NEW Magpies Netball defensive coach Rob Wright says he is relishing the chance to be reacquainted with Bendigo-born Super Netball star Caitlin Thwaites.
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Wright has joined Magpies following seven years with New South Wales Swifts, in a move that has reunited him with six players he has previously coached, including goal shooter Thwaites.
The defensive specialist, who led the Swifts to back-to-back former ANZ Championship grand finals in 2015-16, said from an opposition coach stand-point he was super-impressed with Thwaites’ first season as Magpie and was delighted to again be part of the same team.
“Caitlin was always a super talent, but I think she just continues to get better,” Wright said.
“She’s expanded her game from what it was a youngster and now she is truly the whole package.
“She can hold, she can move and that’s a really rare skills for those taller shooters and she has a really great shot on her. She was the highest goal scorer in the SSN last year and the reason for that, she is incredibly hard to stop
“That’s a player you want on your team. I’d much rather be coaching her than coaching against her.”
Thwaites is one of four Magpies players picked in the Diamonds team for next month’s Commonwealth Games, together with April Brandley, Kim Ravaillion and Madi Robinson.
Wright, who was in Bendigo to lead a training session for Heathcote District league club Elmore at the Queen Elizabeth Oval, was confident of Magpies’ chances in the 2018 season, which starts with an April 28 clash against Melbourne Vixens.
“In hindsight the club would probably never lived up to its potential last season,” he said.
“At time they showed some power and how good they can be, but were probably inconsistent around that.
“That’s something we have been working very hard at as a group, to get that consistency, because we believe, like every other team in the competition, we are capable of going deep in the finals and that is what we are after.
“It’s a pretty exciting team; there’s lots of serious talent and also a couple of youngsters coming through who are super exciting.
“One of them is a defender I get to work with a lot, Matilda Garrett.
“She’s got a lot of world-class players around her. It’ll be great to coach this group again – I’ve actually coached six of the girls previously.”
Wright’s session with Elmore was his second in Bendigo this pre-season. He also visited Kangaroo Flat in February.
The coach has been in high-demand with more than 150 clubs or organisations requesting his services following a public invite from Magpies.
Wright said he was impressed with the Elmore players’ enthusiasm and intensity during training.
“I’m big in believing there’s never one way to do anything, I like to give people some new ideas and some different methods to expand their repertoire,” he said.
“I want players to be the very best they can be and if I can contribute in any way to helping players, it’s a good night out.
“I think players appreciate a different voice at training.”