Pressure on Hawkins as Tactix face new dawn
Sue Hawkins has a two year ultimatum to turn the Mainland Tactix around.
Winds of change have swept through New Zealand netball, but when the ANZ Premiership launches in Hamilton on Sunday, Hawkins will be the lone franchise coach still around from last season.
While all their Kiwi rivals have new coaches following the dissolution of the trans-Tasman competition, the Tactix remained loyal to Hawkins and assistant Marianne Delaney-Hoshek, granting them two-year extensions through to 2018.
Continuity meant so much to the Tactix, they opted against advertising the role to see who else was out there. Hawkins is well liked by the players and has the backing of the board, but professional sport is a resultsbased industry.
During her first two years in charge in the former ANZ Championship, the Tactix won just three of 26 matches. Despite those poor results, Hawkins did get the team playing with greater flair and self belief.
They made a promising start to last season, drawing with the Steel, who went through round play unbeaten, and recorded back to back wins over the Mystics and Pulse.
The Tactix then unravelled, losing eight consecutive matches and missed out on a top three finals berth in the five-team New Zealand conference.
Hawkins will be under pressure to get the team winning on a more consistent basis in the first two years of the ANZ Premiership.
If the Tactix are propping up the bottom of the ladder then, Hawkins realises she won’t be around.
‘‘There’s two types of coaches. Those who have been sacked and those, who are waiting to be sacked. I’m not waiting [to be sacked],’’ the straight-shooting Australian said.
‘‘Every coach wants to win. We all hurt if we lose. We want to be putting out our best performance each week. That’s our aim.’’
Hawkins is determined to do what no-one has been able to do in the beleaguered history of the Tactix – inspire them to win regularly.
Cantabrians are desperate to see the region’s most underperforming sports team become competitive and give their absolute all for four quarters each week.
Interest in the team doesn’t seem to dwindle with 3000-4000 attending their home matches at Horncastle Arena, only surpassed by the Crusaders in top-level Canterbury sport. Expectations outside the team aren’t high entering the new domestic league. Hawkins had full confidence in her squad and believed they could upset.
‘‘Everyone is working their butts off inside out and upside down. We’re turning every stone and making sure we are so prepared to go.
‘‘I’m the conductor of the orchestra. My role is to co-ordinate everyone to bring it all together.’’
The Tactix suffered a massive blow when their captain and best player, defender Jess Moulds ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while captaining New Zealand A against England late last August. Moulds will miss the first chunk of the season and there is no timeline on a possible return.
Hawkins’ defensive stocks were dealt another setback this week with off-season recruit and former Silver Fern Temalisi Fakahokotau ruled out of Sunday’s opener against the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic with a back injury.
Zoe Walker, in her fifth season with the Tactix, needs to lead the way in the defensive end and be an influential figure. Walker is no longer a greenhorn and must start producing her best netball.
The Tactix have retained their midcourt from last season. In Erikana Pedersen, Nicola Mackle, Charlotte Elley and Hayley Saunders, they possess four very fit players, who will run all game.
Retaining possession on attack and generating more defensive ball will be a key focus for them.
With Mwai Kumwenda [Melbourne Vixens] and Bailey Mes [Mystics] both having left, it will be a radically different shooting end.
Hawkins has brought in English import Kadeen Corbin to partner stalwart Anna Thompson, who is expected to mostly play goal attack, and former Steel player Brooke Leaver – the daughter of former Silver Ferns shooter Leonie Leaver.
‘‘We’ve got good speed up the attack end. People will be surprised,’’ Hawkins said.
‘‘Kadeen has outstanding speed. Her ability to see passes two in front before she’s caught the ball [is great]. She’s anticipating what’s going to be happening.’’
Treasuring possession has been a common catchcry during preseason.
The Tactix committed too many turnovers last season, a by-product of not reacting quickly enough or coping with defensive pressure.
Hawkins said their bad passing rate had diminished with each match in pre-season and they were still playing at the same pace, which was encouraging.
One of the messages Hawkins has reiterated to her players is to erase the former ANZ Championship from their minds and understand this was a clean slate.
‘‘The past has gone. This is a new competition and a new look team.
‘‘We’ve got four newbies into the team and they have no history with the franchise. It’s really refreshing.’’
*Netball Mainland’s Beko League team begin their campaign against South at the Lincoln Events Centre on Saturday at 1pm.