The Netball Show
S7 Ep80: Tracey Neville (24th Oct 2024)
(upbeat music) - Hi, this is Nat Metcalf. Flyhawk have developed a unique 3D kit designer that's fully customizable. So if you're looking for a new kit for your team for the new season, visit flyhawk.com or email info@flyhawk.com with your ideas now. - Nation Player is the easy to use, one-stop radio and audio app. Download Nation Player now on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Nation Player, where on are you? The netball show with Flyhawk. Raising the bar for netball and winning sports. - Netball show with Flyhawk, delighted, is an understatement. Tracey Neville, thank you so much for your time. How have things been, first of all? - Yeah, good. I'm just currently on the way back to Australia at the weekend, really excited to get back into pre-season. You feel like you have loads of time off as a netball coach, but I think we've obviously been a rebuild in the Mavericks. We've been doing a lot of stuff and work that we weren't able to do when we're setting up the franchise. So yeah, it should be another exciting year too. - And Tracey, what comparisons, if any, are the between coaching a team in the Super League compared to Sunkop? - And I think, do you know that the major differences is one, probably the facilities. You know, if I feel about my role in the Rosie's program when we went to a full-time program and, you know, I turn up every day. I have a four-court venue that's just got netball lines on it. I have a great staff at Wavelinetteball Center, headed up by Michelle and Ian, who look after us and ensure we have our own offices. We have a players room. We have our own little players den where, you know, changing rooms and facilities for our medical staff. And you just think about professional sport and the access to venues and space. And I think that is just such a pleasure. And they only say, you know, if you wake up every day excited to get into work, you never have to work. And I feel that the team we've put together and the team that I walk into work with every day is just really, really exciting. - Mav's work was finishing in that top four in your first season, really, no mean feat. She had a bit of a niggle for most of the season. And if you hadn't picked up some of those injuries, you could have seriously been a contender. - I think that the sum crop super netball is such a different beast. You see the closeness of the games. You see when they blow out, you see different teams. You know, I was thinking super league, the top four teams are pretty much stabilized and it'll be exciting to see what happens this year. But in sum crop super netball, you know, any team can be anybody on any given day. And I think that's what's really exciting, the speed of the game out there. When you look at where we finished, was this the year that I expected, of course not. Honestly, every Sunday night, Monday morning, I was like, is this something else going to go wrong for us? But I feel that was a real test of character within our team and real test of what we'd sort of the players, we'd sort of regroup together, the ability for them to be able to integrate in new players, the ability for them to go out and really fight on a weekly basis. And I think when I set up the playing group and in the initial stages, I found in the past that it was really important that the people that we actually got together were willing to fight. And then it was about adding them sort of cherries as we started to go through. But I feel that, yeah, the loss of Lauren Moore or Lauren Parkinson now and Sasha Glasgow had a huge impact, not just on court physically, but more emotionally as well, the way we lost them to players, really did affect our team for quite a while. And then obviously having Eleanor Cardwell in and out of injuries. And we had a few other issues that year as well were Molly Jovik and Kim Jenner and some of the protocols around concussion. And it felt that every single week we were sort of, you know, trying to climb a mountain. And sometimes as a coach, you know, when I reflect back and it's quite disappointing that at not one point during the year, did we have our full squad? And that was without Sasha or Lars and to go into a game without, and you only have 10 players, it's pretty tough. But I think me and Rich O really wore that well. And I think it sets us up for a really exciting second year. - What'd she like to work with? - Mm-hmm. Do you know what? She has keep me absolutely sane. They actually call her candy floss 'cause they think she's the softer one of the two. I always do feel that assistant coaches get that little bit of a branding. And I think you can be a little bit better, a little bit relaxing. She has actually been an absolute rock for me. I've partnership coaching relationship that I've never ever worked with. So that's always a little bit wet. You know, you're a little bit nervous about how you're gonna get on, whether you're on the same page. But I feel for me that, you know, we can have, we're really, we can be really hard with each other. We can really be quite blunt. But then in the next breath, we can, you know, have some of the best laughs. And I think that is something that I've really, really enjoyed with her this year. She's also, you know, a coach that's worked in Melbourne a long time. So she's given me a lot bigger lay of the land and also should be taking on a little bit more responsibility this year. And it's always great to have a coach that's linked with the diamonds and having a considerable amount of diamonds players in our team over 70%. That's something that's really crucial for players that do wanna try and progress to that next level. - It's great to see that Shimano L and obviously Sasha as well with you next season. So have you thought about how that rotational work between them all? Do you see more, do you see Elmo as maybe as a goal shooter or