Netball NZ boss Jennie Wyllie says the national body's intention was always to re-instate Dame Noeline Taurua as Silver Ferns coach.
Yesterday, Netball NZ confirmed an earlier RNZ report that Dame Noeline would return as coach, ending a two-month saga that could leave scars on the sport for years to come.
Last month, shock waves were sent through the sport, when Taurua was stood down from the Taini Jamison series against South Africa.
She and her coaching staff were suspended, after a review flagged "significant issues" in the team environment, sparked by player complaints back in February.
Weeks of discussions over proposed changes to the Silver Ferns programme failed to find a resolution and Yvette McCausland-Durie was brought in as interim coach.
Last month, Taurua was reportedly offered several pathways to re-instatement during lengthy mediation talks that followed the South African series, but the two parties remained deadlocked.
Yesterday, Netball NZ said they had reached an agreement for Dame Noeline to resume her role, with changes in the Silver Ferns programme and environment.
"This was never about Noeline leaving the environment," Wyllie said. "This was always about Noeline coming back in.
"It was always about ensuring we had an environment where everyone can perform at their best, physically and mentally, and we believe that we have taken really confident steps towards that for our sport."
What finally broke the standoff?
"What was really important was to reach common ground and a common understanding of where we want to take this going forward," Wyllie said. "These things are always tricky.
"You're dealing with people in high performance environments at the top end of their game - both coaches and athletes - and it's important to take the time to be able to work through these things."
Wyllie wouldn't directly address whether Taurua's return would lead to players making themselves unavailable.
"We've taken the position where it's important to understand the needs of everyone in this environment, and to make sure that we have mechanisms to allow them to feel that they can address concerns and play with freedom, and that everyone in that environment can do that confidently."
When Taurua was suspended, so was specialist coach Briony Akle and assistant coach Deb Fuller, who has been part of the management team since 2018.
Decisions around the whole coaching team would be made over the next few months, Wyllie said.
"With the benefit of having Noeline onshore, as opposed to on the northern tour, we'll be able to look at what needs to happen to enhance those wellbeing frameworks, and looking towards the future and planning for Commonwealth Games, so all of those considerations will take place at that time."
Wyllie confirmed Taurua would coach the Silver Ferns at the Commonwealth Games in July next year. When Taurua was re-appointed in April last year, her contract took her through to the conclusion of the Games.
Despite being returned as Silver Ferns head coach, the interim coaching team will continue until the end of the northern tour.
It was likely that Taurua's first hands-on game back in charge would be the first test of the Commonwealth Games.
With an earlier start to next year's domestic season, fitting in a series in the lead-up to the Glasgow Games would be challenging, Wyllie said.
The 2025 international calendar has been a bit of a write-off for Taurua, who is watching the current Constellation Cup series against the world champions from home.
The Silver Ferns have suffered 17-goal defeats to Australia in the two opening matches and need a small miracle to hold onto the Cup.
Next month's tour to play tests against Scotland and England will also be observed from afar.
Netball New Zealand has come under criticism for its handling of the situation.
Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata recently stood down from her position in support of Taurua, and said the independent review only took into account the views of seven players, who had issues with the environment, rather than the whole squad.
Could Netball NZ have dealt with it differently?
"We can always learn from what we have been through and it has been a really challenging time, but we are confident that, in the long run, netball will be better for this," Wyllie said.
Players who raised issues were ensured anonymity throughout the process and it was important to have certain safeguards, she said.
"In any environment, you need to be able to understand the balance of power and give mechanisms for people to be able to address concerns in a way that they feel they are legitimate. That is most important and that's what we'll be doing going forward."
Much of the public reaction to Taurua's suspension has been anger directed towards Netball NZ, but it couldn't be swayed by that, Wyllie said.
"Sport has a really challenging space of ensuring they can deal with issues, while continuing to meet the needs of everyone. At that time, that was a decision that we took, but we are now confident that, in the long run, we will be better for this.
"There has been a high level of discomfort and we've had to live in that, but we can do that as a collective. It has been difficult, but ultimately, netball will be better for this."
The balancing act between ensuring player wellbeing, while not impeding a coach's natural instincts was a difficult one, Wyllie said.
"There is a heightened awareness of the challenges in high-performance environments across the board. We needed to be able to find the right landing place and that balance between what the players needed, what the coaches needed and what is best needed for everyone to be able to perform at their best, both physically and mentally.
"That's the programme of work that we will be putting in place."
