I think we should try to get chat volume on this site up as AENA is now offline pending redevelopment (HURRAH!). Perhaps we could give them some useful ideas...
And besides we need an active forum while that one's out of commission - and I say make it here!!!
if you're having trouble getting it it's probably because you're using a bookmark with an extra bit of detail attached (certainly so if you're trying to go direct to the chat page). Just enter that URL directly and then rebookmark it and you should be fine.
Mind you shades of deja vu, blank pages with "coming soon" on... They never learn do they!
Well after wathching just about every Sport on the Planet morning noon and night I finally got a glimpse of the first coverage of Netball in the Commonwealth Games! God Bless the BBC! Well one can only surmise that it was cut short because we were so far behind! That is what I would like to think anyway! Was there ever any intention of showing more of the game! I watched the few minutes and sort of had that feeling that you get when you have put your foot in it, you know those embarrassing occassions. Why? beacuse I had every body I knew tuning into watch! Why is that we always seem to get the worst possible shooting stats at a time like this! Why does the sport seem to appeart on TV like the school girls game that we all try hard to put behind us! Was it because yet again there just seemed to be contact after contact and whistle after whistle? I am the first to back up the players, the coach and the AENA but gosh I was just so dissapointed? And it just seemed to all get brushed under the carpet with a time to move on attitude by the commentator. Before I get slated for these comments please remember I have volunteered my name and am not looking to lay blame anywhere but does anyone else agree with me that it was yet another opportunity missed to promote our sport in its best light! Comments please, Postcards whatever lets here it!
Are you talking about the game against NZ? because if you are I had the same conversation with a friend who plays for a top county squad. We both agree that the English defence were trying to play the game like a county game e.g. in international games you are not allowed to mark (block/hold) your player. So why didn't someone tell the defence to move there feet. The other thing is, if some of the rules are different at International Level, shouldn't these by incoporated at Regional/County level in England. I have seen some tapes of the Australian League and they play to the same set of rules used at international level (is this why we are behind). I'm talking about things like NO BLOCKING, if the shooters step's in you have get to move back (well I think this is right, because the umpires in the NZ games pulled our defence every time Van Dyke stepped in). How can we expect Netball to be recognised as a serious sport, if the rules change at different levels or we do not incorporate the International level into our Regional/County level.
Would be nice to hear what other people think of this.
Thanks for your analysis of what might have been the problem. There was certainly something causing our defences to look like they did not know what they were doing. We should adopt such a rule at County Standard and we need all of the Umpires whislting to the same tune as it were!But what about the shooting! This was what let us down in the Aussie match at Wembley also. We missed the essential easy shots right at the start of the game!
Well did you see the England v S. Africa game latest night? Jo Steed Stat's were great in the thrid quarter, but then again it took England time to settle with a different line up. England were still slow on there passing. Is it something that they are coached. It look like they were going back to basics, catch, land and balance, what happened to this fast moving pass we see at County,Club and even Junior Club level.
Yes I do agree with you that it is our shooting stat's that let us down. Does this raise the question again about height/fittness etc about players or would it be better if we had shooters that where more technical and there status higher. One for the selector to think about.
We can all say a bit standing on the sidelines, but I think its time for us to think about applying International rules to Regional/County.
Well at least with better Stats the game to the general public looked better! And because we were winning! I have to chuckle because I always think Netball comes across in the wrong light on TV but after sitting through the Squash final before hand this sport has to take the rap for being one of the worst to display on TV! Anyway back to netball! The players are seeming to make slow passes and there did seem to be a lot of poor passes also and as Kendra pointed out it must have been frustrating for the defences because we missed the opportunity to convert so many turnovers! As far as getting better stats in the 3rd quarter goes we have to go back to basics with this. Even at junior club level I try to get it across that each quarter has to be won and every pass is a vital one. If we look at match as if we have 60 mins to win a game we have lost the game before we start! We must score and get 5 goals in front in the first 5 mins of every match!This is down to self belief and sports phsycology.It is easy to criticise, and the expectations are so high. We need more competitive play for all our players from County Standard Upwards and the Super League is a start. Your suggestion about Region is good but it is the coaches that need to be groomed and the Umpires re the International rules.
