Netball: Sam Sinclair says the Silver Ferns have to toughen up

Samantha Sinclair of the Silver Ferns. Photo / Photosport

Fiery midcourter Sam Sinclair has urged her Silver Ferns teammates to toughen up or risk a horror show at the Commonwealth Games.

In a no-holds-barred interview with Radio Sport, the 15-test midcourter admits the Kiwis have "choked" under recent pressure and that sweeping changes are necessary if the team are to have any chance of adding to their two Commonwealth golds.

The Ferns have been in a slump, losing six of their last seven games, with their solitary win against South Africa by five goals — their lowest margin of victory against the Proteas since 1995.

Sinclair told D'Arcy Waldegrave on Radio Sport that internal changes are needed to get the Ferns back to their best in time for April's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

"We're not going to get anywhere without change. For too long, we've sat back and expected things to happen by doing the exact same thing over and over. We don't have time for that any more, and it's been proven, obviously, that it doesn't work."

Those changes don't necessarily have to be in tactics or personnel, but instead on the mental and psychological side, with Sinclair of the belief the Ferns struggle under pressure when the going gets tough.

"The problem at the moment is when it comes down to the crunch time on court, we lose it in those pressure situations. When we find ourselves down against the likes of Australia, we struggle to get back into a winning mindset.

"Most sportspeople say the top two inches is the most important and I think that's something we're lacking at the moment. We talk about it, but then we get out there and individual errors come into play, we crumble, we don't stick together as well as we need to. It goes downhill very quickly."

Katrina Grant's Ferns have been in a big slump. Photo / Photosport

How do you fix perceived mental frailties?

Sinclair insists the Silver Ferns culture is too nice, and argues a tougher attitude needs to be cultivated — one where you can speak critically when needed.

"Females are obviously quite different to males and it's hard sometimes to have those tough conversations without hurting someone's feelings. I don't think we are at that place yet where we can have those tough words — if someone has a bad pass or something goes wrong on court, to be able to turn around and say 'pull your head in'," says Sinclair.

"I've definitely brought up the point in our team camps — what are the consequences of that, or is it always just a pat on the back or something nice to say? We need to get to that point where we can be tough with each other and to hold each other to more account and be more critical. Once we start doing the things we say we're going to do, then we'll get there, but at the moment, it's all talk and no action."

Despite the Ferns' struggles, Sinclair is still vouching for coach Janine Southby, believing that the foundation for success is in place, but the players need to execute it.

"We do discuss as a team the things we need to work on, then those things are put into practice in trainings.

"I feel that the trainings, we do include the things we need.

"In each of our regions, even when we're not in camp, we have access to mental skills coaches, and anything we need. If we're not utilising those things which are offered to us, we can't call ourselves elite athletes. I believe a lot of it comes down to personal responsibility."

There's plenty of work to be done, with one final build-up tournament on the North Shore in late March, when they will play Jamaica, Malawi and Fiji.

But with the 12-player squad for the Commonwealth Games named on Thursday, and the Ferns in serious doubt of not making the final for the first time in their history, the time for change is now.

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