Netball: Willering and Salter will stay in centre court

By RICHARD BOOCK

Rival coaches Yvonne Willering and Georgie Salter look likely to continue an unlikely pairing at the forefront of New Zealand netball.

The national body eventually got around to endorsing Willering's position as the Silver Ferns' boss yesterday, while Under-21s coach Salter confirmed her intention to remain active within the ranks of New Zealand youth netball.

After allowing - if not fuelling - a controversy which raged unabated for a fortnight, Netball New Zealand finally reached for the fire extinguisher yesterday, offering Willering its public support and best wishes for the November tour of South Africa.

The ratification followed a much-publicised team debrief, which has apparently blamed last season's losses on inadequate player-liaison, a lack of video-analysis, insufficient sports science and poor training opportunities.

NNZ chief executive Shelley McMeeken promised the team additional support for future seasons.

"We support Yvonne in her role as Silver Ferns coach and will be striving to give her and the team every possible advantage," McMeeken said. "At the moment that means focusing on South Africa and doing well there. The ultimate aim is to be No 1."

Willering told a press conference yesterday that she was still not completely happy with the controversy, which erupted after a television news item claimed a player revolt was threatening her position.

"There are some issues which still need to be addressed until I can feel totally comfortable with the situation," she said. "Hopefully things will become clearer when we [she and NNZ] discuss it within the next couple of weeks. I don't believe in ignoring situations and hoping they will go away. If there are things which need to be sorted out, I believe in sorting them out."

Salter, who criticised NNZ's decision to reject her bid for the Ferns' job when Willering's contract came up for renewal at the end of last year, said she was taking a step back from regional netball next season.

Instead she would concentrate on expanding her international portfolio. "I feel I need some space regionally and will take a year out, at least," she said.

"However, I'm interested in continuing on the international scene and will consider all the available NNZ positions."

NNZ will shortly call for applications for the jobs of Under-21s coach, Academy coach and national coaching mentor.

The commotion over Willering's future almost overshadowed events at Hamilton's Mystery Creek Stadium yesterday, where Waikato and Canterbury emerged as the only unbeaten first-division teams after the fourth day.

Waikato beat Manukau 64-55 in the feature game last night, after Auckland's 74-53 demolition of Otago and Canterbury's hard-fought 45-41 win over Southland.

The results mean Waikato and Manukau will play Auckland and Otago respectively in today's cross-over round, while Canterbury and Southland face showdowns with struggling Manawatu and Wellington.

In the second division, Bay of Plenty kept their promotion hopes on track with a 58-37 win over Tasman, Counties dispatched Wellington 63-47 and Taranaki beat Canterbury 61-49. But there were more concerns for North Harbour, who suffered a 52-45 loss at the hands of Waikato.