Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke feels let down by Netball New Zealand over heartfelt speech

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke stands by her heartfelt speech at the end of the Taini Jamison Trophy.

Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke has revealed she did not feel fully supported by Netball New Zealand over her impromptu speech backing Dame Noeline Taurua.

Nweke, who was match-day captain for the third Taini Jamison Trophy test against South Africa, hit the headlines for her heartfelt words at the post-series presentation in Invercargill last month.

She delivered a passionate plea for Taurua, who was controversially stood down for the series, to return as head coach, taking the microphone from the presenter as the coverage concluded.

“Going forward Noels, if you're listening, we love you and we miss you and we want you back here. You've done so much for this group and the work you've done this whole year. You deserve to be here and we want you back Noels,” Nweke said on Sky Sport.

The Post understands NNZ were not impressed with Nweke’s actions and sent a memo to players to stay quiet on the Taurua coaching situation.

Carys Stythe defends against Grace Nweke at a Silver Ferns’ training camp last week in Auckland.

Speaking on Wednesday before the Silver Ferns squad flew out to Melbourne for the opening Constellation Cup test on Friday, Nweke said she did not regret her comments or how they were articulated.

She described the response from NNZ as mixed.

“I didn’t feel completely supported by them in my actions, but I acknowledged where they were coming from in their frustrations from what I’d said and those discussions were had about making sure you involve staff before comments to media and checking what’s been said,” Nweke told The Post.

“I felt I was within my rights to speak freely and speak for myself, and Noels [Taurua] and a selection of the playing group, but I can appreciate where Netball New Zealand is coming from with an element of apprehension and discipline around what’s said in a very public setting.”

Nweke felt compelled to speak about Taurua as match-day captain and said it had been a spur of the moment decision.

Match-day captain Grace Nweke delivers her passionate plea for Dame Noeline Taurua to return as coach.

Taurua was sensationally stood down 11 days before the Taini Jamison Trophy series against South Africa and also won’t return for the Constellation Cup or November’s Northern tour. Her future in the job appears over with interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie involved in Taurua’s absence.

Two players, acting on behalf of a larger group of players, went to the New Zealand Netball Players’ Association, expressing serious concerns about Taurua’s leadership and communication style after a nine-day training camp in Sydney in January. It eventually led to NNZ taking the drastic step of standing Taurua down on the eve of the South Africa series, after an independent review into her coaching methods.

“It’s a very tough situation to articulate and to navigate for all of our players and staff involved,” Nweke said.

Silver Ferns star Grace Nweke in action against South Africa in the Taini Jamison Trophy.

“I feel I just wanted to show my support for Noeline and it’s been a tough situation and I feel that part of me being able to move on and reconcile with the outcome of the mediation that played out was knowing I was really able to truly voice how I felt and make that known.”

Nweke, New Zealand’s best netballer, was devastated to see the situation netball found itself in with the Taurua coaching saga.

After featuring in Australia’s Super Netball this season for the NSW Swifts, Nweke was relishing the chance to return to New Zealand and wear the black dress.

The excitement of representing her country again and building on the Silver Ferns’ Constellation Cup triumph last year had been tarnished by the Taurua debacle, she said.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I think ultimately it negatively affects the players, it negatively affects the game – anyone who has a skin in the game and cares about the sport. To see it in this light it’s really unfortunate.

“Netball doesn’t really get a lot of headlines and for us to be having this constant media cycle and it to be because of a negative or unfortunate situation is really, really upsetting.

“We work so hard and we’re so proud of the team and the culture and this game that we get to play and the people we get to inspire. For this to be adding to the reputation of the Silver Ferns and the game as a whole in the country is really, really unfortunate.”

Nweke was gutted for the new players in the Silver Ferns environment this year, who had a challenging initiation to international netball.

Rather than being able to savour their first training camps and time in the Silver Ferns they had to deal with the constant controversy.

“For this to overshadow the beginnings of their opportunities in the black dress it breaks my heart to see our debutants have to come into a situation like this. Really proud of the way they’ve been able to be resilient and take their opportunities, regardless.”