Compare the Pair: Natalie Bode (nee von Bertouch) and Kim Ravaillion

International April 2, 2020

Getty Images/Suhaimi Abdullah

THE Draft Central Compare the Pair series will aim to analyse two players from different Australian Diamonds eras, with the next showcasing midcourters, Natalie Bode (nee von Bertouch) and Kim Ravaillion. Both handy centres with an ability to rotate through midcourt if need be, Bode and Ravaillion were not the flashiest players in the business but both got the job done with their intensity and pressure running down the court. Their respective two-way running and transition from attack to defence was seamless and often made their opposition pay for any errant passes, staking a claim on the netball and chasing it down with their respective bursts of speed off the stand-still. While both had similar traits, the two centres could not be more different in the way they go about the court and the pressure they maintain, with Ravaillion tending to stick to a more zone defence thanks to her experience in wing defence while Bode would stick to her opposition like glue. A key fixture in both the Australian Diamonds and Adelaide Thunderbirds, Bode was touted as the greatest centre in the world on a number of occasions, able to create turnovers aplenty and feed seamlessly into the goal circle. She had a willingness to push hard in every contest with her constant movement while her speed and footwork to get to circle edge was second to none, forming stellar partnerships with her goalers to ensure everyone in the team was doing their job. Elevated to vice-captain of the Diamonds in 2008, she continued to step up every match and create a formidable opposition through the middle of the court, while her impressive work rate and clean hands made her deadly on circle edge. Meanwhile, her hands over pressure and endurance saw her unable to be outrun or outmuscled. While Ravaillion may have stepped away from international netball in recent years, one cannot disregard the impact of the centre who stepped on court for the Diamonds before making her domestic debut back in 2013. Her form may not have been crash hot in recent Diamonds outings with the side needing a little more flash in the midcourt, but her speed and endurance is testament to her strong work ethic, intensity and timing. What she may lack in the excitement department she makes up for in her strength, able to body up on opposition and give back every hard hit she takes with her determination and ability to hold her ground. While Ravaillion has not taken to the international stage for a few years now, she has not formerly retired, so is a real smoky for future Diamonds selection once she is back on the netball court. _ Natalie Bode (nee von Bertouch) 76 caps, 2004-2012 Kim Ravaillion 60 caps, 2013-18

Which Australian Diamonds centre would you take?

Created with QuizMaker

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

ANZ Premiership ladder

Pos	Team	P	W	L	GF	GD	ST	L5	Pts	GA+/-	VNSL Pts	ANZ Pts
1	Mystics	14	10	4	869	43	W2	0-4-1	40	1.05	30	30
2	Tactix	15	10	5	799	34	L1	0-4-1	40	1.04	30	30
3	Steel	14	9	5	762	9	L1	0-3-2	36	1.01	27	27
4	Stars	13	8	5	723	34	W1	0-2-3	32	1.05	24	24
5	Pulse	13	4	9	685	-8	L1	0-1-4	16	0.99	12	12

View full table

Features 2 weeks ago

Corey’s colossal career only growing year on year

IRISH midcourt star Corey McGlynn may only be in her early-20s, but has packed a lot into her young netball career. McGlynn’s journey started as a teenager out in Leicestershire, England. Now playing in England’s Prem 1 competition, she has progressed through the English pathway and played in the underage teams at both Loughborough Lightning […]

Features 1 month ago

Multi-talented mid honored to pull on Emerald dress

IRISH midcourter Seren Redmond has a tale like many of her Irish teammates, but also does not. Although born in the United Kingdom, her Irish grandfather gave her eligibility to represent the Republic, and as someone who grew up very immersed in Irish culture, she took up that opportunity. It is this upbringing that makes […]

Features 2 months ago

Determined Duffy a role model for all

IRELAND netball captain Fran Duffy has seen a lot in her decade in the national team. Although netball may not be top of the popularity pecking order in the Emerald Isle, Duffy says that things are tracking in the right direction. “I think I’ve always, I’ve been playing for Ireland for nearly 10 years now […]

Features 2 months ago

Iongi proud to wear the red and white amongst family

GROWING up in Australia, Kelea Iongi went with the status quo and followed the top three nations in Australia, New Zealand and England. She was a Diamonds support through and through. It wasn’t until Iongi started to become more familiar with her heritage where her focus shifted more towards representing Tonga at an international level. […]

Features 2 months ago

The full circle path of a trail blazing Emerald

YOUNG Irish star Niamh O’Leary has experienced first hand how frustrating it can be to represent your country in a sport in the middle of the popularity pecking order like netball is in Ireland. With netball lagging behind several other sports like rugby, Gaelic football and hurling in terms of media coverage and funding, O’Leary […]

Stats 3 months ago

Stats Deep Dive – Nations Cup 2024

LAST weekend saw the 2024 Netball Nations Cup finish up and Australia win the crown yet again. But what do the stats tell us about how the four day tournament unfolded? Let us take a deep dive into some of the more crucial stats from the tournament and see what interesting information can be found. […]

Match Report 3 months ago

Silver Ferns finish the Nations Cup with pride

NEW Zealand have come away with a bronze medal at the Nations Cup after a five-goal win over Uganda overnight, 62-57. From the first goal, Amorangi Malesala (11 goals and 10 goal assists) looked cool, calm and collected in only her second test for the Silver Ferns. She was carving up the attack end with […]

Match Report 3 months ago

England folds under pressure as Australia continues dominance

THE Australian Diamonds brought the England Roses back down to earth with a dominant 20-goal victory in the Nations Cup final overnight, 69-49. Australia’s pure grit and determination to get over the line prevailed, looking like a well oiled machine from the get-go. Once the Diamonds got a sniff at a lead, they never let […]

Match Report 3 months ago

Nail biter nabs England a chance at glory

ENGLAND is through to the 2024 Nations Cup final after a narrow 58-57 win over New Zealand this morning. It was tight and hard fought for most of the match, with the winner not determined until the final seconds. A crucial turnover from Razia Quashie helped England to get out to a quick start, and […]