October 14, 2025 • 11 mins
The Silver Ferns coaching saga seems to be never ending.
Earlier today, it was announced that Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata was resigning from the role in the aftermath of the suspension of Dame Noeline Taurua and in a long Facebook post questioned whether any New Zealand sporting coach was safe.
Former Silver Fern Margie Foster shared the post in support and announced that she would no longer be involved tossing the coin at the upcoming Constellation Cup series against Australia.
D'Arcy spoke with Margie to hear her thoughts on whether New Zealand sporting coaches should be on notice.
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 Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News talks'd be early today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It was announced right that the Silver Offen Selector, Gail Parta,
was resigning from the role. And this is in the
aftermath of the suspension of Dame Nolen told her and
it was on a long Facebook post as well, she
questioned whether any New Zealand sporting coach was safe. Quote here,
Dame Nolen isn't just a coach, She's a master of
her craft. Her approach is built on relationships, excellence and foresight.
(00:38):
She's lifted countless players and staff while representing Alteriro with
Manna and Grace, and yet she wasn't protected. If someone
like Dame Nolen can be stood down like this, what
message does that send to every coach in our system
that excellence and integrity are no longer enough that politics
(00:59):
now Trump's performance. Check it out on Facebook if you
want to have a read of the whole statement. I
got some more to peck out of it shortly for
you all, joined now by Mark Foster, former Silver n
Selector coach of various ansied franchises, and well she shared
her support with Gail's decisions to step away, saying she
(01:23):
will no longer be tossing the coin at the Constellation
Cup against Australia and it gets underway on Friday. That
was his solidarity. That was her pushback, I suppose. So
she joins us now to talk about the tumult, discussing
the idea that coaches on New Zealand should be basically
on notice and give us an idea about what she
sees is going on at nitball New Zealand. Marg Foster
(01:47):
joins us now. He mark's a going.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All really good considering all this knitball stuff, and everywhere
I go around, especially in Canterbury, even around New Zealand,
everyone comes up to me and just sort of say
a lot, we're thinking of you and Nipple and they
really want to you know, they really want a resolution.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, we all want a resolution and I expect they
do too, but it's just not progressing. In the latest news,
of course, National selector go Parata has decided she doesn't
want to have a bar of it. She's come out
with a lot of phrases and one of them he questions,
of any coats now in New Zealand is actually safe
with this? I suppose the repercussions of this decision initially
(02:28):
that carrying on going, the shockwaves are huge. Well what's
your take now on on Galaxy walking away?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, I just think you know that it was great
for her to make a stand in regards because you
know what it's like when you when things aren't working
or or you see that there's injustice, then why would
you want to be involved? Why would you want to
keep you know going. I think the integrity, like you
know of netball has been is really a jeopardy here
(02:57):
at the moment. And you know that's something that we've
always quieted ourselves in, I guess and it does come
we always say it comes from the top.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
She said the standing down and I quote here was
a chilling message to every coach you know New Zealand,
and you've coached yourself at the highest level with the
other coaches you know. Do you think that's a fair
enough statement that it really is starting to worry people
on a coaching status.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, I think it does, especially when you're actually you
know you're getting results and you know you're a career coach,
so you know you're coaching high performance athletes and there's
a big difference like you know Worth, you know, coaching
elite athletes, and you know, I heard that feeling that
you're not being supported by your governing body, Like oh
(03:49):
my gosh, Like just imagine if Michael McGuire, like who
was the Brisbane Broncos head coached in the players at
the start of this year. Really you know, they were
going off about his training and you're like him, they
just won. And I tell you right now, those players
were very emotional after their game and they spoke very
(04:12):
highly of him. And I can assure you that no
athlete would have ever gone You might have spoken a
little bit out of turn when you're when you're in
the moment, you know, like especially when you're losing, but
then you know, you just like the big picture, big vision,
and Knowles is a visionary sole leader, and so you know,
(04:33):
if someone like who is getting dealt this, oh my gosh,
there's no way I'd be putting out my hands. But
you're near anyt Wing Zealand and the coaching.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I suggest the damage mark to the game as well
outweighed the initial decision and they didn't like put a
torn o quete on it quick enough, And now people
are bleeding out this is devastating for the game in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
It certainly is, and it definitely it should have been
resolved like way in the piece, Like you know, if
we had senior players that are you know, the spine
type of players that were were like you know, within
your your team that can resolve and sort it out informally.
Like it'd be like me lying down in the bed
(05:17):
one night and I've got my roommate and she goes,
oh shit, that was hard, I'm bloody. Well, oh you know,
I'm feeling real sore, and oh we've got to get
up early in the morning or whatever. And the coach
you know, hasn't given me any direction. I would say, oh,
be quiet, like you know, like just you know, you'd
actually just resolve everything. You just go pull your head
(05:38):
and or whatever, like you know, we're here, we eleit athletes.