goal attack? - And I think when we set up the front, when we set up and then players initially wanted to obviously recruit to the Mavericks. I think one of the things, one of the key roles that Sasha and Elba wanted to play was that they wanted to be able to be fluent between them two positions. I felt that Elle worked a lot internationally and probably at club level around that goal shooter game and the previous year. So last year, although she wasn't fluent in that position and she was a little bit rusty, I felt that there was some great things that we saw in that goal attack role that we obviously need to continue to build on. In respect to Sasha, obviously playing with Janille Fowler, never ever got an opportunity to go shoot her. And obviously she knows that if she wants to play international for the roses, she again needs to be quite fluent through them two positions, particularly with Helen Haus being Elle and a cad, well, in them starting positions. So I think that was really exciting. Obviously, we're not gonna, well, never say never, but at the moment, we're not gonna move Shimona out to goal attack. So she's quite stable in that goal shoot position, but you couldn't ignore the impact that Shimona had on our team last year, just from her character and the way she played. And obviously the volume of shots that she got to go. So obviously with the added variety of Sasha and Eleanor in there, that'll be, you know, Adam, another little bowl to our string going into season 2025. - It's wonderful at the best of time, but internet plenty of rumours on that. Can I ask you about Gabby Sinclair, a bit of an insight really into the thinking and decision to let her go? How hard was that? - Oh, probably one of the biggest and biggest decisions I've had to make in my coaching career, to be honest. We absolutely love Gabby Sinclair and the impact that she made at the Mavericks. And, you know, in year one, she was 100% one of the main goal attacks and shooters I actually went for. And I think there was a few clubs at the time going for them. We were lucky to actually recruit her. I think when we went into year two, you know, it was a huge decision between, you know, obviously we have Sasha coming back who's a predominant goal attack with a moveable goal shooter. And then obviously Elle having obviously stinted her place at goal attack. And I still go back to the relationship part and the fact that Sasha and Eleanor will be hopefully playing some international netball together over the next couple of years and the relationship they want to develop. But also in that we couldn't ignore the impact that Shimona Jock had made as well. And yet you talk about, you know, losing a player and she was a highly valuable player. But as in anything and every year, you don't want to be stale as well. You want to play a different style of netball. You want to keep adding to your genre. And obviously the variation that Shimona, Elle, and Sasha Givel's going into the next season is really important. Hi, this is Nat Meckoff. And you're listening to The Network Show. It's an Apple show with Fly Hawk, back with Tracy Neville. Tracy, I can't not ask you about England. Right, isn't a second in the world. And I'm not going to ask you the obvious, how do you think Jess is doing? So my question there is, what are some of the differences on court that you've noticed since you held the role? In respect to differences, I feel like it was in a different era. I think the Rosie's programme is still continuing. And I think that is a huge plus for England netball. And the Rosie's going forward at the moment currently until obviously we see what the 2.0 Super League season brings and where professionalisation starts to head. I think the ability for them girls to be training full-time in an environment is still important, even though some people would go against that. So I think the continuation of the professionalised programme at international level and the Rosie's and the ability for them to train together in the down season and in non-club season is really, really important and really valuable. I feel that the embedding of the players, I feel that I don't feel there's any real difference between like sort of Jess's values and my values in respect to bringing that crop of youngsters through, we've seen over the last, is it, has she been in post for about just over five years now? And we've seen that crop of youngsters come through, which you did also saw in my cycle. And that's what that Rosie's programme is there for. And I think that you've seen that there's, you know, when you're working with players consistently in that environment and you saw New Zealand this morning, you see New Zealand, all the consolation caught. That blood in of them youngsters is hugely important and in that last series, you know, the ability for Liv to sheen to take on that particular role, you know, there's been a lot of backwork there from her club and also the Rosie's programme to be able to get her up to that standard. And I think some people forget here that stepping onto the pace of the game is hugely important. I think that's what sometimes some crop super netball, you saw when England played in their first game, it took them a little bit to get onto the pace of the game. And that is something that you try and replicate in training, but it's really hard until you get out there. Likewise, when obviously New Zealand played that series against England, they stepped onto the pace of the game, unbelievable, which I thought they were off the pace of the game at the start. So I think from our point of view, I think the values around progressing in netball and taking them, you know, sort of creating your own history. I think that has been really important over this last five years for Jess. And I think I think she's done that very well, you know, she's got to a World Cup final, and she's being New Zealand in a test