Netball: Coffin in centre of new look

By RICHARD BOOCK

Jenny-May Coffin is set to become the centre of attention at next week's national provincial netball championships.

The unavailability of established centre Julie Seymour has not only left the New Zealand team with their biggest mid-court quandary of the decade, but also promises a decidedly new-look lineup for the tri-series in South Africa.

Coffin, who narrowly missed out on making the Silver Ferns squad to play Australia and the World Selection this year, heads a shortlist of candidates likely to fill the vacancy left by Seymour, who hopes to make a return to international netball after the birth of her first child.

New Zealand have been particularly well served by centres during the past 10 years, with Sandra Edge starring in the position from 1990 to 1995, and Seymour eventually establishing herself after entering the team in 1994.

The 26-year-old Coffin played three tests on the 1997 tour of Britain and another last year against South Africa, but was beaten to the cut for this season's internationals by Auckland's Temepara George.

Although Coffin, a 1.70m police officer, can book her ticket with a strong performance for the defending champion Waikato side next week, the question of who will start as the new Silver Ferns centre is still far from resolved.

George ended the most recent series with the inside running for the wing-attack position, and it could be that jilted starter Anna Rowberry will be moved back to centre for the tests against South Africa and Australia.

The selectors also have the option of shifting former captain Lesley Nicol into the position and bolstering the defence end instead, but with team stability in short supply that could create more problems than it solves.

The other main contenders for the position appear to be Otago University students Angelina Yates and Jenna Swan, who alternated at centre for the Young Ferns at the recent World Youth Championships in Wales.

Whoever gets the nod when the players to tour South Africa are announced on Saturday week, the immediate concern for New Zealand will be to sort out the lines of communication in time to launch a serious challenge in the Republic.

The absence of Donna Loffhagen and Belinda Colling has already forced the Ferns to develop a new attack end this season and with mid-court changes now looming as well, the only remaining established combinations will be in defence.

Netball New Zealand director of netball Tracey Fear yesterday acknowledged the difficulties facing the squad, but suggested that the time was ripe for change and that the tour of Africa was a good opportunity to make the transition.

"It's a good time for change," Fear said in Hamilton. "We're a year out from the Commonwealth Games, and while there's no doubt we face some adjustments, it's a healthy challenge for the development of the team.

"Obviously the selectors will be looking to take someone else [for Seymour], and it will be fascinating to see who they opt for - there'll be a lot of excitement surrounding the announcement."

But Fear was not unduly concerned about the rapidly changing shape of the Silver Ferns, who in the past year have lost more than half the lineup which started in the World Championship final against Australia.

"I think it's going to add, rather than detract from the team," she said. "The different attacking players who have come in like Irene van Dyke have given New Zealand more variety. Now it's just a matter of putting it all together."

The national championships begin at Hamilton's Mystery Creek on Sunday.