This all takes time. There have been some improvements made but A Goal to be the Best in the World needs to be reset on a 3-5 year plan as implementation of all changes take time.
Well what a day! We just did not have it in the end against Jamaica. I was sitting almost opposite the Jamaican attacking end at the last quarter and it seemed to be that the way we were defending the goal shooter just was not right for that particular time in the game with 5 mins to go and a couple of goals behind! We had to stop this girl scoring! We just had to! But we decided instead to try to pick of the ball as it was being fed to her but she was taking the ball easily from any angle and from any distance away form the goal taking a long step in, shooting on one leg and scoring every time! We needed to push her outwards as near to the edge of the circle! Yes old fashioned stuff but this was what was needed. The GA was doing an excellent jobe of splitting the defence. Sorry we did not make the bronze! I wish we had! Can't fault the effort put in by all of the players by Lyn and by Wai! On to the Aussie Kiwi game. Was this he best game of netball ever do you think! Was it the most evenly matched and the most exciting game you ever saw!
If you missed it, get the video! Kiwi's you had two chances to win! You should have played possession!Perhaps you were not aware that you only had a minute or so to go! Then you missed the shot at the end of extra time! And Aussie's you are just so resilient you just dug in and picked up pace and won!
Great game! Congrats to all the players involved.Kiwi's
you did yourselves proud!
I have quite a few bits of video to watch so can't really comment on any of the England pool games (or the match against South Africa). Some of the matches were broadcast on BBC Interactive but without digital TV you have no idea what else they broacasting.
I'm not to sure I agree with the point about umpiring - especially the point about Van Dyk stepping in. From the finals it looked as if the umpires only called for contact if the defender made contact on the ball. I for one don't allow deliberate blocking in any game I umpire; but I know players don't like me for it as they see it as a perfectly legal tactic. The umpiring, compared with 1998 CWG, looked a whole lot better this time - I was only consious of one missed footwork in the Jamaica game which was understandable given the speed of the game.
I gues the question we need to try and understand is what gives the Jamacian's their edge? I'm not away of any 'Super-League' over there! They must be doing something right in their training.
What 2 fantastic finals - The best matches that I have ever seen. A pity the Jam v Eng match the BBC had a few problems with. But if you had sky interactive the BBC have been televising the majority of Eng matches. I have never seen this amount of netball on TV in England before. I just hope they will continue.
It was a pity that England didnt win - they had their chances but in the end blew it.
NZ v Aussi I have never watched a match like it before. What great publicity for the game of Netball. It kept everybody on the edge of their seats. I felt very privalidged to see such an outstanding game. Unfortunately like Eng, NZ blew it they were not mentally strong enough to beat the Aussis.
2 great matches - when is the next one.
This is mainly to Kathy as she brought it up (very late to reply). All our netball is played to international rules and we don't have to get back if the shooter steps in. If you thought you noticed that, it was probably something else (being kind to the umpire!). As a defender, it always frustrates me no end the amount of calls that go the shooter's way.
Ooooh Jen - you're a defender too? I love you and I want to have your babies :-)
I know exactly what you mean about the umpiring... And it's ten times worse as a man in mixed, I assure you!
As for the issue of why Jamaica were so much better than England... I couldn't possibly comment. However the words brewery, AENA, couldn't, p***up, and manage come to mind...
Also misssing Netball Chat...... How can we get the word out that this site is up and running and we can communicate with each other through this site?????
Pass the word to all your contacts. You can talk Netball here.
Would AENA let Storm post a message on their news page?? or is that just too checky???
Many already know of this site! Why on earth is the New AENA website taking so long! Could it be money problems - it is not even updated in any way!
Lets talk here who is going to start the ball rolling?