series. I think then milestones are hugely important if you're going to go for gold medal at the next come off games or World Cup. - And we've got teams like Australia, New Zealand, constantly improving their game. But when you add teams like Will, Scotland, Nippon and Ireland, well into that mix as well, it's an exciting time for the game in overall. And well, Kath Tetley taking on Scotland as well, what did you make this news and what do you know of her? - And I actually love our partner in regions. You know, for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to even get into that top sort of five ranking is so important, you know, at the moment, currently England, after going, you've seen just a six week tour just to play some of the best in the world or fly out to Jamaica or fly out to South Africa to play them teams. And it's hugely important. I feel the obviously adding to that, John, I think the loss of some of the head coaches in that role, obviously they've lost Karen Atkinson up in Scotland and Sarah Bayman and Sansa Greenway. I think that's a massive loss for Scottish netball. However, the introduction of Kath and some of, I've seen some of the great work that she's done obviously out in New South Wales, is massive about the progression because she's obviously comes from not only a coaching background, but she also comes from a high performance background, which is, he's usually important. And I think from my perspective, I'm unsure how that is, how they're going to progress. It's particularly with now the African nations. I think they're just a bomb waiting to go off. And everyone says that if they had the investment that some of the top nations have, what would their netball look like? And it is quite scary now that the African nations are so underdeveloped in netball terms, but are still able to put out some high performance. And I think them are the ones that are probably going to be the most scariest. - We saw recently that obviously Shani and Joe Harten were part of the England bench as well. So the reaction when they're won as well. So that was really wonderful to see. Not just Jess, but the players on benefit from that as well, Mona. - Yeah, and I think obviously Anna Stembridge is back. - Yeah. - With, you know, and that's actually a real pleasure. See, I've worked with, I know I took on her job in 2015. However, we do work quite closely together on the world netball board. And we've obviously worked closely together prior to me getting the England job. Joe Harten has always had a coaching brain. She's almost been very clever. I don't have very little experience with Shani in respect to coaching terms, but I know she's been doing quite a lot of work with the Melbourne Vixens. And I feel for us that- - You could certainly hear Shani no doubt. - Yeah, definitely, you know what? Sometimes that is really, really important around the particular group. But I think the recruitment of them three is more around the skill set. You know, you look at Anna's strengths being in that midcourt. You look at Shani's strengths being in the defence, which is one of obviously England's huge development areas with the loss of some of our big stats over the last five years. And then obviously Joe just working on them shooters. And, you know, you saw the support that she gave Liv Tashine out in that series. And some people underestimated shooting coaches, but at the end of the game, the game is won and lost by your shooters. So I think the skill set of them three particular coaches is a real incentive. And I'm not sure if obviously Anna Leota's still in the mix, but like I say, she obviously added some spice to the group as well. So I think that new influx of knowledge is really important to keep obviously on top of the game. - I wanted to ask you about Chelsea, obviously taking on that head coach role at Nottingham Forest. How well do you think she'll fit? How will a supposed to anticipate she'll get on with that? - So interestingly enough, I did speak to Chelsea when she was obviously being looked at for the role. I obviously spoke to Karen Atkinson as well in respect to obviously she was looking at recruiting coaches and the sort of coaches that she wanted to recruit. I've obviously worked with Chelsea a long time in respect to obviously having coached her, but I also have, you know, she's worked alongside me in some coaching situations. And she's a very, very, how do I say a shoot player? And hopefully she'll take that into her coaching. And, you know, you talk about up and coming coaches and you know, you look at that, I think how she just stepped into that role. And, you know, there's other coaches that could potentially have gone into that. But at the end of the day, it depends what your outcomes and your strategy is for Nottingham Forest. You know, you look at Chelsea now, she's played for England now for over eight years. You know, her brother lives in England. She knows the system, she knows she's played here. She obviously has played in New Zealand and obviously out in Australia. So she's probably had a huge repertoire of coaching knowledge being getting into her. Now, is she going to be scratch at start? Of course she is, who isn't, when they start in particular roles. But I feel this is a stepping stone, you know, you've got a franchise that is wanting to develop and sometimes that's not going to happen in your first year. But also-- - Yeah, but definitely new, isn't it, yeah? - Yeah, why would you go sort of an established coach when actually, why would you not want to sort of bring in a developing coach so you can actually mold both like club and head coach roles together? And, you know, everyone, everyone has an opinion on your coaching journey. But, you know, when I look at my coaching journey and how I got to be able to coaching at the top level is completely different to Karen Greg's coaching journey or Nicole Richton's coaching journey. And