July 25, 2025 • 8 mins
The New Zealand netball game has been facing increasing struggles.
It’s tried to innovate, however it’s still far from the game it once was.
Former GM of the Mainland Tactix, Haidee Stratford joined Piney to discuss the state of the game, and what more needs to be done to save it.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalg ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Haiti Strapford is the former general manager of the Tactics
and joins us on Weekend Sport. Haiti, thanks for your
view and insight. Wats your general view first of all
on the challenging situation Netbele finds itself in right now.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah, a lot of different components, aren't there going on
at the moment? I think, I think that really important
thing to remember is this is not all just happened
in one year. You know, this has been I suppose
several years of a culmination of different types of things
that the sport's been suppose under challenged with. I mean,
obviously every sport had the COVID thing Netwle. Then we
managed to have like two like really early seasons due
(00:48):
to Conwell's games, et cetera. We had double header weekends.
All of those things that have like bit by bit
put pressure on this on the sport. And then of
course we've got three teams that are effectively underneath with
New Zealand in terms of financial management, three out of
the six fifty percent not ideal. Lots of those differ
components I think sort of add adding pressure and yeah,
(01:10):
we are now where the sport is needing to make
some change.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Before we look ahead. Just on the scenario you've just outlined,
could Netball New Zealand have done anything differently in the
past four or five years to avert the situation they're
in now?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Gosh, that's a tough question, isn't it. I think, like
most people, whether it's sport or business, could could sit
there with the benefit of hindsight and say that, I
mean one side of it, you could actually say, looking
on the positive side, you could say, well, net New
Zealand actually has held it together longer than maybe other
sports would have because they've actually taken on the responsibility
of these three franchises that the regions where those regions struggled.
(01:52):
So maybe we've managed to hold on longer than the
sport was ever sort of like meant to be able
to do. And the other way of looking at is that, yeah,
maybe we needed to have innovated earlier, Maybe we needed
to have been stronger with the network sort of deals. Yeah,
maybe we need to look at the eligibility sooner. There's
(02:13):
certainly like I just I feel like it's really easy
to sit here and say all those different things. But
there's no doubt that the innovations that have come in
this year, like the two point shot, people that don't
normally watch netball talk to me about it and have
really enjoyed that component of us and actually have been
saying why don't why don't we have that for the
whole match? So I think that's really cool. But has
(02:35):
it just been has it just come a little bit late?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
So yeah, as you say, hindsight, it's always twenty twenty.
There's no point, you know, relitigating what's happened in the past.
Let's look forward. What are the best steps for Netball
New Zealand to take from here?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I think the most important thing is to take a step.
You can't stand still. You've got to be brave and
move in a direction. And I think that is the
most important thing. So neither it doesn't matter what direction
they choose to go on them and the players, They've
just got to move. And I think then that gives
(03:12):
players clarity, which is at the moment, you know they
don't have and they are your, for want of the
better term, your assets, right, you know you need your
players to sort of get the game on the TV,
and so I think just some form of direction. You've
got to give people direction and that do you know what,
there's always things that come out of it. You know,
if the am Z Premiership were to go or was
(03:32):
to go on to a different window, you could see
a rebirth of sort of like an MPC format where
you've actually which has really been lost in the years
with netball. You know, there's a big jump between am
Z Premiership and Club World. You know that could be
reborn and that's actually really exciting. So I don't think
it needs to be all doom and gloom. I think
you've got to read the room. You've got to work
(03:53):
out what's beat for the players. And if the money's
not there, the money's not there. It doesn't mean to
say it won't come back, but you can't like I mean,
we've all been hanging on for a long time. I
mean when I was GM in the role for those
three years, you know, I don't know if you know
many general managers that are part time, like it was,
it was a part it was a contracted there's a
part time role, and all of our staff were part time,
(04:15):
including all of the players. So you know, NETPOL has
done amazing stuff with the resources that it has had,
which has been awesome because you look at sports like
you know, hockey, which haven't had that sort of platform.
