Netball: Flames stars are down but certainly not out

By JULIE ASH

Despite their loss to the Sting in the national league final, several Flames players have put their hands up in a late run for Silver Ferns selection.

The Southern Sting blew the Canterbury Flames away in the final quarter in Invercargill, winning 54-48 and finishing the season with a clean record of 10 wins from as many games.

In a match in which only a few players did not need medical attention, the Flames appeared in the early stages as if they would cause an upset - but it all fell apart in the last 15 minutes.

Flames defenders Vilimaina Davu and Anna Veronese worked hard on Sting shooters Tania Dalton and Donna Loffhagen, but could not stop the Southland pair from racking up shooting figures of 90 per cent and 85 per cent respectively.

Loffhagen was lucky she was not sent off in the injury-ridden second quarter when she dropped her shoulder into the chest of Flames wing attack Maree Grubb, who fell to the ground in pain. Loffhagen was given a warning from the umpire.

Flames shooters Belinda Colling - who sported a black eye after colliding with Bernice Mene - and Angela Evans combined beautifully at times.

But Evans' shots went astray late in the game - the critical factor.

Sting coach Robyn Broughton said her side had more composure than their Canterbury rivals on Saturday night. "We absorbed the pressure - it was a good, physical netball game. We just kept calmer than they did."

The match was the last chance for Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken to see most of New Zealand's top players under pressure before she names a team of 12 tomorrow for the Barbados series.

Certainties would have to be Irene van Dyk, Loffhagen, Julie Seymour, Sheryl Clarke, Temepara Clarke and Linda Vagana. But the final six spots are anyone's guess.

After a mixed start to the season Flames players Evans, Colling, Veronese, Davu and Belinda Charteris are all back in strong contention.

Colling has stepped up a notch in her past two games and her experience and accuracy in feeding mean she can cover the goal attack and wing attack positions.

Davu spent the early part of the season injured, but has combined well with Veronese in one of the strongest defensive lineups in the competition.

Both did enough in the final to warrant Silver Ferns spots.

Evans has not had the most accurate of shooting seasons: her overall percentage will be around the mid 70s. But she offers New Zealand a different option in that she moves around a lot. That could come in handy against opponents who have worked out a way to combat van Dyk.

It will be hard for Aitken to go past Dalton, the second-best shooter in the competition behind van Dyk, but 20-year-old Force goal shoot Daneka Wipiiti is also in with a chance.

Charteris was one of the standout players in the final and with 53 tests for New Zealand under her belt already she is a competent defensive player. But she might lose out to the younger Veronese if Aitken decides to start blooding young players.

The mid court is probably the hardest to pick, the main problem being that there are no wing attacks.

Possible contenders are Anna Rowberry of the Diamonds, Adine Harper of the Sting and Jenny-May Coffin of the Bay of Plenty Magic, all playing at centre.

Rowberry has had an erratic season. However, her speed, skill and her ability to make an impact cannot be overlooked.

Coffin has been sound for the Magic, but was impressive on the Silver Ferns tour to Jamaica in March.

Harper has had an ordinary season for the Sting but has the advantage of being familiar with Loffhagen and van Dyk's style.

The Silver Ferns will be announced tomorrow at 10am. It is more than likely the same team will continue on to the Commonwealth Games.

Possible team: I. van Dyk (Shakers), T. Dalton (Sting), D. Loffhagen (Sting), B. Colling (Flames), J. Coffin (Magic), J. Seymour (Flames), T. Clark (Force), L. Nicol (Sting), S. Clarke (Force), A. Veronese (Flames), L. Vagana (Force), V. Davu (Flames).