[Ian Harkin]

#1329731

Jenny Sinclair

If you want a road map of Australian netball, Annie Sargeant is the person to ask. As an athlete, coach, commentator, advocate, fan and selector, she knows the highways of elite sport and the byways of grassroots netball. It’s a landscape that she’s as familiar with as her own back yard, making Sargeant the perfect person to assess each new crop of potential Diamonds.

As an athlete, Sargeant’s proudest moments ranged from representing Australia on 52 occasions, to competing for her club and state. She said, “I still remember being a junior at Manly Warringah, and having their badge on my box pleated skirt and the thrill of earning the NSW Waratah. I have a very strong belief that you are most valuable to the Diamonds when you also value your club and your state, your heritage and breeding ground. Having the ethic of returning to support them as if you’d never left.”

Red more… https://netballscoop.com/ns-exclusive-delicate-deliberate-and-downright-difficult-annie-sargeant-on-the-role-of-being-a-national-netball-selector/

[NB12]

#1329734

Great article!

Hopefully it puts to rest some comments like “Stacey will just select her favourite Fever players”. If Netball fans want the game to be taken more seriously, they need to give its professionals more credibility.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by NB12.

[al_ex]

#1329736

Do we really think Sargeant and Wilkins are going to go against the head coach though? I struggle to believe that based on how Alexander picked her team. At the end of the day, it’s the coach who is the most senior in the selection team.

[NB12]

#1329738

Yes I do because I respect the process and the professionals at the helm. If not, then there would be no point in even having selectors. Netball needs to rid itself of this “bitchy” mentality.

Anne Sargeant says it herself, selections aren’t from a fan/spectator point of view. Prior to the last CC, Lisa Alexander said Charles was knocking on the door of selection based on her season, but everyone made out it was because Stacey was coach.

[al_ex]

#1329739

I don’t think it was Anne Sargeant on the phone telling Pettitt and Medhurst they should retire because they were never going to be selected again. I don’t think it was Wilkins pushing Ravaillion and Tippett to get selected for Diamonds very very early. But each to their own I guess.

I don’t have too much of an issue with Stacey’s Diamonds selections as of yet, but if either of Charles or Anstiss make the 12 again it will be deservedly scrutinised. They have just not been as good as the other midcourters.

[NB12]

#1329740

Yes each to their own, and I respect that too! haha.

Although, it was Lisa Alexander that had to call Erin Bell and tell her she wasn’t going to 2014 CWG after her best season to that date, and in her place was a sub par Medhurst. Caldwell deserved her selection but never reached the heights they thought she would. The fans were not happy.

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