Netball: Chance to fine tune for world champs

For Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken it is a "pre-test", while for her Australian counterpart Norma Plummer it is a "distraction".
But while the two rival coaches offer varying opinions on the value of this week's two-test series, their objectives remain the same.
Both want to develop combinations and fine-tune game plans in the lead-up to the world championships but neither will want to concede anything less than a month out from the big event.
The abbreviated transtasman series kicks off in Palmerston North tomorrow, before moving to Auckland for Sunday's second test.
There is no doubt about it, the tests are merely an entree for what is to come - the only prize that matters this year is the world title in Singapore.
In fact, Plummer would rather not play these two games at all.
While acknowledging the commercial factors behind the scheduling of the tests, Plummer would prefer not to play the Ferns so close to the world championships.
She said the tests were a "distraction" and would restrict their already limited time on the training court.
Aitken admits it is a challenge for her side to prepare for two tough hit-outs against their nearest rivals while still keeping their eye on the big picture. But she said tackling this challenge could only help her side for the world championships.
"We feel that [the tests] probably help us to really focus our attention on getting things right quickly," said Aitken.
Plummer's lack of enthusiasm for this week's tests may also have a lot do with the fact that with five changes from last year's squad - two in the shooting end, one in the midcourt and two in the defensive circle - her side are more of an unknown quantity. The Ferns have a comparatively stable line-up, with 10 of the 12-strong squad having been in Delhi last year. So from a scouting perspective it's the Ferns coaching staff that have the most to gain from this series.
Aitken said she would be interested to see how far Plummer would go with testing her combinations or whether she opted to keep her cards close to her chest in the lead-up to next month's tournament.
Aitken is backing her attackers to regain the initiative after players like Laura Geitz and Susan Fuhrmann seemed to reach new levels of ferocity and effectiveness in this year's transtasman competition.
Irene van Dyk endured her least productive ANZ Championship season in the history of the competition, shooting a comparatively low 446 goals after notching 554 in 2010.
While she can be a victim of her own high standards, the Ferns' linchpin particularly struggled against Geitz (Firebirds), sometimes looking reluctant to put up the shot. She was strangely anonymous in the major semifinal in Brisbane, shooting just two goals across the second and third quarters; and still looked off-colour the following week against the Mystics.
"There were a lot of challenges for her in the finals," says Aitken.
"The Magic goal attack/wing attack line were very new to finals level and I think Irene went into 'help-out' mode, which obviously affected her game. I'm looking forward to seeing her back out on court against Geitz to see what she has added to her game to keep foiling those defenders."
At international level van Dyk can expect service which changes the equation from Laura Langman, Temepara George and Liana Leota in the midcourt. Despite this, it was noticeable last year that her performances, or productivity, dipped slightly against the Diamonds. While she maintains an incredible 90 per cent career shooting average, she played second fiddle to Maria Tutaia in the Delhi final and shot at 82 per cent in the three-test Constellation Cup series.
Aitken admits that the pressure will only intensify on van Dyk this year.