This is what it's meant to be, like, you know,
like you wouldn't even have this, but we didn't. We
didn't have a players association that we ran to to
go and say, oh, you know, my my communication with
my coach, or I'm living in fear, you know, I
don't feel safe.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Well I think I think it's overcorrect that. I think
it's very important for the players to have say and
have a weave of power. You don't want it going
one way. But I think it's been overcorrected and the
power's all gone the other way, and I don't think
we're seeing great results out of that. But if you
look at the power structure and look right at the top,
this has to sit firmly with Jenny Wiley and this
(06:21):
is untenable the way it's going. Why have any of
these key figures not actually stood back and go for
the good of the game. I'm leaving. I've got to
walk away because that, in essence is what it is
with these people. They're not going any.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Further oh one hundred percent. And I think that you know,
you need to ask yourself that question, like even in business,
you go, is this better for our company? Is this better?
Like is that decision I make? Is this the good
for netball? And if the answer is no, then what
are you doing there? And like some of these some
of these decisions are an absolute no, no no. So
(06:58):
why why would you put yourself in a situation where
you're not driving netball a beautiful number one woman sport
in New Zealand to be the best that it can be.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
This probably isn't going to end particularly well, but it
needs to end. We've got the constellation cups just around
the corner. Do you see any light at the end
of the tunnel or from what you know from your
inside line, is the light at the end of the
tunnel the oncoming train? Do you think this is going
to get resolved and resolved?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Well, no, that's what I mean.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
That's why I feel. I am very frustrated. I almost
can't even be bothered with it now because it's going
on and on and there's no light at the end
of the tunnel. Where is the resolution? Like they just
came out last week and said that Knowles is going
to be stood down for Australia and England. So that
(07:52):
means the whole year? What?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
What?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Why?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
What?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Why is it going to take them a whole year,
like you know, not right from now to the end
to what to find a resolution? Is? What's this about?
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Like?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Why we have we not got the right systems in place?
Where's the processes? Who is running it? Why haven't they
got someone like you know even that that's appointed like
an interim commissioner to come in to look at the sport,
to look at the what's the situation. There's a thorough investigation.
(08:28):
It needs to start, and it needs to start soon,
because it's just getting on and on and on, and
I think people are getting very frustrated.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
From what you know, though, I believe this has started
from a rather small spark and then the flames has
just been fanned and carried on. Is this It is
very embryo from what you know. And I'm not going
to ask you to tell me because you won't understand
that has this just been a massive overaction that could
have been dealt with a lot earlier and a lot
a lot better, because I find Noles wouldn't mess around
(09:01):
if something is as small as what it was a
bit of a disagreement.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Oh absolutely, Like you know, come on, this is just
so small and minuscule in regards to the big picture
that it should have just been communicated. Communication is a
big thing. All that should have happened is that the
sports psychologists or the review anyone a mediator with the
likes of a Noel sitting down with the player or
(09:28):
players and things and going through and just saying hey, look,
you know and having a chat and saying, oh, look,
you know I found that when you did this, you know,
I got a little bit uncomfortable, right, and then Noel's
going to have her peace. She would feel devastated if
she didn't even truly understand or fully know that a
poorly darling player, because she is all about player welfare
(09:51):
and she's all about being a mother, like a kindness
and that sense of you know, oh, the sense of
giving me a hug type of mentality, she would feel.
She'd probably feel a bit gutted that that, you know,
she'd got Oh gosh, thank you didn't see it from
your point of view, but thank you for making me aware.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Well, go, Paath is the last one to go. I
expect there'll be more. But the signals are very much
pro daan Noline at the moment, and Netburn, New Zealand
is taking it in the neck. It's almost like someone
from there has to maybe say, I've lost control of this,
and I look to the CEO. Therefore I step down.
(10:34):
That seems to be probably the simplest equation. But what
I'm gathering is the egos are so strong. No one
will do this Mark.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
No, I know, But there was an article in the
I Think New Zealand Herald a few weeks ago about
how they talked about Net one New Zealand's toxic environment
of their staff and stuff. I don't know where that's
gone or where that's going, but you know, maybe it's
a big picture thing and you know it just needs
a complete overhaul, and you know, like you know, I
(11:03):
think the next step would be to just get to say, look, well,
I wonder where high performances on and aren't all this
what are they doing?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Like? Who what?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Who's even what's happening? No one's doing nothing.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
We don't know, we don't know. Hey, mad one last thing,
any chance that this team can actually turn the Constellation Cup,
they can actually beat the Australians. Is there a chance
under all of us? Well?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
I do you know what they will show, the half
of the players, And I just feel that they if
they get out there and they really prove, you know,
that prove their worth and you know, I'm hoping that
that they that we win.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to news Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News talks'd be early today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
It was announced right that the Silver Offen Selector, Gail Parta,
was resigning from the role. And this is in the
aftermath of the suspension of Dame Nolen told her and
it was on a long Facebook post as well, she
questioned whether any New Zealand sporting coach was safe. Quote here,
Dame Nolen isn't just a coach, She's a master of
her craft. Her approach is built on relationships, excellence and foresight.
