Is this the face of a thug? Kiwis think so

SCARY: Queensland Firebirds captain Laura Geitz is New Zealand netball's public enemy number one. Source: The Courier-Mail

LAURA Geitz has returned fire in a trans-Tasman furore that has cast the Queensland Firebirds captain in the unfamiliar role of netball thug.

Geitz was booed by the crowd and later accused by Central Pulse coach Robyn Broughton of landing a cheap shot on Kiwi great Donna Wilkins in the Firebirds' two-goal ANZ Championship win in Wellington.

Wilkins, a 64-Test Silver Ferns veteran, winced in pain and dropped to her knees after a third-quarter collision with the Queensland and Australia goalkeeper.

Wilkins exchanged angry words with Geitz after the game, and later told Radio New Zealand she believed umpires should have more power to adjudicate on foul play.

Geitz, who accepted the penalty for her bump on the shooter, said Wilkins needed to toughen up.

"Donna Wilkins is a smart player, an experienced player. She's been around and knows what buttons to push, and good on her," she said.

"But if you give it out you have to be prepared to take it as well."

Attacking the popular Wilkins, who took an injury time-out but was not replaced, is the netball equivalent of targeting All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

It has created a backlash in New Zealand, and Geitz must revisit the dragon's lair on Sunday to face the Northern Mystics in Auckland.

Broughton blamed the Firebirds defender for the collision and said it set a poor example for juniors.

"I'm not going to come in and tell my players to retaliate or come back with the same sort of thing because it's against the rules," she told Wellington's Dominion Post newspaper.

Geitz was on the receiving end of rough play and was left with a deep 6cm-long wound on her neck after the side's round 1 clash with Southern Steel.

She said the contact with Wilkins was a regular part of a physical game.

"I never go out there to intentionally hurt anyone," she said.

"If there is contact, I won't step down. That's (the nature of) the position I play.

"We have some young players in the team and they will never see me back down."

Laura Geitz must revisit the dragon's lair on Sunday to face the Northern Mystics in Auckland. Picture: Jono Searle

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