Netball: Diamonds plan to unseat Sting

Diamonds player Anna Rowberry (right) in a pre-season warmup against the Melbourne Kestrals. Picture / Kenny Rodger

Diamonds coach Sue Hawkins has a simple approach to breaking the reign of New Zealand's most successful domestic netball side.

The Australian believes hard graft is the key to unlocking the Southern Sting's stranglehold on the National Bank Cup (NBC) as the competition enters the opening round this weekend.

To date the Sting have won six consecutive championships out of eight, and for netball fans north of Invercargill, 2005 offers one of the best chances of seeing the title head north.

Hawkins' Diamonds are one team who could disrupt the Sting's rampage.

Buoyed by the return of influential skipper Anna Rowberry after a knee reconstruction last year, Silver Fern Victoria Edward will combine with Rowberry in the mid-court, while fellow international Jodi Te Huna and rising star Maria Tutaia share the shooters circle.

Besides the Diamonds, fellow Auckland-based team the Force and Bay of Plenty/Waikato Magic loom as the other title contenders with an even scattering of Silver Ferns throughout each side.

But sticking to the basics and unsettling the Sting through a fast paced game could prove to be their undoing.

"But that's what I would say about playing any team," said Hawkins who coached in Australia for 18 years before joining the Diamonds last year.

"I respect every opposition I'm about to play against. This competition is about preparing for excellence and preparing to play."

Crucial to the Diamonds health is Rowberry's fitness and Hawkins was confident the regular Silver Ferns captain will play full role in this year's NBC after returning to the court last weekend.

"We're just building her up slowly to the full games with Sunday in mind and she's pulled up really well.

"She'll be there and fighting fit."

While Rowberry's return boosts the Diamonds, it follows a major injury scare for the Sting when Adine Wilson badly twisted her knee in last weekend's Sopa Cup in Sydney.

Wilson could face a long break from the 10-week competition, but even with her possible absence, the Sting are heavily favoured to make Invercargill the hot-bed of domestic netball.

With the return of defender Megan Hutton from the Shakers, and shooter Tania Dalton from injury, the Sting have bolstered an already impressive squad which has been expertly cultivated by coach Robyn Broughton.

Broughton's counterpart Yvonne Willering will again look to livewire Temepara George to provide the spark from centre for the Force, while fellow Silver Fern Sheryl Scanlan and Leana de Bruin (nee de Plooy) will provide a solid defensive pairing.

Like the Force, the Magic have been regular semifinalists, and this year field an impressive line-up.

Prolific goal shoot Irene van Dyk is again their trump card, and with the mid-court pairing of Laura Langman -- who made an impressive debut for the Silver Ferns against England last month -- and Amigene Metcalfe, Van Dyk should not be starved of quality ball.

Robust defender Joline Henry should offer opposition shooters a torrid work-out.

The remaining teams are likely to contest the lower placings with the Canterbury Flames, last year's beaten finalists, hit hard this year by the retirement of Julie Seymour and the withdrawal of goal attack Belinda Colling due to pregnancy.

Their shooting stocks were also reduced with the defection of Te Huna, but captain Vilimaina Davu will again provide stern defence.

For the Palmerston-North based Western Flyers, the season will be another testing one with the young squad likely to end up as cannon fodder for their more experienced opponents.

However they could avoid the dreaded wooden spoon for the third consecutive year depending on their match against the Capital Shakers who will struggle to compete.

Unlike their North Island counterparts, the Otago Rebels have the luxury of forming a side around Silver Ferns Anna Scarlett and Angela Mitchell.

Scarlett showed in the recent England test series that she's shaping as one of the country's premier defenders while coach Lois Muir has a stack of New Zealand A squad members.

First round draw:
April 9: Magic v Diamonds, Tauranga
April 10: Flyers v Sting, New Plymouth; Shakers v Flames, Wellington; Rebels v Force, Dunedin.

- NZPA

NBC Draw 2005

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=69&ObjectID=10118792

NBC Squads 2005

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=69&ObjectID=10118793