‘Déjá vu’: Eddy on turbulent year

By Stephanie Smarrelli 

Kate Eddy is on the verge of her third Suncorp Super Netball Grand Final appearance. 

But for the Vixens defender, it almost didn’t happen. 

Not because her side nearly coughed up a double-figure lead against the West Coast Fever in last week’s Preliminary Final, but because a cracked fibula threatened to derail Eddy’s season. 

Almost three months ago a phone call from the doctor bare the news no sportsperson wants to hear mid-season. 

You’ve broken a bone. 

The 27-year-old had a sense something was wrong following the Vixen’s Round 5 clash with the Swifts, but she wasn't expecting the cause of her pain to be a cracked fibula from an accidental collision with teammate Kiera Austin.  

“Emotionally it was hard to hear I'd fractured it. I've had so many injuries and niggles in the past and thought I had my body right this season,” Eddy said. 

“I was relieved to discover the injury wasn't my body giving up on me, it was just a really unlucky collision.”  

After only returning to the court a few weeks ago, Eddy is now preparing to play in her third Grand Final, a feat she wasn't sure would be on the cards.  

But it is. 

And Eddy believes her injury could actually signal a good omen for the Vixens side. She recalled how former Vixen Bianca Chatfield reached out to remind her every time, she's injured herself mid-season she's won a premiership. 

“I tell myself the premiership is going to happen. I didn't think I would play the 2020 Grand Final at all either. I woke that morning and had my moon boot on because of a stress fracture in my foot and I ended up breaking my foot in that Grand Final,” Eddy said. 

And in 2019 the defender sat on the sidelines as her Swifts teammates hoisted the trophy having missed due to an ankle injury. 

"It felt like déjá vu and given the timing of this season I knew I was pushing it to come back before finals but I wanted to return to play,” she said. 

With the mid-season injury now in her rear-view mirror, Eddy is focused on the task at hand, defeating the reigning premiers on the biggest day in the calendar. 

The 25-goal loss to the Thunderbirds in the Major Semi Final is still haunting the Vixens but Eddy says the team will need to put their emotions aside this week. 

“The loss was disappointing. Afterwards we felt sad, upset and angry but we were lucky we played well throughout the season to have another opportunity,” she said. 

“We've acknowledged the loss and will look at it this week objectively. That game wasn't us and we need to work out what went wrong.” 

Plagued by injury throughout the season, the Vixens have only played a handful of matches this year where their full list was available. 

Eddy said the injuries played a part as to why the team was so disconnected during the Major Semi Final.  

"We still needed to work on building those connections back,” she said. 

“For us to go out and play against Fever who have a really big target in Fowler-Nembhard at goal shooter with the Thunderbirds having the same kind of target at the back was a great practice run.” 

As the Vixens hit the training court this week gearing up for their third Grand Final appearance in five years, Eddy revealed the biggest enemy they'll face this weekend.  

Themselves. 

“Adelaide is a really good defensive team we know they're going to get balls, but we're going to get ball as well,” she said. 

“All seven players need to play our roles and that is the biggest challenge to make sure everyone is thinking on the same page. 

“We have the best ball skills in the league, we just need to make sure we execute on Saturday."  

Eddy's personal focus for the match is shutting down Thunderbirds star Georgie Horjus. 

"She's very much the playmaker for their attacking end, I'll try to suffocate her to limit her ability to feed the ball into the circle because when she feeds she's quite lethal,” she said. 

Having been on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the season, Eddy is above all grateful to be in netball’s big dance. 

"I want to enjoy it, I don't want to look back and be unable to remember the day because it is such a special moment in everyone's lives, especially for me after this year it's something I'm going to enjoy being a part of,” she said. 

“I'm going to try and chill out on the day. I'm better when I'm not focused but once I get to the court I'll be switched on.” 

The Victorian hopes her perseverance will pay off come Saturday as the Vixens aim to crash the pink army's party. 

“To win would be a dream,” she said. 

“This year as a group, we've had so many injuries and obstacles, we all want the best for each other, and it would mean so much to win. 

 “We all believe we can do it.”