Northern Rays break through for first Sapphire Series victory
IT has been a long time coming but the Northern Rays have made history with their first win in the Sapphire Series.
The Rays outscored the Wildcats in each of the opening three quarters to hold a handy 10-point lead heading into the final term, then held off the Wildcats’ fightback in the fourth to win 57-55.
For Cairns-based assistant coach Kelly Hynes, victory could not be more sweet.
Hynes has been part of the Rays’ set-up since their establishment for netball’s inaugural Sapphire Series in 2019, and has worked with the North Queensland team’s squad as they endured two winless seasons either side of the Covid-interrupted 2020 season, in which the Rays withdrew.
And with the first win on the board, Hynes said it could pave the way to more success for the Townsville-based team.
“It’s amazing,” Hynes said. “It’s why you put in all of the hard work.
“This will go a long way to getting even more on the board. The first one is always hard, but with that won, it makes other wins so much more attainable.
“It affects the expectations. Now we know that, entering every game, we are a serious chance of winning.”
Hynes, Michaela Kadlecek and training partner Kristy Sou are waving the flag for Cairns in what is a totally overhauled Rays team.
Coached by Australian netball legend Vicki Wilson, the Rays have welcomed several internationals alongside Ingham product and former Firebirds gun Beryl Friday.
It’s changed the team entirely.
“We’ve got a more experienced and older squad than we did in the previous seasons,” Hynes said.
“We do have some young training partners, but there’s lots of experience in our squad, some more “older heads”.
“They’ve got that experience, they know what to expect in different situations and have played in competitions like this before.”
Friday missed the Rays’ historic win after suffering an ankle injury in last week’s season-opening 58-47 loss to Sapphire Series newcomers Gold Coast Titans.
The Rays host Cougars at Townsville Stadium on Saturday, May 7.
■ Cairns Netball has three sides at the Netball Queensland State Age Championships, with U15, U16 and U17s teams. The tournament ends on Monday.