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Australian basketball captain Caitlin Bassett needed to score a crucial end point before signing with the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic.
The legendary archery is an animal enthusiast and was desperate to find out if Chino, her beloved Bernese Mountain Dog, could enter New Zealand with her in 2021.
The 32-year-old Bassett will become the first current Australian netball international to play in New Zealand’s ANZ Premiership next season, signing a one-year deal, with an option for two with the Magic. His addition is a blow to the competition and the Magic, who finished last this season and have struggled since the league launched in 2017.
“I can’t go without Chino. It will definitely come with me, my big bear dog, probably one of my rabbits too. I’m looking for a pet friendly place in New Zealand, which would be great, “he said. Stuff.
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“It is important that I have my animals with me. They are like my fur family. It will be great to have them and have that feeling of home with me. “
Netball Waikato-Bay of Plenty CEO Rohan West hailed Bassett’s signing as a historic day for the Magic and believed they had the makings for a finals team.
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Central Pulse 20-year-old star Maddy Gordon is the only no-limit player to be included on the Silver Ferns squad.
The fact that Bassett was able to get his animals to New Zealand without prolonged quarantine problems caused some distress at the end of the negotiations.
“These are the interesting discussions you have when you get to the heart of the matter,” West said.
“One of the questions from weeks ago was, ‘How can I get my dog to the country?’ He has a beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog. That is what clicks in your mind. This person is serious about moving.
“This is how I can make my life as pleasant and normal as possible.”
Paul Kane / Getty Images
Australian captain Caitlin Bassett poses with the Constellation Cup last year, which the Diamonds retained after drawing the series 2-2 with the Silver Ferns.
Chino will be inspected by a veterinarian upon arrival in New Zealand and if all requirements are met, he will be allowed to enter the country.
Bassett was recently named to new Australian coach Stacey Marinkovich’s Diamonds first team and is eligible to play for the national team, despite playing in New Zealand.
His move to the Magic began to gather steam after a difficult Super Netball season, where he spent much of the season on the Sydney-based Giants bench.
The introduction of the ‘super shot’ in Super Netball made Bassett’s role redundant. Bassett has been one of the top goal shooters in world netball for the past decade, but she is a player who scores her goals from near the rim, rather than from long range.
Bassett was careful in his words when asked about the controversial Super Netball rule and whether it was having a detrimental effect on the game across Tasmania.
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua said Stuff Earlier this year, she did not endorse the concept, arguing that the two-point shot belonged to the shortened Fast 5 version of netball.
Kai Schwoerer / Getty Images
Former Australian coach Lisa Alexander, captain Caitlin Bassett, Silver Ferns captain Laura Langman and coach Dame Noeline Taurua show off their pavlovas ahead of last year’s Constellation Cup series.
“Netball Australia and SSN (Super Netball) have every right to make whatever rules they want in their competition. If my goal is to play international netball, I am very happy to play the international rules week after week. [in New Zealand]Bassett said.
“This year’s Super Netball teams found ways to avoid the two-point shot and didn’t even have to use it. I think it was the way our (Giants) team decided to integrate the two-point shot, obviously he saw me on the bench much more than I would like. “
Playing for Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham was a powerful motivation for Bassett. To achieve that goal, I knew I had to start each week. Competing in New Zealand and playing by the rules of the International Netball Federation was attractive.
Bassett is close friends with Magic defender Erena Mikaere, with whom she was teammates on West Coast Fever and Sunshine Coast Lightning, which was another draw card.
“Really the driving force is playing and challenging for a spot on the Commonwealth Games team in 2022 and to do that I need to be on the court.
“The positive is playing against the current world champions (Silver Fern), who are the best defenders in the world at the moment and play by international rules. That’s exactly what I need to prepare. “
West said they originally targeted another Caitlin: Bassett’s former Australian teammate Caitlin Thwaites.
Thwaites, who stood out for Central Pulse in the defunct trans-Tasmania league, made the decision to retire from elite netball after this season. As Thwaites was not an option, the Magic turned their attention to Bassett, who at the time was riding the handstand regularly in Super Netball and weighing his future.
Getting a player of Bassett’s quality and experience on the Magic was a huge help to the organization, West said.
“For us, as a team, it is as important as getting Irene [van Dyk] all those years, which led us to a long series of years of glory.
“Not only that. You look at the [Magic team we have] by Grace Kara back to Temalisi Fakahokotau [that we’ve signed]. That’s starting to be a playoff caliber team that can compete for titles. “
