Netball: Edward looks to former team for favour

By JULIE ASH

The Auckland Diamonds' Victoria Edward had one small favour to ask her good friend Jenny-May Coffin this week: "Can you please win by more than five goals?"

Coffin is a member of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic side and the fate of the Diamonds could be determined by the Magic's match with the Rebels.

For the Diamonds to secure a semifinal spot they have to beat the Canterbury Flames and then hope there is more than a five-goal difference between the Rebels and Magic, who are third equal with 20 points.

If the difference is less than five, or if the game is a draw, it could mean the Diamonds miss out.

A former Magic player, Edward's money is on her old team, so she rang Coffin and gave her a few instructions.

"The Rebels are a team capable of upsetting anyone, but I think the Magic are coming together well," she said.

"Irene van Dyk still lives in Wellington and only goes up to one practice a week. But they seemed to have gelled and are working really well as a unit.

"So when I spoke to Jenny-May the other day I said, 'you have got to win by more than five'."

But before the Diamonds even worry about the result of the Magic/Rebels game, they have to concentrate on their match against the Flames in Christchurch.

"It is going to be tough all right," Edward said. "Either of us could still make the semis, so it is going to be a great tussle."

While the Diamonds' strength lies in their midcourt, with Edward and Anna Rowberry, the Flames have plenty of power throughout, with Belinda Colling, Jodi Te Huna and Vilimaina Davu.

"We just have to concentrate on our own game and go out there with the objective of winning it," Edward said. "We have been guilty of not finishing off in recent matches, so that is something we will be focusing on."

This year is Edward's first with the Diamonds. After two seasons with the Rebels and three with the Magic, she moved to Auckland last year, but stayed with the Magic.

"I ended up spending half of my life in the car, so I decided to change to the Diamonds. Part of the reason I changed is because I wanted to play alongside Anna Rowberry. She is fast and I enjoy playing at that pace. It works out nicely."

With a solid performance in the national league, Edward was unlucky to have missed out on a place in the Silver Ferns world championship team.

The fact she lost out to veteran midcourt player Lesley Nicol doesn't make it any easier.

"I think anytime you miss out on a team you feel gutted," she said. "Les and I have known each other for years and she will go down as one of our most experienced players ever.

"I am not disillusioned, but there are few events on the international calendar next year so I haven't decided what I'll do."

Inconsistency was the reason cited for Edward's dismissal.

Edward, who decided to make herself unavailable for the New Zealand A team, has put the disappointment behind her and is concentrating on ensuring the Diamonds end the season on a high.

With just the Sting confirmed as semifinalists, five teams are in the running for the final three spots.

"I think there is an even spread of talent, which shows with so many teams still in the running." Edward said.

"We haven't performed to our full potential and there have been a couple of games where we should at least have got bonus points. So that has been frustrating. But this could be our last game, so we have to go out there firing."

In other round-nine matches tomorrow, the Rebels face the Magic in Dunedin, the Force play the Shakers at the North Shore Events Centre, and the Flyers meet the Cometz in Palmerston North.

Inside Track:

Name: Victoria Edward.

Date of birth: February 3, 1977.

Place of birth: Lower Hutt.

Education: Palmerston North Girls High, Otago Polytechnic, University of Otago.

Lives: Auckland.

Occupation: Nurse.

Height: 1.77m

Positions: Wing defence, centre.

Test caps: 15.

Playing history:

2001/03 - Silver Fern.

2003 - Auckland Diamonds.

2000/02 - Waikato/BoP Magic.

1998/99 - Otago Rebels.