Netball team for the Games announced

Commonwealth Games - Melbourne 2006

Australia’s netball team for the Commonwealth Games was announced at the AIS in Canberra yesterday.

The team of 12 players selected to wear the green and gold next month in Melbourne features just four survivors from the squad that won Gold in Manchester in 2002.

Of the four players who played at the 2002 Manchester games, Janine Ilitch makes a return to elite level netball following the birth of a child in the middle of last year.

Since netball was introduced to the Commonwealth Games in 1998, Australia’s record is superior to all opposition and has claimed the Gold medal on both occasions.

Sharelle McMahon will lead the squad in the absence of an injured Liz Ellis, with fellow goaler Catherine Cox named as vice captain.

With some experienced players not selected due to injury and form issues, this paves the way for talented young goaler Susan Pratley and defender Susan Fuhrmann to make their debuts for Australia at open international level.

The loss of experienced players such as Ellis and Eloise Southby-Halbish means that those selected will need to stay focused and play a high standard of netball in every match during the tournament.

“The task for our team has been made harder by the loss of players like Liz Ellis and Eloise Southby-Halbish, coupled with the excellent recent form of our great rivals across the Tasman. At this stage, on paper at least, New Zealand would be the team to beat. But at each of the Commonwealth Games so far our girls have seemed to find that little bit extra when it counts,” said Commonwealth Games Association CEO, Perry Crosswhite.

McMahon is thrilled to be representing her country in Melbourne and her parents will see her compete at Commonwealth Games level for the first time.

“I am really honoured to have the position of captain and to lead this great group of women. We have all been working well together over the last few months and the feeling within the team is great.

“We have a great mix of experience and youth, which makes us a bit of an unknown quantity. We are well aware of the expectations, but we have our own goals and won’t let the outside pressure affect us,” McMahon said.

Prior to the Commonwealth Games, the squad will enter into another intensive training camp under the guidance of coach Norma Plummer at the AIS from 20-24 February, before moving into the village on March 12.

Australia is drawn in group B during the round robin stage of the tournament and will face off against Barbados, Jamaica, Samoa, Singapore and Wales.

Jamaica is number three ranked netball nation in the world and will provide a significant challenge to the Australians during the round robin competition.

Close games of netball are what spectators like to see, with games between Australia and New Zealand usually seeing netball of the highest class played.

In recent years, the Silver Ferns have had the better of the Australia and defeated them in both Test matches last year.

Crosswhite believes when Australia meets New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games, it will be a hard fought netball contest.

“It is important to remember that the strength of netball worldwide is in the Commonwealth and a Games tournament is the equivalent of a world championships at every stage,” Mr Crosswhite said.

Australian opens its Gold medal defence against Wales on March 17th.

Norma Plummer – Coach
Jane Searle – Assistant Coach
Marg Molina – Team Manager
Dr Lyn Thew – Team Doctor
Wayne Rodgers – Physiotherapist

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