August 16, 2024 • 7 mins
Chair of the New Zealand Netball Board Matt Whineray talks to D'Arcy Waldegrave about the sudden departure of Grace Nweke.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Big News Today in Netball and joining us to
speak of that is Matt Winner. He's the chairman of
Netball New Zealand's board. Matt, Welcome to the show. So
Grace Wicki has decided to go to the Swifts. This
is Is this a shock to you or did you
see this coming? And welcome?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
No, it's not a shock. Grace's Grace's expressed to us
who desire to go and had some new opportunities experience
and some new challenges and had had been very open
and transparent about that. And so so look, we respect
that decision. We wish you well look forward to seeing
(00:51):
her grow and obviously getting you back into the silver
firm environment, which is one that she's ready committed to.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
How big a blow is are though for Netball New Zealand,
because let's face it, Grace is a superstar of the
game over here. She is ab solutely that people want
to go and see they look toward her with their performances.
So does it hack you guys at all that she's
not going to be around for the a n Z.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Grace is a great talent, and so you know, and
obviously we would prefer to have all of our good players,
all of our top players playing in our domestic league.
But as I said, we understand the opportunity that she's
looking to get over there and the change in environment. Look,
I think we've had a great ANGP this year. We
(01:36):
had a final week down to the last went down
to the last minute, one by one goal and across
the board, not just with mystics games we had so
we had twenty percent more attendance in all of the games,
we had forty nine percent more viewership, which has just
been phenomenal. So fans are engaging with the game. There's
no question that this will this will change that perspective
(01:58):
a little bit. But we think we've got great momentum
in the Angeed Premiership and we just had a really
good year.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Matt, did you fold or fight? Could you actually deny?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Here?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
When she turned up? So actually hold on, we don't
want you going? Can we convince you to stay? Was like, okay,
you go or could you say no, you can't leave?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
No, you can't, no, you can't leave. If people want
to go off and do they can go and do that,
so you know, Grace, just to be really clear, Grace
didn't apply for an exemption to continue to play for
the Civil Furnish. She understands the policy and our approaches
at the rationale for that is to maintain a strong
(02:37):
domestic league and to preserve and protect those those development
pathways for our New Zealand players. So look, we would
love to have all of our players here, but like
I said, we totally understand the desire of Grace to
go and experience the new things on and off the
court and you know, take on some new challenges. So
(02:59):
the good thing for us is that Grace is very
committed to the Silver Funds. She would be there for
a year. She's still under soil and through the rest
of this year, so we've got we've got her talents
for the Silver Ferns. But she'll grow from this and
she'll come back. She'll come back stronger. And that works
in pretty well with the Pinnacle events that we're looking
(03:21):
at back into twenty twenty six. If we if they
get a calm games off the ground, and of course
in three years time to the Netball will Cup. So
it gives a few other players some opportunity as well
in our domestic league. So the short answer is you
can't stop anyone from going. We're very happy in respect
(03:42):
Grace's decision. We love to get her back here when
she's done that.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Matt where joins us is the chairman of the board
for Netball New Zealand. Was the exemption the exemption? Was
there ever a thought that you might lean into that
is that it's still a possibility when you consider the
possibility of other players wanted to follow in her footsteps.
So you're quite hard on saying no around that space.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Well, I think you know the importance of that policy
is maintaining a strong game here in New Zealand and
so that that's why we want those top players playing here,
and that that's great for our fans as well. We
we you know, you've seen where we've granted exemptions in
the past have been pretty limited circumstances. We had Laura
and Maria both one hundred test centurions and had provided
(04:31):
a significant contribution to to netball and to the civil
fions over an extended period of time. I think you
know that that that those two examples show that it
is a relatively limited space for exemptions and and and
Grace understood that, and that's so she didn't make an application.
