Silver Ferns defender Katrina Rore isn't content after winning Netball World Cup gold and is determined to conquer a new career challenge with the NSW Swifts.
Katrina Rore celebrating gold at the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool Photo: © SWpix.com (t/a Photography Hub Ltd)
World champion netball defender Katrina Rore admits putting on the red and blue dress for New South Wales is something that will take getting used to.
Rore debuted for the NSW Swifts in Australia's Super Netball league over the weekend, fresh off of a European holiday/celebration after winning a maiden Netball World Cup title with the Silver Ferns.
It wasn't something she had planned in Liverpool, but told RNZ with the Central Pulse pre-season not starting until November 1st the invitation was a challenge she couldn't refuse.
"They messaged me and asked if I was keen then offered to book me a flight to join them for the last few weeks," says Rore
"I made sure to speak to Yvette (McCausland-Durie) and Netball NZ, and everyone came to an agreement which was great for me because it meant I can come here and play some netball."
She has been added to the side, as well as former Silver Fern Kayla Cullen, as injury cover for Australian player Kate Eddy though it didn't take the competition leading side long to inject Rore into play.
The 32-year-old debuted against Noeline Taurua's Sunshine Coast Lightning with the task of defending her teammate Laura Langman in the midcourt no less, but to the Swifts credit - who better to do it?
Katrina Rore defending Silver Fern teammate Laura Langman in the Australian domestic competition Photo: NSW Swifts
The strategy to slow Langman's attacking run down saw the Swifts gain a run of five goals to equal the Lightning 25-all at halftime after trailing. The end result didn't go the Swifts way losing 48-50, but they are still guaranteed a top four finals spot.
It's an environment Rore is familiar with after captaining the Central Pulse to a New Zealand title only two months ago.
"When I put on that dress for the first time and looked in the mirror I thought it looked quite bizarre, but the environments are so similar," says Rore
"It's been an easy trasition but their warm ups are completely different so that was a bit of challenge but other than that it's just enjoyable and a nice challenge.
"I was stoked to get on the court (on Saturday) I didn't think that would happen in a top of the table clash. It was a very intense game but they have timeouts so you get a little bit of a break now and then."
Only 17 months ago, then Silver Ferns captain Rore was faced with making New Zealand netball history at the opposite end of the spectrum failing to make the finals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Later that year she was dealt the heavy blow of missing the Silver Ferns call up all together.
It has ignited a fire in Rore like never before. While she has never been one to rest on laurels, she chooses to continue fighting to stay on top.
"I'm hoping I can take what I've learnt in this environment and chuck it into the Pulse and see if it can help us in any way, it's a win-win me being over here," says Rore
"We're on a break at the moment so you are either at home training or you can be over here playing, getting match fit, learning different things especially against the team we are about to go up against."
"I'm in the Australian league and we are about to go up against Australia in October so I think it's great and I see it as a positive."
- RNZ
