READY FOR THE AXE
Under-fire skipper breaks silence on Games disaster
Silver Ferns captain Katrina Grant has made peace with the thought of not being selected to skipper the national side for the remainder of the team’s international season.
The Ferns fell to an all-time low in April when they returned from the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast without a medal for the first time.
A comprehensive review was promptly launched by Netball New Zealand to investigate the cause of the national side’s demise which revealed major issues within the Ferns’ leadership group.
Janine Southby stood down as Ferns head coach last month after her coaching style was pinpointed as a key reason for the division emerging between the coaches and players.
Although Grant’s role as captain wasn’t identified as an immediate issue, the skipper was criticised for not appearing to take responsibility for the failed campaign.
But breaking her silence yesterday, Grant told Radio Sport that although she would love to continue leading the national side, she had accepted the possibility of losing the captaincy.
“Leading my country has been amazing, there’s no way you could ever take that away. It’s what I’ve done and what I love,” Grant said.
“A lot of people have said I need to take responsibility, too, for what happened and I completely understand that, so if the new team is named and I’m not in that, that’s fine.
“If there’s someone more suited to be captain then honestly that’s no worries for me, I just want to play netball and play for my country and win games . . . If I’m the best person for the job then I’ll take it, but if I’m not, then that’s totally fine with me.
“I’m all about the growth of others and moving forward and just wanting to be the best for that black dress.”
Grant’s Silver Ferns future will be revealed on Tuesday morning when Netball NZ name the squad to face South Africa, England, Australia, and Jamaica in September’s Quad Series.
Southby’s successor is expected to be unveiled on Monday.
Grant admitted leading the team was tough at the best of times and the Commonwealth Games had taken a major toll on her mentally.
However, Grant said that her time with the Central Pulse this season had sparked her passion to play and she looked forward to stepping back on the international netball scene. “It was darn hard but what made it so much easier was coming from the Ferns to the Pulse because of the environment . . . and great people.
“None of them cared what I’d been through — they just wanted to make sure me as a person was okay and to help me enjoy netball.
“It’s made me really love playing netball,” she said.
“I just love being on the court and giving it my all and training hard and seeing people around me play some amazing netball.”
The Pulse are hot favourites to claim the annual ANZ Premiership title when they take on the Southern Steel in the grand final on Sunday afternoon in Palmerston North after dominating the domestic season at the top of the points table.
A lot of people have said I need to take responsibility, too, for what happened and I understand that, so if the new team is named and I’m not in that, that’s fine. Katrina Grant