We respect her approach and all of this, We respect
(04:54):
her desire to go and experience these new things, and
we just look forward to getting it back when she
comes back.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Essentially, like the All Blakes, it's it's a sabbatical because
it sits right in between the important events and she
gives herself a chance to to stretch your legs, go overseas,
play a different competition. Is it likely though, to trigger
other players to follow her lead and move over to
super Netball for a season or so? You expecting that?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Look, I think the job, the task for us is
to make the make the domestic pathway and that development
pathway is as exciting as possible, which is why we've
changed it up for next year in terms of the
format that came from feedback from the players. Shifting to
two rounds, make make the games more important, each game
more important. So I think that's that's our task. Because ultimately,
(05:40):
as we think about these eligibility this policy, what we're
trying to balance is the is the is the mere
term and medium term long term interests, And we're looking
after the long term interest of the game now.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Close to you to possibly combining with super Netball and
joining us one like the old days, is that still
a distinct possibility.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Look, we're still working on what what our league looks
like post twenty twenty six, and there's a number of
opportunities there, but it would be wrong to say that
any of those are particularly concrete at the moment. We're
still working through that, working through that with the broadcaster,
continue to talk to Nick or Australia, but we've got
a way to go before before anything lands.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Interesting, Matt. Because brianie Akle was the head coach of
the Swift and she's also of course the attack coach
of the Ferns too, so she's going to bout to
liaise and work with Grace. So it's not a complete loss,
is it.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
No, I think that, and that's quite good because you know,
you really want Grace to go in there. We want
Grace to be looked after in that environment, and so
I think, you know, her familiarity with Briani through through
Briani's work for the Silver Ferns as are positive as well.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And reaction from coach Snoline Tolua because I think she's
brings me keen to maybe have that combination of supern
Neight Paul and the AZ Premiership. So I'm sure there
was no pushback from her either.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Was there, Well, no Nles. Look, Dannls has made her
desires known, which is to get to get greater, you know,
to get more exposure to different playing style for our
for our civil food. So I think this plays to that. Obviously,
it means that we won't have Grace for the twenty
twenty five, yeah, but it does mean that she'll she'll
have had that opportunity through that through that period and
(07:23):
be back in the silkfon environment with plenty of runway
for those for those subsequent kind of core events.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Matt, she's playing over in Australia for a year. She
taken some shin pads and a helmet hopefully And on
that rather whimsical note, Chairman of the Board for nep
on Zeland, Matt Winnery, we thank you so much for
your time.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Thank you, Darsie.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Big News Today in Netball and joining us to
speak of that is Matt Winner. He's the chairman of
Netball New Zealand's board. Matt, Welcome to the show. So
Grace Wicki has decided to go to the Swifts. This
is Is this a shock to you or did you
see this coming? And welcome?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
No, it's not a shock. Grace's Grace's expressed to us
who desire to go and had some new opportunities experience
and some new challenges and had had been very open
and transparent about that. And so so look, we respect
that decision. We wish you well look forward to seeing
(00:51):
her grow and obviously getting you back into the silver
firm environment, which is one that she's ready committed to.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
How big a blow is are though for Netball New Zealand,
because let's face it, Grace is a superstar of the
game over here. She is ab solutely that people want
to go and see they look toward her with their performances.
So does it hack you guys at all that she's
not going to be around for the a n Z.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Grace is a great talent, and so you know, and
obviously we would prefer to have all of our good players,
all of our top players playing in our domestic league.
But as I said, we understand the opportunity that she's
looking to get over there and the change in environment. Look,
I think we've had a great ANGP this year. We
(01:36):
had a final week down to the last went down
to the last minute, one by one goal and across
the board, not just with mystics games we had so
we had twenty percent more attendance in all of the games,
we had forty nine percent more viewership, which has just
been phenomenal. So fans are engaging with the game. There's
no question that this will this will change that perspective
(01:58):
a little bit. But we think we've got great momentum
in the Angeed Premiership and we just had a really
good year.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Matt, did you fold or fight? Could you actually deny?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Here?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
When she turned up? So actually hold on, we don't
want you going? Can we convince you to stay? Was like, okay,
you go or could you say no, you can't leave?
