Northern Force coach Yvonne Willering believes the defensive and midcourt talent is so evenly spread among the top teams that the National Bank Cup winner will come down to the simple equation of whoever makes their shots.
Willering's Force side are aiming to break the Southern Sting's run of five
straight cup victories. She believes a huge part of the Sting's success comes from having a genuine one-two shooting strike force with Donna Loffhagen wearing the goal attack bib.
This season the Sting will be hoping Tania Dalton's knee holds up to the rigours of the season as they are down a shooter without Australian Natalie Avellino, while the Force will again be dependent on the mercurial talents of Daneka Wipiiti and Teresa Tairi.
One area where they will not struggle is midcourt where Temepara George will hold court.
The all-action centre said she has spent the off-season training hard and "freshening the mind".
George said they had a saying in the recent Silver Ferns camp to make sure everybody knew how hard they had to work.
"We kept saying something in camp and that was 'we know everybody else is doing it'."
George has a three-test series against England next month to worry about before the National Bank Cup starts.
She says the New Zealand influence, led initially by Wai Taumanu, has made England a more competitive unit in the same bracket as Jamaica.
She watched England complete a 3-0 whitewash over South Africa in December last year, but says all the analysis will count for nothing if the Ferns fail to produce on court.
One player George will have her eye on is new cap Laura Langman. The Waikato youngster has impressed the veteran.
"I've had her as an opponent and she came with us to Australia as a development player. She's a great trainer, very fit and mature for her age. It's great we've got these youngsters coming through."
- HERALD ON SUNDAY
