Rore ready to make her mark across ditch with Swifts
New Zealand netball great Katrina Rore is adamant she wouldn’t allow for herself to be weighed down by heavy expectations after linking with the premiership-leading NSW Swifts this week.
Rore, the Silver Ferns vice-captain who won a gold medal at last month’s World Cup, was recruited by the Swifts to replace Kate Eddy after she suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
The 32-year-old defender now finds herself in a team that’s striving to play in their first Super Netball finals campaign after dominating this season’s opening 10 rounds.
However, Rore insisted she allow herself to feel pressured.
‘‘I’m not too fazed about expectations on myself from anybody but [those in] the Swifts environment,’’ she said upon won’t her arrival in Sydney.
‘‘If I’m here to do a job, I’m hoping to do the job they want.
‘‘When the Swifts called I was up for it. I’m at the stage of my career where these opportunities don’t come around every day.
‘‘I like challenging myself and doing something different, so I was keen.
‘‘I’m just going to take the coaching I get and try to put that on the court. I’ll put my best foot forward. I’m a competitor and I’d never want to let a team down. I’ll be doing everything I can to play well.’’
After clearing customs, Rore headed straight to her new training base to prepare for this weekend’s match against the competition’s defending premiers, the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Adding to her initiation is the Lightning are coached by Silver Ferns mentor Noeline Taurua and spearheaded by Kiwi captain Laura Langman.
‘‘I haven’t seen them since [winning the World Cup] final. It’ll be good, but on the court is on the court and we’ll be wanting to beat each other.’’