(00:38):
She's lifted countless players and staff while representing Alteriro with
Manna and Grace, and yet she wasn't protected. If someone
like Dame Nolen can be stood down like this, what
message does that send to every coach in our system
that excellence and integrity are no longer enough that politics
(00:59):
now Trump's performance. Check it out on Facebook if you
want to have a read of the whole statement. I
got some more to peck out of it shortly for
you all, joined now by Mark Foster, former Silver n
Selector coach of various ansied franchises, and well she shared
her support with Gail's decisions to step away, saying she
(01:23):
will no longer be tossing the coin at the Constellation
Cup against Australia and it gets underway on Friday. That
was his solidarity. That was her pushback, I suppose. So
she joins us now to talk about the tumult, discussing
the idea that coaches on New Zealand should be basically
on notice and give us an idea about what she
sees is going on at nitball New Zealand. Marg Foster
(01:47):
joins us now. He mark's a going.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All really good considering all this knitball stuff, and everywhere
I go around, especially in Canterbury, even around New Zealand,
everyone comes up to me and just sort of say
a lot, we're thinking of you and Nipple and they
really want to you know, they really want a resolution.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Well, we all want a resolution and I expect they
do too, but it's just not progressing. In the latest news,
of course, National selector go Parata has decided she doesn't
want to have a bar of it. She's come out
with a lot of phrases and one of them he questions,
of any coats now in New Zealand is actually safe
with this? I suppose the repercussions of this decision initially
(02:28):
that carrying on going, the shockwaves are huge. Well what's
your take now on on Galaxy walking away?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, I just think you know that it was great
for her to make a stand in regards because you
know what it's like when you when things aren't working
or or you see that there's injustice, then why would
you want to be involved? Why would you want to
keep you know going. I think the integrity, like you
know of netball has been is really a jeopardy here
(02:57):
at the moment. And you know that's something that we've
always quieted ourselves in, I guess and it does come
we always say it comes from the top.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
She said the standing down and I quote here was
a chilling message to every coach you know New Zealand,
and you've coached yourself at the highest level with the
other coaches you know. Do you think that's a fair
enough statement that it really is starting to worry people
on a coaching status.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, I think it does, especially when you're actually you
know you're getting results and you know you're a career coach,
so you know you're coaching high performance athletes and there's
a big difference like you know Worth, you know, coaching
elite athletes, and you know, I heard that feeling that
you're not being supported by your governing body, Like oh
(03:49):
my gosh, Like just imagine if Michael McGuire, like who
was the Brisbane Broncos head coached in the players at
the start of this year. Really you know, they were
going off about his training and you're like him, they
just won. And I tell you right now, those players
were very emotional after their game and they spoke very
(04:12):
highly of him. And I can assure you that no
athlete would have ever gone You might have spoken a
little bit out of turn when you're when you're in
the moment, you know, like especially when you're losing, but
then you know, you just like the big picture, big vision,
and Knowles is a visionary sole leader, and so you know,
(04:33):
if someone like who is getting dealt this, oh my gosh,
there's no way I'd be putting out my hands. But
you're near anyt Wing Zealand and the coaching.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I suggest the damage mark to the game as well
outweighed the initial decision and they didn't like put a
torn o quete on it quick enough, And now people
are bleeding out this is devastating for the game in
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
It certainly is, and it definitely it should have been
resolved like way in the piece, Like you know, if
we had senior players that are you know, the spine
type of players that were were like you know, within
your your team that can resolve and sort it out informally.
Like it'd be like me lying down in the bed
(05:17):
one night and I've got my roommate and she goes,
oh shit, that was hard, I'm bloody. Well, oh you know,
I'm feeling real sore, and oh we've got to get
up early in the morning or whatever. And the coach
you know, hasn't given me any direction. I would say, oh,
be quiet, like you know, like just you know, you'd
actually just resolve everything. You just go pull your head
(05:38):
and or whatever, like you know, we're here, we eleit athletes.
