Rore relishing marathon season AT A GLANCE
Katrina Rore has played a lot of netball in 2019.
First there were 16 matches for the Central Pulse as they won the ANZ Premiership.
Then there were eight tests for the Silver Ferns as they won the Netball World Cup.
Then, somewhat surprisingly, there were seven matches for the New South Wales Swifts, who won Suncorp Super Netball across the Tasman.
The most recent matches came in the past week in the Constellation Cup against the Australian Diamonds – a 53-32 win in Christchurch last Sunday, and a 48-42 loss in Auckland on Wednesday.
That’s 33 matches in total, but there are two more still to come – and another piece of silverware the veteran defender would love to get her hands on.
Rore and the Ferns need to win today in Sydney, then again next Sunday in Perth, if they want to claim the Constellation Cup, which they have only won once since it was put up for grabs at the start of the decade.
Getting those two wins will be tough, especially now that the Diamonds are up off the canvas, after losing to the Ferns in the World Cup final then in the Constellation Cup opener, and returning home to finish the series in front of their own fans.
Rore acknowledged that ‘‘it’s always tough to win in Aussie,’’ but reaffirmed that the Ferns were up for the challenge – and glad to be in the mix after a few years where the Constellation Cup looked completely out of reach.
‘‘It’s great that we’re competitive with Aussie. We did win two [in a row] against them, which for us is massive, I don’t think we’d done that since 2015. [On Wednesday], it could have blown out, but we came back and we still had the belief that we were going to come back and win that game.
‘‘This team has a lot of belief in ourselves and in our game plan, and what we’re doing and winning this Constellation Cup is definitely at the forefront of our minds.’’
As Rore prepares for competitive matches 34 and 35 of 2019, she is still full of energy, replying ‘‘definitely not’’ when asked if she needed a break.
‘‘Netball’s my job and netball’s something I love. Who knows how much longer I can do this for, so no matter what, this body’s going to be good.
‘‘It definitely is the busiest year I’ve had, with a pinnacle event and two domestic seasons, but I think it’s made me a better player and more resilient.’’
When Rore returned to the Ferns fold for the World Cup after being dropped for the Quad Series at the start of the year, she took on a new role at wing-defence, and has stayed there for the Constellation Cup, even though Casey Kopua’s retirement freed up a spot in the defensive circle.
Karin Burger took that spot on Wednesday, which meant a role reversal for the two Pulse-teammates.
‘‘At trainings it’s been quite entertaining with Karin and I,’’
Karin Burger, Gina Crampton, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Maria Folau, Phoenix Karaka, Laura Langman (c), Bailey Mes, Katrina Rore, Shannon Saunders, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, Jane Watson, Maia Wilson.
Caitlin Bassett, Ash Brazill, Courtney Bruce, Paige Hadley, Sarah Klau, Tegan Philip, Jamie-Lee Price, Laura Scherian, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippett, Maddy Turner, Liz Watson, Jo Weston.
Sunday, October 20 in Sydney, 3pm; Sunday, October 27 in Perth, 3pm.
Silver Ferns :
Australian Diamonds:
Fixtures [all NZ time]:
Rore said. ‘‘Normally at the Pulse it’s the other way around, so I keep telling her to go into wingattack sometimes.
‘‘[On Wednesday] I thought she was outstanding. She’s a player who can get ball when she needs too, and is just really hungry to get game time.’’
Rore was confident the Ferns would be able to respond just as the Diamonds did after losing the series opener.
‘‘They did come out a lot hungrier in the second game. They had a lot to prove and it was [Diamonds coach] Lisa Alexander’s 100th game as well.
‘‘I feel like their game stepped up a lot . . . we need to step up again for that next game.’’