‘Razor’ helps Tactix rise
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has been an unlikely source of inspiration for the Mainland Tactix netball revival.
For so long the butt of jokes about their reputation for losing, the Tactix find themselves in unfamiliar territory, contending for the finals.
They sit third in the six-team national premiership with a five win-six loss record, the same amount of victories they had over three seasons between 2015-17.
Coach Marianne DelaneyHoshek, who took over midway through last season when Sue Hawkins resigned after poor results, has been crucial to the turn around.
Delaney-Hoshek only needed to glance across Christchurch when searching for small advantages to give the Tactix a competitive edge.
She has drawn on the eighttime Super Rugby champion Crusaders and Canterbury’s dominant NPC men’s rugby team, who were coached by her brother, Glenn Delaney, last year. He is now defence coach at the Highlanders and another she gleans wisdom from.
The Tactix haven’t always made the most of having the Crusaders on their back doorstep, but Delaney-Hoshek believed it was a no-brainer.
She and Robertson meet up for coffee during the season and text each after their team’s games. Getting a fresh perspective from someone not involved in netball had been invaluable.
Robertson is known for coming up with quirky themes for each campaign, something Delaney-Hoshek also does. She didn’t want to disclose what the Tactix had done until the season was over, but said it had strengthened the squad and built unity.
‘‘He encouraged me to go even bigger than I’ve gone before in the theming. Razor [Robertson] has been fantastic.
‘‘When I got the job last year I went and caught up with him and he was great and really excited.’’
Robertson hasn’t been afraid to voice his opinion on netball, telling Delaney-Hoshek the Tactix needed to win the ‘‘50-50’’ possession contests more often.
The Tactix improvement has come about through many factors. Delaney-Hoshek stressed she was only one piece in the puzzle and praised their support staff, assistant coach Julie Seymour, and the players.
Accountability has been a key word. She said it was no coincidence their change in fortune had stemmed from players being hard on themselves and setting high standards. ‘‘They’re starting to have those tough conversations which is always a challenge with a female sport.’’
Some bold calls were made over the off-season with DelaneyHoshek moving on from foundation Tactix player and longtime skipper Anna Thompson and vice-captain Hayley Saunders.
Those decisions weren’t universally popular in Canterbury netball, but the proof has been in the side’s results.
‘‘It was nothing personal with any of those players. We just needed some change.
‘‘You can say you’ve got a good culture, but if you’re not winning there’s definitely something that is not going well.’’
The 2018 season hasn’t been without challenges. They have overcome adversity with captain Jess Maclennan suffering her third season-ending injury in the past four years. Maclennan ruptured the ACL in her right knee in round two. Experienced defender Zoe Walker hasn’t featured since the opening game either, battling a knee issue she sustained in pre-season.
The Tactix have a difficult final four round games, starting with the competition-leading Pulse in Christchurch tonight (7.40pm start). Another clash with the Pulse, as part of the July 22 Super Sunday round also awaits, and away matches against the Steel and Magic.