The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Guthrie to lift after Green netball injury

19th March, 2017
0

England mid-court dynamo Serena Guthrie has vowed to try to fill the void left by Kimberlee Green if the knee injury the Giants captain suffered in her team’s 53-38 Super Netball win over the Adelaide Thunderbirds proves to be as serious as initially feared.

Tests this week will shed light on Green’s situation after she was assisted from the court in the opening minute of the match at the Australian Institute of Sport Arena in Canberra on Sunday following a heavy clash with opposing captain Erin Bell, which left the dual World Champion grimacing in pain and clutching her left knee.

The Giants rallied to extend their unbeaten stretch to five, but with a tough run of away matches against the Melbourne Vixens, NSW Swifts and Queensland Firebirds in the next three rounds, the loss of Green would test the competition frontrunners’ depth and resolve.

“We don’t want to give up our place on the top of the table,” Guthrie said after a dominant performance.

“Tonight was an important win. But, in the games ahead, with or without Kim, we’ve got to play even harder, even stronger as a team.

“What will be will be with her. Whether she’ll be able to participate or not, we all know that she’ll be there backing us 100 per cent. Certainly, being aware she’s one of the key players in the group, obviously I’m prepared to step up, absolutely.”

Green’s departure prompted coach Julie Fitzgerald to bring Taylah Davies into the game to work with Guthrie. The pair linked well, working hard defensively and feeding Jo Harten and Susan Pettitt, who scored 43 goals between them.

“You can’t hide from the fact that the team’s absolutely gutted about what happened tonight with Kim,” Guthrie said.

Advertisement

“We had to put that aside and play the rest of the game. It was definitely tough and I’m very proud of the way that the girls pulled together and put that one on. Kim definitely would have been filthy with us if we lost that one, so we definitely had that in the back of our minds.”

close