Ellis warns Netball NZ of knee-jerk reaction
Australian great Liz Ellis has urged Netball New Zealand to get it right with its head coach search and avoid a ‘‘knee-jerk’’ appointment.
The hunt for the 11th Silver Ferns coach is on after Janine Southby resigned on Friday following a damning independent review and dreadful run of results since October.
Former Diamonds captain Ellis, who played an Australian-record 122 tests, said NNZ had to do its due diligence and secure a standout coach.
Noeline Taurua looms as the clear favourite, but was not shortlisted in the final two for the Ferns’ coaching job in 2015.
Southby ultimately won out over Australian Julie Fitzgerald.
Ellis described Taurua, who is coaching the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia’s Super Netball, as the obvious choice. NNZ had to see who was available and fitted best with what it was looking for in a coach.
‘‘If I was Netball New Zealand, given the mistakes that have been made, I’d be very careful about my next step,’’ she told Stuff.
‘‘I wouldn’t make a knee-jerk reaction to appoint Noeline, but I would certainly go and speak to her and try and bring her into the fold.’’
Ellis, who holds a number of board positions, including the Australian Sports Commission, Sydney Olympic Park Authority and New South Wales Institute of Sport, applauded NNZ’s move to add former Silver Ferns captain Bernice Mene to their board.
Making sure Mene was involved in the coaching appointment process was pivotal.
NNZ looks set to appoint a caretaker coach for at least September’s Quad Series, with former Ferns coach Wai Taumaunu its likely No 1 choice. That would allow sufficient time to finalise a deal with the successful head coach, who would take over later in the year or early 2019.
‘‘It seems to me Noeline Taurua would have to be one of the candidates you spoke to. You would want to make sure she was right for what you wanted.’’
Ellis, an esteemed television commentator, spoke favourably about Taurua’s impact in Super Netball, having guided the Lightning to the inaugural title last year.
The side had performed solidly in 2018, sitting fifth in the eight-team league, despite losing former Silver Ferns star Laura Langman, who surprisingly terminated her contract in the off-season.
‘‘The players love her. She’s built a high performance culture from scratch.
‘‘I watch her coach week in and week out. I think she gives really clear instructions to her players. She has a good rapport with them.’’
From a tactical perspective, Ellis said Taurua had one of the sharpest netball minds going around. Taurua hadn’t run into any issues in Australia with her reputation for speaking her mind.
‘‘She tends to read the game well. Her analysis appears to be spot on and the way she speaks to the players is great.
‘‘She’s barely caused a ripple over here. She has not rocked the boat here at all.’’
Who NNZ decides on as Silver Ferns assistant coach would be just as critical, Ellis stressed.
It had to go with someone who would complement the head coach and offered different skills.
‘‘It’s about making sure your processes are right. What personality does [the head coach] have and what personality do you need in your assistant coach.’’
While some have suggested the Ferns should look at an Australian assistant, Ellis said the priority should be on who meshed well with the head coach. Nationality was irrelevant.
‘‘I’d like to see the best person do it.’’