Congrats Aus, excellent full team effort and stellar games from Austin, Weston and Garbin in particular. Who knew Keira would be the hidden gamechanger (even moreso than Garbin) but well deserved MVP and so pleased for her continued successful trajectory after coming back from that devastating ACL. Bruce really standing up at the end too to drive the nail in the coffin for the Roses when the wheels started falling off. Lovely post-match interview with Braz too.
Hard not to feel frustrated by yet another set of incredibly rogue Thirlby coaching decisions arguably cost England a real shot at a closer margin, if not an actual win (as can’t take away credit from Aus’ form today). It took maybe 5m to revert the change from Funmi at GK back to Mentor, but 45m+ to put on Pitman after Metcalf Vs Braz exactly as it has done every single Aus game in history? Taking off Fran and Imo after they repeatedly proved themselves to be the match winning ball winners for the team? Malcolm on at C after she did a good job at WD in the pool match/semi and hadn’t been used there for ages? Swapping Housby and Cardwell without a concurrent WA switch, when Housby was basically our WA and GA?
With Geva retiring and no real experienced GK incumbent, and Helen hitting career-best form this year, along with the unexpected injury to Nweke this tournament, I do fear it will have been the Roses’ best shot at gold for a good while. Notwithstanding all that they still have an enormous amount to be proud of in getting silver – defying most people’s expectations in bouncing back from the CWG disaster and breaking historical records several times. Just seen that Housby won Player of the Tournament too!
Really do hope we’ll see a new coach for the next cycle (could Harten make the leap from support coach to a more permanent role??), but what a great world cup and thanks Ian and everyone at NS for all the hard work in keeping us in the loop with all the action!