Former Silver Fern Maia Wilson says she has come under fire from keyboard warriors in the aftermath of Dame Noeline Taurua’s suspension, despite not knowing anything about the saga.
The national body confirmed on Saturday that Taurua will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 season following failed attempts at mediation last week.
Netball NZ said “despite considerable and genuine effort” from the two parties, a resolution regarding the Silver Ferns “high performance programme and environment” had not yet been reached.
Taurua was sensationally stood down 11 days out from the Taini Jamison series against South Africa last month.
The rift between Dame Noeline Taurua and Netball NZ has deepened, with failed talks now pushing the high-profile dispute toward a potential employment investigation. (Source: 1News)
Yvette McCausland-Durie, who oversaw last month’s Taini Jamison series victory over South Africa, will remain as interim coach for the Constellation Cup and November tour to the UK.
RNZ understands the issues in the Silver Ferns stem back to a camp in Sydney in January. Following the tour, two players approached the NZ Netball Players’ Association on behalf of a larger group of up to seven players, who raised concerns about Taurua’s leadership and communication style.
Wilson was one of 15 players who attended the January camp. The 28-year-old later made herself unavailable for the 2025 international season.
Players have come under stinging criticism from former players, coaches and the wider netball community for a perceived unwillingness to speak out about their concerns.
Wilson, who debuted for the Silver Ferns in 2016, told the Mandate Podcast she had come under attack from anonymous so-called netball fans, blaming her for the fall-out.
“I’ve had people comment on my Instagram …they’re like ‘what a bitch’ …these people are out the gate. They were pretty much blaming me, that I don’t have a backbone and this was my doing,” Wilson said.
“I just think these are our lives and so what you hear, I don’t think anyone should be scrutinized …I don’t know what’s happening in this situation but I think everybody needs wrap around support.”
“…It’s a sh**show to be fair, it’s just a sh**show what’s going on and I just hope people are supported.”
Wilson said she found out Taurua was being stood down last month, just before it became public.
“I wasn’t a part of any player review. I actually found out this was all going down an hour before it came public to media and I wasn’t told by anyone within the netball community, it was told elsewhere and so I was in complete shock.
“I had no idea, I haven’t been a part of anything and I’m not privy to any information. And supposedly there was a player review but I wasn’t a part of that …so I don’t know what’s true, I don’t know what’s false.
“I think the situation as a whole, I feel sorry for everyone involved because I think what people forget is yes we sign up to be public figures but these are our lives.”
The dispute between Netball NZ and Dame Noeline Taurua looks increasingly headed toward a legal resolution.
It is understood that several players had raised concerned about the “psychological safety” of the environment, describing a culture in which athletes were “fearful” of speaking up.
The national body in July commissioned former NZ Cricket high performance boss Bryan Stronach to undertake a review, which highlighted “significant issues” in the Silver Ferns’ environment.
However, it’s understood that Taurua and her coaching team have contested the findings of the report.
Wilson was asked what it was like playing under Taurua.
“In my experience with Noels she’s always cared about the person before the player …It’s something that I’ve really resonated with because in that relationship between person before player, is that there is always duty of care and there’s always a holistic approach with Noels.”
” …there’s definitely been times where outside of Ferns or in Ferns I might have felt a bit low and vulnerable in netball and I’ve had a conversation with her and I felt like I was heard and I felt like she listened …it made me feel like what I was saying or feeling was valid.”
Fellow shooters Tiana Metuarau and former captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio also made themselves unavailable for the 2025 season. Jane Watson and Te Paea Selby-Rickit were unavailable again, having sat out the last few Silver Ferns campaigns.
Wilson told the Mandate Podcast that she needed a break as juggling Ferns duties with the ANZ Premiership, and her other commitments was challenging.
The Silver Ferns team for the Constellation Cup, which begins in Melbourne on October 17, is expected to be named on Monday.
rnz.co.nz
