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The Lightning fell over the line rather what won it. The Giants really could have won it at the end but Price and Harten couldn’t really deal with the emotions of the moment. The Lightning made so many strange changes, it almost felt like they were just going to run a B-line until the final send-off and then they brought the big guns on to get the eventual win. Surely there is more to Wood’s injury than they’re letting on, so much time off court and really unconvincing performances.
Each of Manu’a’s infringements were relatively mild but I am still so shocked that clearly no one on the Giants bench understand the rules. It was a really bad decision to put her on again after the two minute suspension, but it seemed like it was just ignorance rather than an informed decision. The Giants are a very niggly and at times dirty team though so probably the wake up call they needed.
On a positive note, Harten, Austin and Hay were excellent. Hopefully we see more of them together.
The rule is 13.2.2. I posted it on the previous page. It was tightened up by the INF at the Start of the year (along with other game management rules) to make one umpires Disciplinary call binding on their partner.
If it’s an INF change, why have ANZP umpires been giving cautions? And will the Ferns have to change to deal with the new rule when international games are played again?
Dangerous playing being immediately escalated to a warning is appropriate. The only question is whether Manu’a’s original transgression was that dangerous.
A game full of many topics apart from just “the send-off”.
Firstly – Manu’a did not deliberately endanger the players in either clash, she genuinely was going for the ball BUT you can be genuine and clumsy/rough at the same time. So, the first send off I am fine with (although I wouldn’t have done it), the second one (when she hit Scherian) was rubbish.
Umpires – Booth (female, played for Kestrels) is experienced enough, although sort of junior. The male umpire I don’t even recognise, I think it is literally his first national league game. But Booth gave the warning, so he had to issue the suspension.
Deliberate rule breaking – oh COME ON. Every single player is deliberately breaking the rules constantly. Price is a great example of this! She has no chance of interrupting the attacking flow and yet tries to put the player off balance, probably putting them at risk of injury. Yet, this is how the game is played and umpired at this level. PS my favourite rule breaker of all time is Katrina Rore, my goodness she is dirty – but gets away with it, so that’s impressive.
Compare a player like Price (constantly deliberately grappling and pushing) versus a player like Simpson. Simpson doesn’t play anywhere near as dirty. Price occasionally gets an intercept but Simpson gets more. In fact in terms of WD/C you have plenty of good defensive players that don’t threaten injury to their opponent – Anstiss, Parmenter, Langman, Moloney, Mi Mi, Proud. For me, it makes Price quite unlikeable.
Bassett – very very interesting that she only played 15 mins. But the thing is, Austin doesn’t work at WA, she only works at GA (in this setup), and the Harten/Bassett combo also doesn’t work. I think we’re going to see Bassett/Austin and Harten/Austin. Austin is commits too many turnovers at WA. Put a true WA there, like Hay, and enjoy how good she is (despite being junior).
MVP – should have been Langman, Scherian, or Hay. Tight games from those midcourters despite the rubbish going on around them.
Chat between coaches at the end of the game – these women know and respect each other, and Byrne was not at all elated to win in this fashion. But at the end of 2020 season, nobody will see the manner of the win on the scoreboard.
Depth of Giants defence – McDonnell needs to be given more minutes; so far Poolman and Manu’a have been working very very hard. They need more options to freshen things up. If Fitzgerald had confidence in McDonnell she could have put her on for the last quarter.
The way it was won – the Lightning just kept possession and scored. The Giants actually had a six goal lead, but lost the ball about 5 times. They weren’t down any players in attack (except that GD wasn’t there to backup on the line). And Harten, supposedly MVP, shot 3/7 super shots. She definitely played well, but those decisions in the last 5 minutes didn’t pay off.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Andrew Kennedy.
It either was dangerous or it wasn’t – no scale.
Obviously it was or the umpire wouldn’t have deemed it so 😁Agree about Price. I have to think about whether I want to watch a Giants game given she plays for them.
Re Bassett, I wondered about why Fitzpatrick doesn’t play her with Austin, but that’d mean taking their Captain off.
I thought the game was well umpired. I thought both challenges by Manua looked pretty vigorous to me. As a kiwi watching the Suncorp the game looks a lot more physical than the NZ game and a lot more contact is allowed by the umpires over there. (What about the blatant shove in the back Potgeiter got in the previous game that was not penalised but very clear to see on tv? For example)
In saying that a lot of similar overzealous plays by defenders, like what Manua does, are just let go. The league administrators need to ensure the rules are clear and consistently applied by all the umpires. Maybe they need tv replay options for the umpires, like they have in the nba. I agree with the person who said umpires have a responsibilty to act on what they deem/see as dangerous play, which they did in this game.
I probably have a more pessimistic view of Bassett’s level than others do, but for me she’s quite clearly in the third best form of the three shooters right now. Add in the Super Shot and it’s even worse. Weak hands, easy misses, clogging up space, easy turnovers. I know it’s difficult to get into form when a player isn’t getting minutes, but it seems like every time she’s taken off, she’s replaced with a player who is playing better and offering more.
I like the attacking line of Hay, Austin and Harten and I am glad COB got a run out even if it was for a short period of time.
Makes no sense to me at all why McDonnell wasn’t put on for the last quarter, she needs court time to develop and with such a strong combination working so well in front of her it would have been a great opportunity. Julie Fitzgerald stick a little too strongly to a starting 7 for me. Give Parmenter a break and mix it up defensively! Manua can play WD with McDonnell in GD!
Total shambles of a game. Will be telling of the Giants character and Manua in particular how they come out at the weekend.
Oh the other thing to say, in terms of cautions and warnings, I have noticed several times that the umpires issue these but the commentators don’t seem to notice. This is probably for a few reasons, such as (a) when a penalty is called they want to discuss it or the player and (b) the umpires are definitely not the focus of the camera work, so it’s lucky to see the hand signals of the umpires indicating caution or warning.
It would be good to see in stats when a player got a caution or a warning.
The umpires definitely did follow the rule book, but I maintain that the contact on Scherian was nowhere near as reckless as on Koenen.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Andrew Kennedy.
I thought both send offs were warranted. I’m sorry, but if you have been warned, and then sent off for 2 minutes, you have NO CHOICE but to reel it in. It doesn’t matter if you agree with the “call” or not, the umpires have given the warnings…..it’s the rule of the game.
IMO the Giants lost it for themselves. Harten should have opted for the 1 point, as they had the next C pass (according to the commentators).
I love Sue, Cath and Liz commentating. But their comments tonight, on the incident, were bullshit IMO. They got too caught up in the actual call, than the process of how and why the player HAD to be sent off.
Manu’a was on her last legs, which means all eyes were going to be on her. Any late challenges from then onwards, was always going to be harshly dealt with. It’s no different to what happened to Temepara Bailey in the WC.TBH I’m surprised Julie F didn’t replace her, going into the last qtr. They had sufficient backup.
Lightning 58-Giants 57
Koenen 32/35 (91%)
Wood 13/21 (62%)
Proscovia 8/8 (100%)
Hunt 2/4 (50%)Harten 24/32 (75%)
Austin 19/25 (76%)
Bassett 9/11 (82%)Super shots: Harten 3/7, Austin 2/4, Wood 2/7, Hunt 1/1
Assists: Langman 18
Gains: Maweni 9MVP: Harten
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