The Netball Show
S7 Ep44: NWC 5 Year Ani : Jenny Woods (21st July 2024)
(upbeat music) Knackknack off here. Online at Flyhawk.com you can find the full range of their netball products including hoodies, leggings, netballs and so much more. There are even kit packages that suit everyone. They are available in UK sizes four to 24 and also in different lengths too. Plus we can even send you a sample pack for a returnable fee to try some of the range. Get yours now. - The netball show with Flyhawk. Raising the bar for netball and winning sports. (upbeat music) - Netball show with Flyhawk. Looking back at five years since the netball World Cup in Liverpool, Jenny Woods. Welcome to the podcast and always great to speak to you. You remember the sky netball team weren't you commented as during the World Cup. So I suppose the first question is, does it really seem like five years ago? - Well, no Andy, good day. Nice to talk to you. So, no, in many ways it seems a lot longer. And then other times it seems just like yesterday. So, you know, it's like one of those things that were huge, you know, in many respects. And it was, for us it was just the beginning of I was about to start six months off. I'd taken leave from my job here and my husband was with me. And, you know, we were going traveling around Europe. So all the more reason to think back very fondly on Liverpool. - What do you remember most about Liverpool overall? - Yeah, and I mean, it was the whole vibe. We loved Liverpool. I'd never been there. I've lived in England in the past, but for whatever reason, I'd never been to Liverpool. And I understand, you know, it's been sort of EU money, got poured into it and it had such a rich history. And I enjoyed, you know, getting around, looking at the place, being a tourist. And then, of course, there was the netball and there was the events around the netball. You know, the players were treated a little bit like rock stars. I mean, it was as though the Beatles had come back to life or something. But it was just, it was the vibe. And I think the crowds were just so intense, friendly, the African crowds. And I mean, they like it at every World Cup, every Commonwealth Games. But this one was particularly special. That was my, I think I'd done about, I think that was my third World Cup. I'd done three com games. I've done a few more since. And I think that is, for obvious reasons, it's, you know, it's high up on my memories. And also too, as far as a New Zealand person goes, we'd come off the back of that horrendous 2018 Commonwealth Games when things did not go well. We've had another World Cup since then when things didn't go so well either. But, you know, it was just a great, great experience to be there. - How important overall, and would you say the likes of Casey, Maria, maybe Laura and Bailey and that side? - Yeah, well, they were, you know, they were Nolene's fossils. And she, so just to give a bit of back, I mean, they probably, you probably know what, well, I'm sure you do. But for your listeners, it was that we'd had this 2018 Commonwealth Games. Nolene Taurua had missed out on the job to be Silver Friends Coach. Janine Southby had got it. She'd come in and, you know, things hadn't gone so well. We lost to a few countries we'd never lost to before. We missed the medals. And so, Dame Nolene, well, she wasn't Dame Nolene then, but she was a bit later, came in. And within 11 months, she had turned that team around. Now, I don't know that that's been quite fair to Southby. I think she had a few other things going on. But I think what those players were, you know, at the peak of their career, you could say, you know, this was the end for, you know, Maria Falau, as you mentioned, Casey Coapour, Laura Langman. And they, you know, they were our recent breaks and they just made such a difference because as Nolene talked about, you know, they were her spine. They were her spine of world-class players. And I think she molded them in. And then the rest of the ones come around them, like Echinasio, Arore, Jane Watson, Phoenix Karaka, Carren Berger, they were all the ones who are now coming through and are our key players. So it was a tremendous team. - And Jenny New Zealand will play us in Group B, which included Malawi, Barbados and Singapore. So what did you feel about their opponents in that group? - Yeah, I mean, look, you've always got to have respect for the opponents, whoever they are in that group, because you never know the day that you know, you don't treat them with that bit of respect. Could be the day they, you know, kick your butt, basically. But I kind of knew or felt fairly confident about the outcome when we won that semi-final over England, because I think that was the game that had been, you know, earmarked and England was so confident, you know, they'd won that 2018 Commonwealth gold. It was their first big win. And, you know, they were on top of the world. And I think I didn't call the England New Zealand semi-final. I was in the crowd. And I tell you what, it's a lot easier commentating than sitting in the crowd watching, because I just get so, you know, I ride every wave and every, every goal. But I just felt that when they got that 47, 45 win in the semi, I thought, "Cheekers, this might just be the win we can do." Do you reckon the Aussies peak too early enough, Sammy? I don't know that they did. I think, you know, you've got to remember, we won by one goal. We have a district in the New Zealand of beating, if and when we do beat them. You know, they're always close. The finals and the comp games, except, I mean, I think we had a blowout in Glasgow in 2014. But, or else we go to extra time. I mean, there's a tremendous rivalry between New Zealand and Australia. And I think the good thing that's happening now is that that rivalry is being joined by England, joined by, hopefully, Jamaica. And that's the whole point. You've got to grow the game, bring these other countries up. England, you know, I think England is certainly on the way. Jamaica, they've got so many players now in the Suncorp Super League in Australia. They just need some money. So, look, I've gone a bit off the topic. But certainly, it was, you know, it is quite, I see it as quite an exciting time for netball now. It's a time of change, time of flux. And things get a bit bumpy in those times of change. So I think you've just got to ride it out, hope for the best and hope, you know, there's some good people making the decisions. - Always special as a commentated to not only