Speaker 3 (02:16):
No, you can't, no, you can't leave. If people want
to go off and do they can go and do that,
so you know, Grace, just to be really clear, Grace
didn't apply for an exemption to continue to play for
the Civil Furnish. She understands the policy and our approaches
at the rationale for that is to maintain a strong
(02:37):
domestic league and to preserve and protect those those development
pathways for our New Zealand players. So look, we would
love to have all of our players here, but like
I said, we totally understand the desire of Grace to
go and experience the new things on and off the
court and you know, take on some new challenges. So
(02:59):
the good thing for us is that Grace is very
committed to the Silver Funds. She would be there for
a year. She's still under soil and through the rest
of this year, so we've got we've got her talents
for the Silver Ferns. But she'll grow from this and
she'll come back. She'll come back stronger. And that works
in pretty well with the Pinnacle events that we're looking
(03:21):
at back into twenty twenty six. If we if they
get a calm games off the ground, and of course
in three years time to the Netball will Cup. So
it gives a few other players some opportunity as well
in our domestic league. So the short answer is you
can't stop anyone from going. We're very happy in respect
(03:42):
Grace's decision. We love to get her back here when
she's done that.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Matt where joins us is the chairman of the board
for Netball New Zealand. Was the exemption the exemption? Was
there ever a thought that you might lean into that
is that it's still a possibility when you consider the
possibility of other players wanted to follow in her footsteps.
So you're quite hard on saying no around that space.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Well, I think you know the importance of that policy
is maintaining a strong game here in New Zealand and
so that that's why we want those top players playing here,
and that that's great for our fans as well. We
we you know, you've seen where we've granted exemptions in
the past have been pretty limited circumstances. We had Laura
and Maria both one hundred test centurions and had provided
(04:31):
a significant contribution to to netball and to the civil
fions over an extended period of time. I think you
know that that that those two examples show that it
is a relatively limited space for exemptions and and and
Grace understood that, and that's so she didn't make an application.
We respect her approach and all of this, We respect
(04:54):
her desire to go and experience these new things, and
we just look forward to getting it back when she
comes back.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Essentially, like the All Blakes, it's it's a sabbatical because
it sits right in between the important events and she
gives herself a chance to to stretch your legs, go overseas,
play a different competition. Is it likely though, to trigger
other players to follow her lead and move over to
super Netball for a season or so? You expecting that?
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Look, I think the job, the task for us is
to make the make the domestic pathway and that development
pathway is as exciting as possible, which is why we've
changed it up for next year in terms of the
format that came from feedback from the players. Shifting to
two rounds, make make the games more important, each game
more important. So I think that's that's our task. Because ultimately,
(05:40):
as we think about these eligibility this policy, what we're
trying to balance is the is the is the mere
term and medium term long term interests, And we're looking
after the long term interest of the game now.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Close to you to possibly combining with super Netball and
joining us one like the old days, is that still
a distinct possibility.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Look, we're still working on what what our league looks
like post twenty twenty six, and there's a number of
opportunities there, but it would be wrong to say that
any of those are particularly concrete at the moment. We're
still working through that, working through that with the broadcaster,
continue to talk to Nick or Australia, but we've got
a way to go before before anything lands.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Interesting, Matt. Because brianie Akle was the head coach of
the Swift and she's also of course the attack coach
of the Ferns too, so she's going to bout to
liaise and work with Grace. So it's not a complete loss,
is it.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
No, I think that, and that's quite good because you know,
you really want Grace to go in there. We want
Grace to be looked after in that environment, and so
I think, you know, her familiarity with Briani through through
Briani's work for the Silver Ferns as are positive as well.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And reaction from coach Snoline Tolua because I think she's
brings me keen to maybe have that combination of supern
Neight Paul and the AZ Premiership. So I'm sure there
was no pushback from her either.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Was there, Well, no Nles. Look, Dannls has made her
desires known, which is to get to get greater, you know,
to get more exposure to different playing style for our
for our civil food. So I think this plays to that. Obviously,
it means that we won't have Grace for the twenty
twenty five, yeah, but it does mean that she'll she'll
have had that opportunity through that through that period and
(07:23):
be back in the silkfon environment with plenty of runway
for those for those subsequent kind of core events.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Matt, she's playing over in Australia for a year. She
taken some shin pads and a helmet hopefully And on
that rather whimsical note, Chairman of the Board for nep
on Zeland, Matt Winnery, we thank you so much for
your time.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Thank you, Darsie.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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