Collingwood Magpies coach Kristy Keppich-Birrell feels the emerging Super Netball side has more than just a duty to “put on a good game” for Launceston fans.
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The rookie club in the new Australian premier competition has made no secret it wants to utilise the untapped Tasmanian market towards a future supporter base.
A three-year deal had been struck to play annual games at the Silverdome that also includes linking up with Netball Tasmania to affiliate the Tasmanian Magpies into the Australian Netball League.
Collingwood has already signed up hundreds of new members in the state in an attempt to follow the successful Hawthorn AFL model in Launceston that surpassed 9000 members last year.
Keppich-Birrell said the club was committed to bringing high-end netball to the community.
“The game is at the end of quite a few events that will be across Launceston from the Thursday right through to Sunday,” she said.
“So this is a combination of work from the (Tasmanian) government, Netball Tasmania and Collingwood to get this all up and going.
“I know the players are really excited to be coming down early to get involved with the community in the clinics and to also be a part of the Tasmanian Magpies ANL dinner.
“I think most of all, it is a fantastic opportunity to have an actual fixtured game down here rather than a preseason game.
“So the whole occasion is something we are all looking forward to.”
But its on the court that Keppich-Birrell wants to win the hearts of Tasmanians.
Collingwood were heavily favoured to take out the inaugural Super Netball title on the back of its seven past or present internationals.
That hasn’t be the lay down misere that many pundits had predicted.
But rather than the five established teams, the real challengers to that mantle has come from respective football-affiliates Giants Netball and Sunshine Lightning.
Keppich-Birrell had asked Magpies fans to stick fat to the side that she promises will only get better.
That arrived on Sunday when Collingwood upset the Giants 59-56 in Sydney.
It has potentially turned the Silverdome clash against Queensland Firebirds this Sunday into two-way battle for the final playoff spot.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the best of what we can put together. I think there is some more exciting netball to come and hopefully some consistency in that netball,” Keppich-Birrell said.
“But we have absolutely needed more time to find that space for themselves and hopefully we haven’t left it too late and can make our run at the finals.
“We want to be in the right type of form when it comes to the top four because it’s a whole new ball game once the finals come.”