Erin Bell training with the Thunderbirds in Kidman Park. Picture: MATT LOXTON
ADELAIDE Thunderbirds veteran Erin Bell has praised her new goal circle partner Karyn Bailey as being extremely under rated.
Bell described Bailey, lured to the Thunderbirds for the inaugural season of Super Netball after five years with the Melbourne Vixens, as very creative and smart.
A dual premiership player with the Thunderbirds and captain last season, Bell has relished the chance to adapt to a new shooting partner after being alongside former gun Carla Borrego for seven years.
“Karyn is very under rated because she keeps to herself, is not necessarily a flashy player and she does not get all emotional out on court,” Bell said.
“People just see her as a very steady player who can get the job done.
“If you watch what she does, she is very smart and reads the game well.”
Erin Bell training with the Thunderbirds in Kidman Park. Picture: MATT LOXTONSource:News Corp Australia
Bailey has endured a modified pre-season program after damaging her knee playing for the Vixens in last season’s ANZ Championship.
Her combination with Bell is still a work in progress, having had only limited time together at Diamonds camps and then a couple of practice games this pre-season, as well as a trial against Vic Fury in Melbourne on Sunday.
“Karyn is obviously very different to Carla, who I played with for a very long time, and for me it is about adjusting to the different styles as well as embracing all the new things Karyn does,” Bell said.
“She is very creative, a lot of time she sets things up which you don’t even know are happening. So I’ll run passed and she has set a screen or something up, I have not done anything different but something different has happened.
“It is good to have that variety and Karyn can come out of the (goal) circle. Being able to explore a new style is exciting.”
The Netball SA board and chief executive Ben Scales were expected to rubber stamp the nomination for captain last night and the position will be announced tomorrow.
Bell said it would be great to retain the position, but if not elected captain, she will be 100 per cent fine with the decision.
As for being prepared for the opening round clash against the West Coast Fever in Mile End on February 19, Bell said there was always that question ‘have you had enough time’.
“Of course we would love a couple more weeks, but so would everyone,” she said.
