Magic in dark on the status of goal shoot
The Waikato-bay of Plenty Magic netball franchise have been left in the dark over whentheir star signing Caitlin Bassett will hitnewzealand. The Magic secured the Australian shooter’s signature last year for the 2021Anzpremiership to combine with Newzealand-born Chiara Semple and rising teenage talent Khiarna Williams.
Bassett wasnamedin the Diamonds squad to play the Silver Ferns in the yet-to-be rescheduled Constellation Cup, where it wasplanned she would play all four tests before joining the Magic for pre-season training.
But Magic head coach Amigene Metcalfe said they are yet to be informed of any dates.
“Wehad always planned to get her here around the proposed Constellation Cup, sowhenthere’s confirmation around those dates for those matches, we’ll havesomeidea whenshe’s coming over with the Diamonds,” Metcalfe told Newstalk ZB Sport.
“They’ll have to do their quarantine, do the test matches— should they go ahead— andthen she’ll be released to us.
“There are lots of boxes to tick and things that have to be put in place for the health and safety of the country.
“But as far as we’re aware the plans [for the Constellation Cup] are still in place and hopefully they can confirm somedates within the next few weeks.”
Theanzpremiership is set to get underwayon April 18, with the Magic’s firstgameon April 19 against the Northern Mystics in Auckland.
Netballnewzealand are yet to confirmwhendates for the Constellationcupwill be finalised, but the Herald understands it could be as late as March.
That would leave the Magic with little time to work with Bassett before the domestic league starts.
However, Metcalfe was so far pleased with Bassett’s involvement from afar.
“She’s been really open to everything that we’ve asked of her, she’s following our training programme, she’s working that in with her Diamonds training and her communication has been awesome.
“We’re happy withhowproactive she has been with making sure that she’s readywhenshe comes.”
Netballnewzealand are set to discuss the Constellation Cupin the next few weeks. — NZ Herald