Netball: ‘I almost cried’ – coach Kiri Wills on Australia’s resource gold mine

Netball coach Kiri Wills: 'It actually made me really proud of what the Silver Ferns have achieved.' Photo / Photosport

New Queensland Firebirds coach Kiri Wills admits to being emotional at the gulf in resources available to Australian Super Netball franchises compared with New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership clubs.

The former Stars coach shifted across the Tasman in part due to the ANZ Premiership’s uncertain future, with Netball New Zealand yet to confirm a plan for when the broadcast deal with Sky expires this year.

Wills led Queensland to their first round one victory since the collapse of the ANZ Championship, 62-57 over the Giants in Sydney.

Wills told Newstalk ZB that Super Netball has been a huge step up.

“Everything is ANZ Premiership on steroids. The support you have for your team; the events themselves are just mind-blowing.

“I almost cried when I walked through the doors of Netball Queensland and looked at what they actually have behind them. The facilities, the resourcing, the people. It’s just a whole other level.

“It actually made me really proud of what the Silver Ferns have achieved in the last decade because [the Australians] do have better access to staff and technology.

“Here at the Firebirds, we have our own GPS units. In New Zealand, there are very few teams that have GPS units. So just that level of edge is more available here, but that’s not to say that New Zealand can’t compete.”

With the future of the ANZ Premiership up in the air, rumours swirled last year about Netball New Zealand applying for franchise licences in Super Netball, which would mark the return of a transtasman league for the first time since the demise of the ANZ Championship in 2016.

Wills said she is unsure what the strategy is for Aotearoa’s domestic competition going forward.

“Here, the conversations I’ve had are that people are open to the concept of New Zealand joining the party.”

Another key difference for Wills in Australia is adapting to the two-point shot, which rewards players for shooting from beyond three metres away from the post.

It is a feature the ANZ Premiership is introducing this year, albeit from 3.5m out – the same distance as in the Fast5 format.

Wills is leaning on her experience playing basketball and indoor netball and said setting up a long shot is common in lots of sports.

Kiri Wills: "Over here, the coaches have had an opportunity to refine their strategies." Photo / Photosport

“Because I’ve had that experience I do know and understand how to play that game. Over here, the coaches have had an opportunity to refine their strategies and do it probably more than I have, but that’s not to say I don’t have the structures or tactics to play that game. That’s not a big deal for me at all.”

The Firebirds will look to make it two-from-two against the West Coast Fever in Brisbane on Saturday.

Queensland have never won Super Netball, but they clinched three ANZ Championship titles in 2011, 2015 and 2016.

Wills is allowing herself to dream of glory in her first year in charge.

“The fairy tale would absolutely be to win the whole thing. But we’ve got a lot of work to do to get to that space so we’ve just got to win the right games at the right time. If we get into top four then anything can happen, so right now that’s the goal.”