Australia’s cricketers have thrown their weight behind the country’s netballers and set up a ‘fighting fund’ to help them through a pay dispute with their governing body.
Australia’s Diamonds won the Netball World Championship in August against a backdrop of disharmony and Super Netball players have been out of contract since September 30.
Now the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), which represents the country’s male and female cricketers, has pledged to support netballers in their quest for a revenue-sharing model.
The support includes the creation of a fund to help netball players during the period of unemployment and the ACA said it is in discussions with the Australian Athletes’ Alliance and other players’ associations to join the initiative.
ACA chief executive Todd Greenberg pledged to support the netballers until their campaign is successful and called on Netball Australia to develop a long-term growth model with a partnership model similar to the five-year deal the cricketers negotiated with Cricket Australia.
Describing the revenue sharing model as a “win-win situation”, he said: “The netball players rely on friends and family for financial support. What is disappointing is that the netball players’ requests are modest and affordable for the sport .
“The ACA believes they should be afforded the same opportunities for collaboration as our players – the same opportunities that have seen cricket flourish.”
Australia are in the middle of a four-match Constellation Cup series against local rivals New Zealand, winning their first two matches on home soil despite ongoing unrest between the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) and Netball Australia.
ANPA chief executive Kathryn Harby-Williams said: “Australian netballers are courageous and resilient people. When your minimum wage is $40,000 (£20,940), it takes a lot of courage to take a stand.
“That is why this expression of support is so welcome. It lets the korfball players know that they are not alone.”
Netball Australia said its latest bid, rejected by ANPA, would increase investment by $1.275 million (£670,000).
The ANPA said the players wanted a revenue-sharing agreement, saying “we would like to share in the good times we help build and we will share in the risk in difficult times”.
England forward Helen Housby and Eleanor Cardwell, part of the team that was defeated in the World Cup final, are among those who cannot sign new contracts for the next Super Netball season.