Robinson puts on brave face
Melbourne Vixens midcourter Madison Robinson is a player known for her relentless positivity. Her upbeat nature has been put to the test this week, though, with the Australian pocket rocket dealt a devastating injury blow. Robinson, the Diamonds' form midcourter over the past couple of seasons, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in her side's round six loss to the Fever in Perth, ruling her out for the rest of the ANZ Championship season, and, more heart-breakingly, this year's World Cup in Sydney.
But just a day after her shattering diagnosis, Robinson fronted the cameras and spoke of her determination to get back on court. In the meantime she is keen to support the Diamonds in any way she can in their quest to secure a third straight world title in August.
"I'm still super positive with a smile on my face like always and it's great to know that there so many people out there that are supporting me during this time and it will definitely be something I draw on in the future," said Robinson.
"As sad as it is for me, that's life in sport and now I know what I need to do to get back stronger next season."
End of an era
The announcement that Adelaide Thunderbirds coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson will be stepping down at the end of the season signals the end of an era for the transtasman league.
Woodlands-Thompson's announcement comes after the league's other remaining foundation coach, Robyn Broughton, confirmed her intention to move on from the Pulse at the end of the year.
But with Broughton having started out at the Steel before moving on to the Pulse in 2013, Woodlands-Thompson holds the mantle as the longest-serving single franchise coach in the league.
The two-time premiership coach said she believed the time was right to step away.
With several international appointments expected to be up for grabs after this year's World Cup, the Thunderbirds mentor may not be out of a job for long.
Latu's bad run continues
Just when it was beginning to look as if her run of setbacks was over, Mystics shooter Cathrine Latu joined the injury list again at the weekend.
After enduring calf problems and surgery to remove her appendix in the preseason, Latu looked to be approaching full fitness again before she was forced from the court with an ankle injury in Sunday's last-gasp draw with the Magic.
The club reports that Latu has made good progress this week. If she pulls up well after training today, she'll be considered for selection for Monday's rematch against the Central Pulse. If she does play in that match, Latu will become the third member of the current Mystics squad to reach 100 ANZ Championship games after Laura Langman and Maria Tutaia.
What's got into the Fever?
The only Australian side never to have featured in the ANZ Championship playoffs, the West Coast Fever, appear hellbent on making 2015 their year.
With only six rounds completed, the Perth-based Fever have already surpassed their previous best effort of five wins achieved in both 2009 and 2013, and remain the only unbeaten side in the competition.
Their impressive form has seen the Fever take a healthy four-point buffer at the top of the Australian conference ladder. But the Fever's dominance has left some observers befuddled given the core of the squad is the virtually the same as for the past few seasons. In fact, some may argue the Fever appeared weaker this season after the loss of English international Eboni Beckford-Chambers to the Thunderbirds.
But new coach Stacey Rosman, a former captain of the side, has got the team humming, getting plenty out of players like Kiwi defender Erena Mikaere, while captain Ash Brazill is fit and so far injury free.
