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Is netball helping itself when it comes to momentum?

England's Vitality Roses take a selfie as they celebrate securing bronze at the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup
Image: The topic of post-World Cup momentum is featured in this latest column

As top-level netball returns to the UK three months after a World Cup, Tamsin Greenway assesses what has happened in the sport since a memorable 10 days in Liverpool.

Netball's momentum...

We've thrown that word momentum around a lot, everybody talked about it and everybody wanted it.

Sadly, we didn't get that gold medal at the World Cup so there was no major media momentum that we saw at the Commonwealth Games. Yes it was a really successful competition, but relying on being World Cup winners was a risky strategy.

I think as English fans we still had such an amazing experience, and getting a bronze was great but I'd like to have seen real impact on the momentum we gathered there.

England's Vitality Roses and British Fast5 All-Stars Championship

The British Fast5 All-Stars Championship returns on October 12 from 1pm, live on Sky Sports Mix and Action
Image: The British Fast5 All-Stars Championship returns on October 12 from 1pm, live on Sky Sports Mix and Action

For example, Fast5, why does it clash with the England internationals?

We know there are whisperings that we're going to have some big overseas signings, which is great, but what a shame that we still have a competition that is loved by people - that sells out, that's a brilliant product - that we can't display all our best English talent on too.

I still think that's something that England Netball need to address, because we talk about momentum, but are we helping ourselves?

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The big names from overseas show how good the product it is, so how amazing would it have been if we could have had some of these brand new England superstars that have been announced in this full-time programme on display too.

I just think that's such a shame that we can't get dates to work. Last year they went to Jamaica and this year they're in Australia on a training tour and I don't see how we can't make this work.

Players want to play in it as well. It's a real fun competition and I think it's really sad that we make it impossible for them to do that.

Austin: 'Netball's most exciting format'
Austin: 'Netball's most exciting format'

Mikki Austin can't wait to enjoy "one of the most exciting formats" in netball as the British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship takes place at the Copper Box.

The topic of transparency

I know there were a couple of question marks when the England full-time programme was announced. What happened to the likes of Jade Clarke, Rachel Dunn and Eboni Usoro-Brown? I understand there's a process of P1, P2 and P3 but I just don't think there's this clear understanding of the rules or what that all means.

I guess that's where my frustrations come from. Jade Clarke, our most capped England player ever. What has happened to her? Has she retired, has she not? I don't think that it should be for Jade to come out and say.

Eboni Usoro-Brown celebrated her 100th cap in style against the Sunshine Girls
Image: Eboni Usoro-Brown celebrated her 100th cap during the World Cup

I feel like they are big stories. I want to know. Rachel and Jade are my friends so I talk to them but I want to know from a professional point of view, I want these stories to be talked about and discussed.

What happened to players like Sasha [Corbin] from last year out of the full-time programme? Kadeen? They are big English names, did they trial, did they not, are they now P3? I just think there's got to be far more open dialogue.

It's not to know all the ins and outs, it's just for more transparency on the basics, so we can talk about it, start debates, conversations, keep momentum.

Jade Clarke of England and Bongiwe Msomi of South Africa in action during the bronze medal match between England and South Africa
Image: Tamsin Greenway would like to see greater transparency regarding key topics

Avoiding wrong conversations

We end up having the wrong conversations then. I know when I always put it out on Twitter people want to have these conversations, they want to talk about players and stuff moving forward. I feel that we just aren't educating people enough and what is actually happening.

I think we definitely need more clarity on the players and far more clarity on the rules, what's new and how they affect the season.

For example, when it comes to squad sizes this year, who you can bring in from a world ranking point of view plus the length of the transfer window, all of these are areas that need more clarity.

From a media perspective and having worked both sides, spending a lot of time working here with Sky Sports and writing for the Telegraph, too it's probably my biggest frustration. If we seriously want to talk about how the sport is moving forward then we need to be open to changing how we talk about it.

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