Jamie-Lee Price, Sam Poolman, Jo Harten, Amy Parmenter and Maddie Hay (L-R) celebrate victory in the Preliminary Final. Image: Suncorp Super Netball/Twitter
GIANTS Netball head coach Julie Fitzgerald has backed in centre Jamie-Lee Price and wing defence Amy Parmenter for international selection, after their stellar starts to the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season.
With the Diamonds squad for the upcoming World Cup set to be named following next week’s Round Seven action, the former Diamonds assistant coach stated that both her star players deserve to be on the plane to South Africa.
Speaking to the media during the week, Fitzgerald was beaming when asked about the chances of Price and Parmenter making the squad.
“Obviously I’m slightly biased but I think [Price and Parmenter] are the best two in their position in the league, and I say that with full faith that I honestly believe it,” Fitzgerald said.
“I think they’re playing exceptionally well and they’re playing exceptionally well together and both of them are reaching career-highs.”
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Price in particular has had an impressive start to the season, being selected in the Nissan Net Points Team of the Round on four occasions. The 27-year-old is one of two inaugural players to still play for the club, and coach Fitzgerald said that her and captain Jo Harten have helped to get the Giants to where they are today.
“They’ve been there right from the start, and they’ve grown up with the team and have had so much input into how [the team has] developed,” she said.
“They’re very much a part of the Giants.”
The four-time Australian championship coach will celebrate 100 games as coach of the club on Sunday, when they take on the winless Queensland Firebirds at Nissan Arena on Sunday. She said that Giants must match the hunger the Firebirds have to get their first win on the board.
“We have to make sure we are every bit as hungry,” the experienced coach said.
“We are very weary of the fact they’re due for a win, and we were very impressed with their second half last week. We hope that we’re very well prepared and we understand exactly what they want.”
As the inaugural coach of the club, Fitzgerald reminisced about her time at the Giants, with the club’s first game in 2017 her most prominent memory.
“That first game that we played across the road at Quaycentre, I wasn’t sure if anyone would turn up, or what sort of support we would have,” the Giants coach said.
“When I walked through the tunnel and out onto the court, I could not believe the volume of people there. Everyone in orange, standing room tickets only, it was just such a special night.”
As for her plans for the next 100 games, the coach said that whilst a championship is at the top of the list, she wants to make the Giants a destination club.
“Obviously, you hope you’ve got a premiership in there. But I think my main aim is that we can create an environment where every player in New South Wales wants to be a Giant, and we have a club that people are proud to be a part of and want to join.”
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