At the end of the Constellation Cup in March, once the Silver Ferns loosened the Australian Diamonds’ tight grip on the trophy after nine years of trying, most of their opponents packed their bags and headed back across the Tasman.
But the longest-serving Diamond, Caitlin Bassett, who captained her side in the opening match of the series, went a different way, to Mount Maunganui, where she is living while she plays for the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in the ANZ Premiership, which starts this Sunday.
“I’d been waiting so long for the opportunity to join my Magic team-mates, it was almost a bit emotional when I finally got to see them,” Bassett said this week.
“I’d been on Zoom chats with them and phone calls but seeing some people face to face for the first time and actually getting to hug them and high five them at training was a really nice feeling.”
Bassett has been one of the standout goal shoots in world netball over the past decade, making 102 appearances for her country, but she had a tough time of it during the 2020 Super Netball season with the Giants.
The introduction of the Super Shot, which allowed teams to score two-point goals by shooting from distance during the last five minutes of each quarter, meant coach Julie Fitzgerald often opted for a more dynamic shooting combination, and Bassett’s playing time dwindled.
She came to feel undervalued at the franchise, and secured a release from her contract, then, after being assured it wouldn’t jeopardise her international eligibility, she landed at the Magic.
Six weeks into her stint with her new team, her answer to the question of whether she was getting what she wanted out of it spoke volumes.
“I think number one, it’s that enjoyment for the game,” Bassett said.
“I feel like here at Magic, I’m appreciated. My ideas and thoughts are really valued and that’s really helped me fit in really quickly.
“I think as well, everyone’s on the same page, we’re all striving for the same thing and I’ve got a really good connection with our coaching staff, which is great.
“For me it’s about getting out there and doing what I do best, and that’s playing netball, and enjoying it, getting plenty of ball in my hands, hopefully shooting as many goals as I can, and creating a successful environment here.”
At the Magic, Basset will play alongside four former or current Silver Ferns – defensive duo Temalisi Fakahokotau and Erena Mikaere, a former team-mate of hers in Australia, midcourter Sam Winders, and wing attack Grace Kara, who will be responsible for getting her the ball.
“They’ve gone from being my enemies to my friends now,” Basset said.
“I used to watch Grace feed Irene van Dyk, and I was always extremely jealous, and now I get the pleasure of being on the end of those beautiful feeds of hers, so it’s quite funny.”
There’s even been the odd appearance from a Silver Ferns legend, with Casey Kopua joining the staff of her former team as a defensive coach this year.
“She came to training with us the other day, and we wanted to do some work, and they needed some extra defenders, so I said Casey, put a bib on, and so she put the goal keep bib on, and I said, yes, we finally get to relive our old rivalry, I might get to beat you this time, because she’s had her second bub, and she is obviously not at match-fit quality,” Basset said jokingly.
“It was nice getting out there and playing against her again, and it is fantastic when you think that players of that calibre are coming back to the club and imparting their wisdom on others.
“Even for me, just listening to what they have to say about the way that they played the game, it changes the way that I think about it.”
Playing for the Magic, who represent two regions that are home to less than 700,000 people, and only boast one other professional sports team, has made for quite a change from playing for the Giants, who are one of around 20 professional teams that can be found in a city that is home to more than 5 million people.
But while that has thrown up some curve balls – she said it was hard not having a set training venue or a set stadium – it has also given her a welcome opportunity to experience things on a different scale.
“We do move around a fair bit, but what’s really impressed me is just the determination and the drive the girls have to get on with the job,” Bassett said.
“The first weekend I got here, we packed up the bus, and we drove all the way up to Gisborne and then all the way around to Napier and there were no complaints whatsoever.
“We got off, we did community stuff in the rain, we got out there, and we got our hands dirty basically, and everyone just had a small smile on their face the entire time, and you could really see how happy the community were with the girls just being there and interacting with them.
“I think that’s what really impressed me so much about the Magic, the girls’ ability to understand how important the community is to them and how important the fans are and that we’re giving back, and we’re doing it by getting out there and doing some coaching, or getting along to an appearance.
“It could be anything – maybe it’s just saying hi to a fan and having a photo with them if you come across someone in town. That’s had a huge impact on me so far.”
The Magic have finished no better than fourth during the four seasons of the ANZ Premiership, which started in 2017 after New Zealand and Australia went their separate ways and the old trans-Tasman league disbanded.
With Bassett on board, hopes are high they will be able to play finals netball for the first time since 2016, and she is determined to make that a reality – and to maintain her place in the Diamonds in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in England next year.
Bassett was only used sparingly as the Diamonds lost the Constellation Cup, going down 3-1 in a series that was played entirely in Christchurch, after the visitors spent two weeks in managed isolation, and she is looking forward to spending more time on court over the next five months.
“My role here playing is to try and help Magic be the most successful team that they can be,” she said.
“I want to be here, I want to play netball, and I really want to get back to some of the form that I’ve had in the last couple of years.
“Diamonds selection will come if it’s meant to come. If I just put my head down and focus on what I need to do here, with my team, I’m sure the selectors will realise it and recognise it, and I’ll get to put on the green and gold once again.”
