"In our team we have got the potential and the players to do it but we just need to click."
Friday 27 April 2018 19:41, UK
Claire Brownie believes next month's Commonwealth Games on Australia's Gold Coast could enable the UWS Sirens squad to return to form, after a disappointing start to their Vitality Superleague campaign.
The Sirens fell to a 66-46 defeat to Severn Stars last Friday in front of the Sky Sports cameras at a packed Emirates Arena crowd, as the Scottish side suffered their fifth loss of the campaign to fall to ninth in the ten team competition.
Brownie, alongside her fellow Scotland internationals, were unable to secure their second victory of the season and the club and international captain hopes the break from domestic duties will bring around an upturn in fortunes.
"It has definitely been a tough start for us. We have not had the results we were looking for. In our team we have got the potential and the players to do it but we just need to click," Brownie told Sky Sports.
"When we do finally click we will be a team that everyone will be scared of. Hopefully with the break and with some players going away on holiday we will return refreshed as a group.
"The Commonwealth girls will get a lot of energy from going out and competing against the world's best and come back ready for the second half to the season.
"Hopefully we can turn some of these results the other way around and really show how good the Sirens team is."
Brownie led the Sirens to a sixth-place finish in their inaugural campaign in the Superleague last year and the 29-year-old credited the domestic competition as a reason for the improvements the national side have enjoyed - Scotland are up to ninth in the world rankings.
"The Superleague has benefited the Scotland team so much. Last year there was maybe only one or two of us that had experienced the Superleague before and now the majority have it.
"They have realised how much intensity you need to play at to get the results you want, how much you need to work hard.
"Having that week-in-week-out competition to enable us to develop as a team where you can pitch yourself against the best netballers in the world has improved us massively and that has shown in last year's results.
"We have taken a massive leap forward and we have so much room to grow so we are looking forward to seeing how far this young group of Scottish girls can progress in the next few years."
The Vitality Superleague returns on Sunday, April 22, with Wasps Netball in action against Team Bath. Coverage gets underway from 2.45pm on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Mix, which you can find on channel 287, and is free for all Sky customers.
Follow the 2018 Superleague season with us on Sky Sports and through our website skysports.com/Netball with news, previews, reports and expert analysis throughout the season. And also our app for mobile devices and iPad, or follow our Twitter account @SkyNetball - #BelieveTheHype