But yeah, how can we get it back? What do
we need to do? But You've just I just think
they've got to just keep moving.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
How do you think the players should be feeling in
general terms right now?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Look, I think it's the lesson for everybody. Like being
a professional athlete is a really volatile career choice. I
think all these girls are in it for all the
right reasons. They love the sports, and they're passionate about
what they do. It's their job at the moment. Are
I supposed to some of them? If I was an
agent to the top players, I'd be remiss and not
advising them to be looking off for offshore contracts. And
(05:01):
I've got no doubt that the top players would have
been presented them already. I'm not an aide, and by
the way, and I'm not getting anybody, but I think
I think that's a no brainer. But you've also i
think current talked on your Guys show the other day,
You've got to remember that people have lives outside of
the sport, and for some of them it's not just
a matter of jumping up and going across the ditch
and playing the sport. So yeah, I think there'll be
(05:25):
other considerations that players you know, have think about. But
I reckon on one of the things that's really challenging
for the girls is when they're in the season, not
just giving it everything.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So you've got four teams now out, those girls will
be in panic mode. You've got two teams still playing tomorrow.
Come one day, that's when the realization will set in
for a lot of them. And I think the next
couple of weeks, next few weeks, they're going to be
really really tough. But just not just the players though
either Jason like the supports stuff. I mean, their contracts
(05:57):
have already been cut down to this two round thing.
People forget about that, and so it's those guys as well.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
So how optimistic do you feel, Heidi? It's a challenging
situation for netball and New Zealand, for the players, the
support stuff, everybody involved in the sport. How optimistic do
you feel that netball can can thrive again? Because we
I mean, the game's massive here, you know, participation numbers
are enormous. Historically, it's been a sport we've all loved
(06:24):
and got behind, even in the a Z Premiership. Now
big crowds are turning up. How optimistic do you feel
that the sport can thrive at the elite level moving forward?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Look looking at the basic facts, like the game is popular,
Like people love netball. I think about people like my
mum and who friends and man, the prospect of the
AMZI Premiership not being on TV every weekend would be
absolutely devastating for those guys, Like they get their friends
together and they watch the games, and there's so many
people who do that. I think all the girl little
(06:54):
young girls and boys who are coming to the stadium
and watch the heroes, Like the idea of that not
being there is devastating. I think, like I think, I
don't know. I suppose, like the eligibility piece that they've delivered,
while the timing might not have been ideal this week,
I actually am given a bit of hope with that
because that's been sort of debated for years and they've
(07:15):
finally made a decision on it, and I personally think
it's the right one and so that's that's been brave
of them to do that, and so I think that
gives hope. That gives me hope that they're willing to
be brave to make other decisions rather than just sort
of status quiet. I'm just really hopeful that they, you know,
they just embrace it and make take another step.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Make a decision just before you go, Hadi tomorrow. Can
your tactics or your former tactic side finally win one
of these things?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah? I look, I think a lot of people have
been talking and Lisa's been talking on the radio this
morning about you know, resilience and we taf and all that.
You've got to kind of put that stuff aside for
a little minute and just look at the bare bones
of the game and just you look, if our attacking
in can bring it, if Teas is on a game,
which I've got no doubt she will be, She's had
(08:05):
a great seat, then if we can get the attacking
side working really well. I have full faith in the girls.
