They’ve lost their inspirational captain and their long-standing coach has gone too, but the NSW Swifts insist they are genuine contenders for this season’s trans-Tasman netball title, which starts this weekend.
One of the perennial powerhouses of the 10-team competition, the Swifts – who will contest the first match of the new season in Adelaide on Saturday – have made the semi-finals in three of the competition’s first four years.
However, NSW go into 2012 with a different leadership group to the one that served them so well through the past four years.
Captain and veteran shooter Catherine Cox has joined West Coast, while Lisa Beehag has taken over as coach after Julie Fitzgerald, who had been at the helm of the Swifts since their inception in the mid 1990s, didn’t have her contract renewed.
The Swifts have also lost Diamonds defender Bec Bulley to Adelaide and promising midcourters Ashleigh Brazill and Courtney Tairi to Fever and Steel respectively.
Beehag opted to replace them with local players rather than try to recruit big name outsiders.
“At NSW, we’re the largest association in Australia and I think we have a great depth of talent in the state,” Beehag told AAP.
“I believe that’s where we should be looking to develop our talent.
“We have got (England defender) Sonia (Mkoloma) back this year so we’re not going to close off the idea of having an import or having someone from interstate if we believe they are going to make a difference to our roster.”
Former Australian representative Beehag says she isn’t feeling the pressure to maintain the long-running culture of success established by Fitzgerald and is confident it will continue.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my playing and coaching career to be fairly successful and I don’t see why that needs to change,” Beehag said.
“We definitely want to be in that four and, from that four, we believe we can really shake it up.”
Her optimism is shared by defender Mo’onia Gerrard who, along with fellow Diamond Kimberlee Green, have been appointed co-captains of the Swifts.
Gerrard, who will miss at least the first round due to an ankle problem, is confident the younger players can help sustain the high standards set by their predecessors.
“They’ve got youth on their side. You will be surprised by some of these girls coming out on the weekend. They’ve got some magic in their shoes,” Gerrard said.
Opposing teams can expect to face pressure all over the court, with Beehag placing an emphasis on all-court defence.
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