Netball: Aitken holds fire on rotation

KINGSTON - Under-fire New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken is likely to moderate her rotation policy as the Silver Ferns fight to stave off their first series loss against Jamaica in the third test in Kingston today.

With fierce criticism of her policy of using her entire 12-strong squad in the course of the first two tests ringing out - especially after the 53-44 second test loss on Monday, Aitken is likely to start today with a strong and experienced line-up in the hope of gaining the upper hand early and to introduce other players at a later stage if the situation allowed.

"The reality is that we will be looking for a result and I'm confident we will have more than seven players that will be able to contribute positively to that result," Aitken said last night.

"But we will read it as it eventuates. I would have to say there will be smaller changes I will be making than previously, but I'm not afraid of change for the long term."

Two of New Zealand's top coaches have slammed the Silver Ferns rotation policy, labelling it "a huge principle being breached."

Former assistant coach Robyn Broughton said the Silver Fern bib was being devalued.

"It's the Silver Ferns and a test-match series and the word development should not come into it - that's NZ A's job," said Broughton, who lost the No 2 job to former national coach and captain Leigh Gibbs.

"To me the Silver Ferns are not a development area."

Diamonds national league coach Georgina Salter was more outspoken, describing the rotation tactic as messing with tradition.

"I'm a coach that makes a lot of subs, but we're not talking about a regional or development team here, we are talking about our Silver Ferns," she said. "I think there is a huge principle being breached."

Salter said the policy sent the wrong message to aspiring players.

"When you earn that shirt and put it on, the mana of that position comes with it. What we are seeing is people sharing it."

Salter said New Zealand had lost its psychological edge over Jamaica through the loss, Jamaica's first win over New Zealand in 39 years and 30 tests.

"We needed to keep that mental one-upmanship before the Commonwealth Games. They know they can beat us now."

Aitken said she was learning to cope with the arrows that go with the job, pointing out that in an ideal world it would have been nice to have been given time to settle in.

"People come from different points of view and certainly from New Zealand it may seem that I'm cheapening the silver fern, but I prize it really highly," she said.

"I believe we have to build to the (Commonwealth) Games. Everybody's entitled to their own opinion and certainly if someone else was in the job they might do it differently, that's the nature of it.

"I just have to take it with a grain of salt and do what I believe is right in the long haul."

Aitken insisted she was simply doing what she believes needs to be done.

"It's an emotional time and sometimes when you're looking at the long term, and the short term is a little bit more rocky, then it is easy to criticise. I understand that.

" I just have to think that they [the critics] don't quite understand my motives properly, but I'm sure we'll have some healthy debate when I get back."

Meanwhile, captain Julie Seymour will escape censure after publicly criticising Jamaican umpire Dalton Hinds after Monday's defeat.

Seymour described Hinds' performance as "disgusting."

Netball New Zealand's netball director Tracey Fear said Seymour's comments would not earn a reprimand.

"We do have a player code of conduct but as far as we are concerned it was just the passion of the moment," Fear said.

Hinds continually pinged New Zealand goal shoot Irene van Dyk for stepping, an infringement which occurs as the player is shooting.

Chief executive Shelley McMeeken said New Zealand would not lodge a protest at Hinds' inconsistent performance.

"We're just concentrating on things we can control, and we can't control the umpire," she said. "They put someone on who they thought was their best umpire and we just have to work around that."

In their first time off during this short intense tour, the Silver Ferns spent yesterday morning on the water, a luxury launch taking them to a small island just outside Kingston Harbour before returning in the afternoon for a last light training run.

Aitken said team needed a break to get over the second test where anger and emotion spilled over after a poor playing display and equally poor umpiring decisions got the better of them.

"I think mentally they've come through it really well," Aitken said.

"They were very disappointed and did feel they didn't have control of things, but now know they have to get out there and take control, make things clinical and just really play smart.

"And that's a great challenge in itself."

- NZPA