I feel that we have very, sometimes we're very critical on, you know, one shot fix all. And that is completely wrong. And I feel that that is, you know, you don't-- some of your star players or some of the players that you've recruited have come through a completely different avenue to the sort of pathway system or come through the regimented system. And I think that is something that is really exciting about Nottingham Forest, that they've got the ability to be able to mold Chelsea. And also with Karen Atkinson, she's an unbelievable mentor and support system. You saw what she did with Scotland netball. And I feel that she's got some great ideas, she really knows how to work someone from the ground up. And I think that support system is going to be really crucial in leading Chelsea to being, you know, one of the top coaches. And, you know, I think there's a, you know, even Joe stepping into a role as well, it's so exciting. I think that used to happen all the time about the migration of these players into these high performance roles. And, you know, we can't get away from, if you, you know, you look at all the coaches, you know, who are in top jobs that they've all played at some form of top level, whether that's international or they've played at some coke, you know, top club level. So I think that's really important to take away at the moment. - Right. Time to do something like this. So obviously the changes to the league. How have you made, how have you seen it from afar, really? - The Super League, the English. And I'm actually, I'm really, really excited about it. I obviously, you know, I have initially, I was part of some of the changes that were gonna be made. And, you know, I was part of some of the discussions around when it was being talked about. I think some of, you know, you can look at it positively. I look at, you know, the building I walk into every day and the excitement of, you know, every single day is, I'm doing the job I love in a performance arena. And that, I've always wanted England Network to progress to that. Obviously, that is why, obviously, when we set up the Professionalised Programme back in 2016, that's where I wanted England Network to go that players actually woke up every day doing the job they loved. And we created that for them. I think the sort of reservation I have is the massive financial requirement from these clubsides with obviously no financial support from any other arenas. So when we look at Australia and obviously the contracts that we have out there, we get a massive influx of funding from Fox Sports and obviously, you know, that whole sort of thing to the clubs. Obviously, the clubs don't get that here in England and the sustainability of being able to manage them that financially when they're still in sort of that semi-professional stage is a real worry for me. And obviously, about, you know, these great people who are putting up this money and what rewards they're gonna get from it. And hopefully, you know, you almost look on the reservation, but also the fact that at the moment, we just don't have the facilities that we have out in Australia. And that's not a negative, but when you can't access facilities during the day and you're only accessing facilities at night, you're competing with a lot more different sports. But, you know, all I see is the passion and the hard work that everyone's putting in to make this work. And that for me is hugely important. - It's great to see as well that initial buy-in as well. I mean, I got myself a supporters kit sent over and just the response from fans in that first season, good to see. - Yeah, yeah. And I think what was great is, and obviously there's a lot of talk around it, but they're trying to do something different. The greatest thing about working with this organization, you work for one person and that's like a hook to you. And even similar, you know, you're not working for like a governing body, which is completely different to different setup, but also they're able to make changes on a game-to-game basis, which is something I'm gonna have to adapt to because I'm like a, I'm a very set in the way I wanna go out to a game, but you know, I've actually embraced what they wanna do and where they want the game to go. But even how we enter the court, different things that we're doing around the court, different like activations we're doing, I think that's really exciting. And you know what, I've just got to progress 'cause that's where netball is. It's an entertainment product now, and then we've got to move it that way. - Finally, Chrissy, cannot ask you how are you anticipating next season will go for Melbourne Mavericks? - To be honest, got really exciting, build up to the season, come in. I think if I just saw that, oh, I just want to get through Team Girls Cup, I think that is just for me being on negative. I think obviously we've had a massive debrief in respect to the season. We've got to make improvements as an organization. We've got to make improvements as a high performance group, but also the players have to make improvements in respect to where we want to go as a franchise. So from our perspective, I think it's on everybody to step up that next level and not just get through it. And I think there were times last year with all the injuries we were hit with. And I felt that every day, you know, we were faced with just another battle. I felt there were times when we did feel like we were just trying to get through it. But I think there's some really exciting things that are going to come from the Mavericks this year. And I think there's some new things that have been put in place. So that's really exciting going forward. - Chrissy, thanks so much for your time. - Thanks, Andy. Thank you. - The net will show is now also available via SkyQ and Sky Glass. So let's sport and we're on the podcast's rail.
Tracey Neville ! (yes no more words needed here)