This is what it's meant to be, like, you know,
like you wouldn't even have this, but we didn't. We
didn't have a players association that we ran to to
go and say, oh, you know, my my communication with
my coach, or I'm living in fear, you know, I
don't feel safe.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Well I think I think it's overcorrect that. I think
it's very important for the players to have say and
have a weave of power. You don't want it going
one way. But I think it's been overcorrected and the
power's all gone the other way, and I don't think
we're seeing great results out of that. But if you
look at the power structure and look right at the top,
this has to sit firmly with Jenny Wiley and this
(06:21):
is untenable the way it's going. Why have any of
these key figures not actually stood back and go for
the good of the game. I'm leaving. I've got to
walk away because that, in essence is what it is
with these people. They're not going any.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Further oh one hundred percent. And I think that you know,
you need to ask yourself that question, like even in business,
you go, is this better for our company? Is this better?
Like is that decision I make? Is this the good
for netball? And if the answer is no, then what
are you doing there? And like some of these some
of these decisions are an absolute no, no no. So
(06:58):
why why would you put yourself in a situation where
you're not driving netball a beautiful number one woman sport
in New Zealand to be the best that it can be.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
This probably isn't going to end particularly well, but it
needs to end. We've got the constellation cups just around
the corner. Do you see any light at the end
of the tunnel or from what you know from your
inside line, is the light at the end of the
tunnel the oncoming train? Do you think this is going
to get resolved and resolved?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Well, no, that's what I mean.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
That's why I feel. I am very frustrated. I almost
can't even be bothered with it now because it's going
on and on and there's no light at the end
of the tunnel. Where is the resolution? Like they just
came out last week and said that Knowles is going
to be stood down for Australia and England. So that
(07:52):
means the whole year? What?
Speaker 1 (07:54):
What?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Why?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
What?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Why is it going to take them a whole year,
like you know, not right from now to the end
to what to find a resolution? Is? What's this about?
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Like?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Why we have we not got the right systems in place?
Where's the processes? Who is running it? Why haven't they
got someone like you know even that that's appointed like
an interim commissioner to come in to look at the sport,
to look at the what's the situation. There's a thorough investigation.
(08:28):
It needs to start, and it needs to start soon,
because it's just getting on and on and on, and
I think people are getting very frustrated.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
From what you know, though, I believe this has started
from a rather small spark and then the flames has
just been fanned and carried on. Is this It is
very embryo from what you know. And I'm not going
to ask you to tell me because you won't understand
that has this just been a massive overaction that could
have been dealt with a lot earlier and a lot
a lot better, because I find Noles wouldn't mess around
(09:01):
if something is as small as what it was a
bit of a disagreement.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Oh absolutely, Like you know, come on, this is just
so small and minuscule in regards to the big picture
that it should have just been communicated. Communication is a
big thing. All that should have happened is that the
sports psychologists or the review anyone a mediator with the
likes of a Noel sitting down with the player or
(09:28):
players and things and going through and just saying hey, look,
you know and having a chat and saying, oh, look,
you know I found that when you did this, you know,
I got a little bit uncomfortable, right, and then Noel's
going to have her peace. She would feel devastated if
she didn't even truly understand or fully know that a
poorly darling player, because she is all about player welfare
(09:51):
and she's all about being a mother, like a kindness
and that sense of you know, oh, the sense of
giving me a hug type of mentality, she would feel.
She'd probably feel a bit gutted that that, you know,
she'd got Oh gosh, thank you didn't see it from
your point of view, but thank you for making me aware.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Well, go, Paath is the last one to go. I
expect there'll be more. But the signals are very much
pro daan Noline at the moment, and Netburn, New Zealand
is taking it in the neck. It's almost like someone
from there has to maybe say, I've lost control of this,
and I look to the CEO. Therefore I step down.
(10:34):
That seems to be probably the simplest equation. But what
I'm gathering is the egos are so strong. No one
will do this Mark.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
No, I know, But there was an article in the
I Think New Zealand Herald a few weeks ago about
how they talked about Net one New Zealand's toxic environment
of their staff and stuff. I don't know where that's
gone or where that's going, but you know, maybe it's
a big picture thing and you know it just needs
a complete overhaul, and you know, like you know, I
(11:03):
think the next step would be to just get to say, look, well,
I wonder where high performances on and aren't all this
what are they doing?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Like? Who what?
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Who's even what's happening? No one's doing nothing.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
We don't know, we don't know. Hey, mad one last thing,
any chance that this team can actually turn the Constellation Cup,
they can actually beat the Australians. Is there a chance
under all of us? Well?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
I do you know what they will show, the half
of the players, And I just feel that they if
they get out there and they really prove, you know,
that prove their worth and you know, I'm hoping that
that they that we win.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to news Talks.
They'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
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