idea of the best umpires controlling the premier games, even if they were ‘‘from Guatemala. If that’s what it takes’’.
She had played under New Zealand, Australian and many international umpires during her long career and said even with their own Kiwi umpires they struggled with consistency and interpretations sometimes.
Tutaia stressed she wasn’t having a personal dig at neutral umpires and understood how difficult it was officiating a fast-paced sport, involving 14 players on court.
A key issue for overseas officials is they are not involved in the weekly domestic Super Netball competition in Australia or New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership. Often when they’re tasked with officiating matches between the trans-tasman rivals they struggle to adapt to the lift in intensity and subtle interpretations in what is acceptable defensively.
‘‘We understand they’re growing and learning at the same time, but it’s really hard as professional athletes,’’ Tutaia said.
‘‘We want to go out there and play the best netball we can, but sometimes we’re having to adapt because of the lack of understanding or what they can see. It’s a lot more fast-paced than what they’re used to.’’
Australian coach Lisa Alexander acknowledged it was ‘‘really tough’’ for umpires, who weren’t regularly exposed to the New Zealand and Australian playing styles.
The message to her players was they needed to be smarter and make changes to their game if they were repeatedly getting whistled.