Same but different as Pulse seek title hat-trick
She’s been thrown a few curve balls before a game has even been played but new Central Pulse coach Gail Parata is still aiming high in her first season at the helm of the two-time defending ANZ Premiership champions – just don’t mention the word ‘‘threepeat’’.
The former Scotland national team coach is trying to temper expectations following a raft of personnel changes, but was also reluctant to ride on the coattails of Yvette McCausland-Durie’s success, after the Pulse won the previous two premiership finals and qualified for the past four.
‘‘We’re going out there to win a title, but because it’s a different group of players, different combinations on court. It’s kind of like the Pulse 2021 team going out for a title versus what other people are calling a potential three-peat,’’ Parata said.
‘‘If Yvette was still coaching you could probably call it a threepeat, but because I’m a new coach . . . and the other big thing is we’re taking the pressure off the players. They are still understanding how to work with each other because of the new combinations, and that’s the important thing.’’
Only five members of the Pulse’s premiership-winning squad from 2020 have returned, severely weakening their playing roster, while the availability of Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio remains unclear.
Ekenasio is on leave due to medical reasons and will miss the opening game against the Northern Stars in Palmerston North tomorrow.
While her ongoing absence will hurt the Pulse’s attack, it’s at the other end of the court where they have been hit the hardest. Club captain Katrina Rore is pregnant and won’t feature in 2021 while Karin Burger, who would have likely played at goal defence to cover Rore’s unavailability, has transferred to Mainland Tactix.
The signing of Burger has immediately made the Tactix the team to beat this season after losing last year’s final, but the Pulse have offset her departure by luring Silver Ferns wing attack Whitney Souness back from a brief stint with Waikato-Bay of
Plenty Magic.Kelly Jury will play goal defence and is highly motivated to play her way back into national team contention after missing out on selection due to fitness concerns.
Parata believed there was still enough quality within the squad to challenge for a third consecutive title.
‘‘Kelly could play herself into the Silver Ferns tomorrow with the fitness she’s at at the moment,’’ Parata said.
‘‘Even though we’ve lost people like that [Rore and Burger] and they are big players that have gone, we also have had Kelera Nawai come to us. From when I first saw her in November to where she is now is night and day, and then we’ve got a rising star in Parris Mason.’’
Souness will form an all-Silver Ferns midcourt with interim captain Claire Kersten and Maddy Gordon, giving the Pulse the best engine room in the competition, although the 1.74m-tall Souness has even been tried at goal attack during pre-season, providing a left-field solution to the unavailability of Ekenasio.
‘‘Look, I would have no hesitation in putting her in there,’’ Parata said. ‘‘What it does for her own development is that it gives her another option and versatility for the Silver Ferns if they needed a back-up.’’
Given their high-profile absences, Parata believed the gap had closed between them and the chasing pack, but she was still optimistic about the Pulse’s chances going all the way in 2021.
‘‘I do think it’ll be tighter, but I hope they’re not tight against us,’’ she said. ‘‘This is a proud region – yeah there’s been lots of changes and challenges but I think we have a team that can lift the title again.’’