Former England head coach Tracey Neville warned Gracie Smith and Sophie Kelly are likely to miss out on England’s Commonwealth Games squad despite their stellar Netball Super League seasons.
Speaking on the Off the Court podcast, Neville bemoaned the challenges that come from including inexperienced players like Smith and Kelly in the squad, citing competition for places and logistics as key obstacles to their inclusion.
“About three to four months out, you have to put your long listing of 18 to 22 players. That’s actually quite scary because one, that risks injuries,” Neville said.
“And at Commonwealth Games, you can’t replace injuries like you can at a World Cup.
“And then secondly, you also don’t have time for people like Sophie Kelly or Gracie Smith, if they’ve not been part of that full-time program.
“I look at someone like Smith, who’s been absolutely outstanding by the way. To have a centre of her calibre come through is just been exceptional. But even from my point of view now, I look at it and I go, that squad list went in a little bit ago.
“She’s actually got no chance of ever getting in that Commonwealth Games, irrespective of performance.”
Gracie Smith’s London Pulse celebrate with the trophy after winning the Netball Super League Grand Final
Even without the logistical challenges facing the squad selection before the Games, Neville believes that midcourt competition is simply too strong to allow a budding star like Smith any gametime.
“I also look at who would I drop for Gracie Smith.
“I actually collectively put down about 18 to 20 names and my midcourt at the moment, based on what’s gone before us, what we’ve learned is people like Amy Carter – would I drop her? No. Imogen Allison? No. Beth Givhan, Jess Shaw, Nat Metcalf, Alicia Scholes…
“I probably would not have dropped any of them for Gracie Smith, irrespective of her having the most unbelievable season.
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On the Off the Court podcast, Tamsin Greenway suggests increasing squad sizes could reduce the number of injuries in the Super League
“In a way, people need to respect that these decisions have to be made quite early, but they also have to be made off the back of what has gone before as well.
“And that’s something that is really hard to get your head around and one as a fan, because potentially these rules are not put out to the public. It’s the long-term planning, isn’t it? Grace is just another example.
“There are so many U21s coming through that are having great seasons or will be the future of netball.”
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