‘A Wee Bit Weird' – Is It Time For Netball To Scrap Post-Match Huddle?

, Sport Journalist
It's the post game ritual that netballers have taken part in for as long as anyone can remember but should New Zealand's elite players ditch the end of game group huddle?
Hip hip hip, ray ray ray … is the go-to cheer our top netballers take part in after every game but sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe asked people in the sport whether they actually like the routine.
The sight of opposing teams linking arms in a circle after a game has been a common one for years, through to international matches between Australia and New Zealand.
In a recent ANZ Premiership match, the two teams came together like they always do to acknowledge each other. But in the commentary box for the TVNZ broadcast, Silver Fern Phoenix Karaka observed that it's not something everyone wants to do.
'I'm not a fan, obviously when you're winning and you've won the game it's all good but when you've lost a game like that – you don't want to see the other team,' Karaka said.
In Australia, the players decided to ditch the end of the game group huddle ahead of this year's Super Netball Competition.
Former Australian Diamonds legend turned commentator Cath Cox told a Fox Sports panel show that from an optics point of view, the players felt it looked out of place as professional athletes. Players also said it could be 'awkward'.
Cox said it came off the back of last year's Constellation Cup between the Diamonds and Silver Ferns.
'They play each other every two or three days and discussions started then around is it too much to be coming into a huddle when you're still in the heat of the battle and after every single game?' Cox said.
Former Silver Ferns captain and coach Yvonne Willering said in her day they thanked the opposition and the umpire and then went back to their own team.
'Why would you at that stage want to get in a huddle with the opposition and people sort of say it's all about the game out on court and afterwards you can be mates, but to me it's too soon after the game. It's a bit like I have a problem with a team doing high fives when they really haven't played that well in a particular quarter.
'While it's not a major, I totally understand why the Australians are no longer doing that. I think players themselves [in New Zealand] have been looking at that. I think a handshake and then just moving on has more merit,' Willering said.
Tactix captain Erikana Pedersen said it could feel forced at times.
'Sometimes I question why we do that, and is it a bit of a just kind of a nice way to end things out but when you lose you don't want to be in a huddle with the people you just lost to so I can see why the Australian teams have stopped that this season and maybe that's something we need to look at doing,' Pedersen said.
But some people in the sport, such as Mystics captain Michaela Sokolich-Beatson, believe it's one of the things that makes netball so unique.
'We're trying to play the best brand of netball that we can play to make it a really strong game in our country and I think a part of that is doing it as a collective so I think to come together at the end of the game and congratulate each other and just celebrate each other I think is powerful in a women's sport and any sport in general so I'm happy to keep doing it,' Sokolich-Beatson said.
Pulse captain and Silver Fern veteran Kelly Jackson said she liked the act of camaraderie and respect between the sides.
'I think it's nice to acknowledge the team and everyone goes out there to put their best foot forward so I think it shows a lot of sportsmanship to be able to be I guess humble in victory, gracious in defeat,' Jackson said.
Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe said she liked what the Australian teams had done.
'Of course shake hands and pay respect to each other after the game but there's probably no need for a huddle and chat, the same thing gets said every week,' Edgecombe said
Mystics shooter Filda Vui said when her side played the Stars in round one, it was an opportunity to empathise with their opponents.
'Three of their players got injured and got carried off the court. Mickey [Michaela Sokolich-Beatson] shared a few words just to say we felt for them because those are our sisters and we used to play and grew up with them in Auckland so that's why it's kind of nice too, to just share a few words because that was really sad,' Vui said.
Former Silver Fern and current Tactix coach Donna Wilkins, also used to play basketball for New Zealand.
Wilkins said you don't see it in any other sport and wondered how authentic it was.
'It's just always what you do in netball and it is a wee bit weird. Like you always shake hands etc in other sports but you don't normally come together. Normally the captain says something but you know we've just been in the heat of the battle – do they really mean what they are saying?
'I know it's something that some of the players have discussed and talked about but I guess we've just always done it so it will be interesting to see if we follow that same path,' Wilkins said.
Mirroring what happens in most other sports, the Australian players now get around to one another to shake hands.
It remains to be seen whether hip hip hip, ray ray ray is here to stay in New Zealand for years to come.
But it's safe to say netball won't go down the NBA route of simply heading down the tunnel to the dressing rooms immediately after the game is done.

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