I mean, our defensive group showed some real grit last week,
and if Karen and Jane step up like they did
in the second half of last week's game, I think
it'll come down to the wire. I think of my
first year we were in the Grand Final at Stalkland
and they got us by two, so that'll be in
(08:27):
the back lines of these girls as well. So full
faith we definitely can do it. Just hopefully, hopefully we're
the ones that turn up and show them the way.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
All right, and may there be a bright future for
the competition as well. Het you really appreciate you taking
the time to join us this afternoon. Thanks for your time,
not a problem, Thank you, no, thank you. Hadi Hati Stratford,
former general manager of the Tactics.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalg ZB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Haiti Strapford is the former general manager of the Tactics
and joins us on Weekend Sport. Haiti, thanks for your
view and insight. Wats your general view first of all
on the challenging situation Netbele finds itself in right now.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Yeah, a lot of different components, aren't there going on
at the moment? I think, I think that really important
thing to remember is this is not all just happened
in one year. You know, this has been I suppose
several years of a culmination of different types of things
that the sport's been suppose under challenged with. I mean,
obviously every sport had the COVID thing Netwle. Then we
managed to have like two like really early seasons due
(00:48):
to Conwell's games, et cetera. We had double header weekends.
All of those things that have like bit by bit
put pressure on this on the sport. And then of
course we've got three teams that are effectively underneath with
New Zealand in terms of financial management, three out of
the six fifty percent not ideal. Lots of those differ
components I think sort of add adding pressure and yeah,
(01:10):
we are now where the sport is needing to make
some change.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Before we look ahead. Just on the scenario you've just outlined,
could Netball New Zealand have done anything differently in the
past four or five years to avert the situation they're
in now?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Gosh, that's a tough question, isn't it. I think, like
most people, whether it's sport or business, could could sit
there with the benefit of hindsight and say that, I
mean one side of it, you could actually say, looking
on the positive side, you could say, well, net New
Zealand actually has held it together longer than maybe other
sports would have because they've actually taken on the responsibility
of these three franchises that the regions where those regions struggled.
(01:52):
So maybe we've managed to hold on longer than the
sport was ever sort of like meant to be able
to do. And the other way of looking at is that, yeah,
maybe we needed to have innovated earlier, Maybe we needed
to have been stronger with the network sort of deals. Yeah,
maybe we need to look at the eligibility sooner. There's
(02:13):
certainly like I just I feel like it's really easy
to sit here and say all those different things. But
there's no doubt that the innovations that have come in
this year, like the two point shot, people that don't
normally watch netball talk to me about it and have
really enjoyed that component of us and actually have been
saying why don't why don't we have that for the
whole match? So I think that's really cool. But has
(02:35):
it just been has it just come a little bit late?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
So yeah, as you say, hindsight, it's always twenty twenty.
There's no point, you know, relitigating what's happened in the past.
Let's look forward. What are the best steps for Netball
New Zealand to take from here?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I think the most important thing is to take a step.
You can't stand still. You've got to be brave and
move in a direction. And I think that is the
most important thing. So neither it doesn't matter what direction
they choose to go on them and the players, They've
just got to move. And I think then that gives
(03:12):
players clarity, which is at the moment, you know they
don't have and they are your, for want of the
better term, your assets, right, you know you need your
players to sort of get the game on the TV,
and so I think just some form of direction. You've
got to give people direction and that do you know what,
there's always things that come out of it. You know,
if the am Z Premiership were to go or was
(03:32):
to go on to a different window, you could see
a rebirth of sort of like an MPC format where
you've actually which has really been lost in the years
with netball. You know, there's a big jump between am
Z Premiership and Club World. You know that could be
reborn and that's actually really exciting. So I don't think
it needs to be all doom and gloom. I think
you've got to read the room. You've got to work
(03:53):
out what's beat for the players. And if the money's
not there, the money's not there. It doesn't mean to
say it won't come back, but you can't like I mean,
we've all been hanging on for a long time. I
mean when I was GM in the role for those
three years, you know, I don't know if you know
many general managers that are part time, like it was,
it was a part it was a contracted there's a
part time role, and all of our staff were part time,
(04:15):
including all of the players. So you know, NETPOL has
done amazing stuff with the resources that it has had,
which has been awesome because you look at sports like
you know, hockey, which haven't had that sort of platform.