call New Zealand via Australia, but the final as well. - Yeah, and I mean, honestly, I wasn't meant to. I was never meant to call that game. I think because the-- - You said it was Shani's job and she scived. - Ah, no, well, I don't think that's quite how it happened. But I think, you know, I think England was so sure that they were going to be in that final. I wasn't even roasted on that day. And then when we won that semi-final, there were quite a few phone calls all over the place. And it was myself calling it, Shani did the, you know, it was expert in the first half, Dan Ryan in the second, which I, you know, I did find that a little unusual, but, you know, that's all right, your role with it. And it was just, it was thrilling. And you felt, I was talking to Todd Miller, actually, that our stats guy who was there for, well, he's just everywhere in world. And he's a bit like you, Andy. He reminded me that I had left my lines down in his media center, which was, if you remember, down beneath the bowels of the building. And so he ran and got it and he came back with it. And I don't normally write lines for whichever way the game, you know, is going to go. And so I don't know why I had that day. But it, as it became, well, there wasn't a lot of lead up because, I mean, you know, it was again, it was one goal. But I was, you know, clutching him. And it was, it was just so thrilling. And I mean, there were so many people who I think, you know, you never really know who's going to be calling for New Zealand, but I like to think it's genuine. If we're not in Australia, it's generally they're calling for New Zealand because we're, you know, we're the underdogs. We're little, you know, we've got one player for every six of theirs. And I think, you know, they should normally beat us, but every now and then we get up and do it to them. So it was just a thrill. - Lisa was obviously ever gracious and defeat as well. And that final in itself had everything, didn't it? New Zealand worthy winners, given their tournament overall? - Yeah, oh, I think so. And I mean, and Lisa would be. I mean, she, again, I go back to that thing where she, she'd lost, she'd, you know, had that one goal loss in the 2018 Comm Games. And, you know, then that one goal loss. I mean, it was one goal. And I, you know, I think she will go down as one of the great Australian coaches. They've had a fair few of them. And I think this current one, whose name escapes me, is again in the same, same ilk. But it was just, you know, it had everything. As you say, you know, first quarter locked at 10 all. And then we got a jump in that second quarter and then we extended it by one. And then back came Australia in that final quarter. And, you know, it was just, it was so exciting. And I just, I mean, I think I was literally shaking. You know, I have done these sort of games before and I do tend to get a bit excited. But it's the most wonderful thing to be able to call commentating your job, because it's really not a job. - We spoke about it just a little bit earlier, but obviously since netball will come as well, have you noticed an upturn in the performance of The Roses? - Oh, very definitely. Everything hasn't gone quite their way. I mean, they had that disappointment a couple of years later, 2022 Comm Games. And then they had, you know, and I think that was quite a disappointment for them because New Zealand beat them for the bronze. And you see, and that's what I mean about the evolution of netball because that's when Jamaica came up. And, you know, they were fantastic in Birmingham. And I'd like to think that that evolution will continue. But since those Commonwealth games in Birmingham, they have-- - Had a beer in World Cup, yeah. - Yeah, exactly. And I suspect that probably they'll be, well, they might be, they shouldn't be disappointed in that final performance against Australia. That Australian team in Cape Town in 2024 was just superb. You know, they had two shooting combinations that they could just take on and take off. And from a New Zealand point of view, there was disappointment that England didn't take that opportunity just to let New Zealand know that they would be sending a B team to New Zealand for the Tiny Jamison series later that year. But, you know, it didn't matter because what happened is that that B team was very good and they put in a terrific performance and they damn near beat the Silverferns. And then it turned around again that when the Constellation Cup came, we beat Australia a couple of times and they only got it on goal difference. So, you know, there's a lot of, well, how can I say? There's a lot of coming and going. The one constant I think at the moment is Australia. And I think that's where we all need to get up to. And of course, Andy, the thing the game needs is money. And it's the one thing that isn't lying about on the ground at the moment, but I think there's a lot of people who are working on it. So, you know, I think we just have to hang in there and see what happens. Looking forward to Sydney. Oh, yes, well, I just love this game and I love the way it's become faster and there is quite a lot of excitement around it. The trouble is it's in this country anyway in New Zealand, it's combined with cash is not, as I said before, cash is not, you know, lying around on the ground. And I think broadcasters are really tightening the belt. So, netball organizations have got to be really smart and start thinking about how they're going to present the game to really draw in viewers, draw in anyone who can make involvement in the game. And if we can keep doing that, I'm sure we will. It'll be great. The other thing though I would say is we've got to somehow get these poorer countries, traditionally poorer, like Jamaica is one and the African nations ring them up. I mean, that was a marvellous World Cup, I thought in Cape Town last year, I know New Zealand bombed out, but some things are bigger than that. And it was a real eye opener to me and I think if we can just get some investment into the game, surely the rest will happen. - Homewood Cup was truly special. Can't wait for the next one, but in the meantime, Jenny, thank you for your time. Always great to catch up. - My pleasure, looking forward to seeing you next time. - The netball show is now also available via Sky HD, Sky Q and Sky Glass. Select sports and we're on the podcast's rail. (upbeat music)
Jenny Woods was part of Sky Sports Netball Commentary team - she remembers the final as New Zealand won by one!