Netball: Colling's weakness for all to see

By Richard Boock

CHRISTCHURCH - Me thinks New Zealand protest too much.

Their annoyance at Welsh tactics during the world netball championship match on Thursday seemed to have as much to do with the realisation of their own vulnerability as any great miscarriage of justice - which in any case, was barely relevant in a 73-27 scoreline.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the matter, the upshot was that the vigorous opposition defence managed to expose a potentially fatal weakness in the Silver Ferns' game when they turned their attentions to goal-attack Belinda Colling, forcing the New Zealand captain to shoot more, and from higher on the circle.

Colling is a fascinating cog in the Silver Ferns machinery. She is world-class in almost everything she attempts, from her passing game and positional work to her court vision and defence.

Just the one question hovers over her game, but it's a fairly critical one. Can she shoot?

Against mediocre opposition she looks strong and from a handy range the Otago goal-attack is usually untroubled by anyone.

But Colling will often baulk at anything from distance - preferring to opt for the pass instead - and therein lies the opening for a defence team good enough to seize the initiative.

As it happened, her shooting team-mate Donna Loffhagen had an even worse time against Wales on Thursday, hitting just 69 per cent against Colling's 73 per cent.

However, her situation was slightly different in that many attempts were from long range, and - in terms of her record - the blowout was more of an aberration than a regular occurrence.

Colling, on the other hand, has never looked to be a prolific shooter and has a reputation in Dunedin for being more of a passing goal-attack, her abilities in that area having much to do with the brief elevation of Otago goal-shoot Jo Steed to the national side.

A double-international, she is not known as a perimeter shooter in basketball either, more often seen driving to the basket or nailing a short jump-shot, her success having far more to do with her general court-work and an ability to make the extra pass.

It wasn't long until neighbours Canterbury - and more lately Southland - started recognising this preference and would often double-team Steed in order to force Colling to shoot.

It was a ruse which sometimes paid dividends as her shot is not all that pretty, and more often than not ends with a rattle, rather than a swish.

Wales probably didn't know enough about the New Zealand shooting combination to bother trying this, coach Jean Watson saying afterwards there was no intention to target anyone in particular, but the Australians - not to mention the Jamaicans, the English and the South Africans - are likely to adopt a more tactical approach.

And if Aussie coach Jill McIntosh saw anything of Thursday's game it's hard to imagine the world champions not asking themselves at least this question as they prepare for the inevitable showdown next week: If Loffhagen is double-teamed and kept under lock and key throughout, how will the New Zealand captain cope?