But yeah, how can we get it back? What do
we need to do? But You've just I just think
they've got to just keep moving.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
How do you think the players should be feeling in
general terms right now?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Look, I think it's the lesson for everybody. Like being
a professional athlete is a really volatile career choice. I
think all these girls are in it for all the
right reasons. They love the sports, and they're passionate about
what they do. It's their job at the moment. Are
I supposed to some of them? If I was an
agent to the top players, I'd be remiss and not
advising them to be looking off for offshore contracts. And
(05:01):
I've got no doubt that the top players would have
been presented them already. I'm not an aide, and by
the way, and I'm not getting anybody, but I think
I think that's a no brainer. But you've also i
think current talked on your Guys show the other day,
You've got to remember that people have lives outside of
the sport, and for some of them it's not just
a matter of jumping up and going across the ditch
and playing the sport. So yeah, I think there'll be
(05:25):
other considerations that players you know, have think about. But
I reckon on one of the things that's really challenging
for the girls is when they're in the season, not
just giving it everything.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Right.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So you've got four teams now out, those girls will
be in panic mode. You've got two teams still playing tomorrow.
Come one day, that's when the realization will set in
for a lot of them. And I think the next
couple of weeks, next few weeks, they're going to be
really really tough. But just not just the players though
either Jason like the supports stuff. I mean, their contracts
(05:57):
have already been cut down to this two round thing.
People forget about that, and so it's those guys as well.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
So how optimistic do you feel, Heidi? It's a challenging
situation for netball and New Zealand, for the players, the
support stuff, everybody involved in the sport. How optimistic do
you feel that netball can can thrive again? Because we
I mean, the game's massive here, you know, participation numbers
are enormous. Historically, it's been a sport we've all loved
(06:24):
and got behind, even in the a Z Premiership. Now
big crowds are turning up. How optimistic do you feel
that the sport can thrive at the elite level moving forward?
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Look looking at the basic facts, like the game is popular,
Like people love netball. I think about people like my
mum and who friends and man, the prospect of the
AMZI Premiership not being on TV every weekend would be
absolutely devastating for those guys, Like they get their friends
together and they watch the games, and there's so many
people who do that. I think all the girl little
(06:54):
young girls and boys who are coming to the stadium
and watch the heroes, Like the idea of that not
being there is devastating. I think, like I think, I
don't know. I suppose, like the eligibility piece that they've delivered,
while the timing might not have been ideal this week,
I actually am given a bit of hope with that
because that's been sort of debated for years and they've
(07:15):
finally made a decision on it, and I personally think
it's the right one and so that's that's been brave
of them to do that, and so I think that
gives hope. That gives me hope that they're willing to
be brave to make other decisions rather than just sort
of status quiet. I'm just really hopeful that they, you know,
they just embrace it and make take another step.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Make a decision just before you go, Hadi tomorrow. Can
your tactics or your former tactic side finally win one
of these things?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah? I look, I think a lot of people have
been talking and Lisa's been talking on the radio this
morning about you know, resilience and we taf and all that.
You've got to kind of put that stuff aside for
a little minute and just look at the bare bones
of the game and just you look, if our attacking
in can bring it, if Teas is on a game,
which I've got no doubt she will be, She's had
(08:05):
a great seat, then if we can get the attacking
side working really well. I have full faith in the girls.
I mean, our defensive group showed some real grit last week,
and if Karen and Jane step up like they did
in the second half of last week's game, I think
it'll come down to the wire. I think of my
first year we were in the Grand Final at Stalkland
and they got us by two, so that'll be in
(08:27):
the back lines of these girls as well. So full
faith we definitely can do it. Just hopefully, hopefully we're
the ones that turn up and show them the way.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
All right, and may there be a bright future for
the competition as well. Het you really appreciate you taking
the time to join us this afternoon. Thanks for your time,
not a problem, Thank you, no, thank you. Hadi Hati Stratford,
former general manager of the Tactics.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com