Netball: Hot Loffhagen set to reclaim place in Ferns

By RICHARD BOOCK

Donna Loffhagen will have a good idea of her international playing future on Monday, when the Silver Ferns squad is named for next month's Tri-Series in Australia.

The talented double international last played for the Ferns during the dreadful 23-goal loss against Australia at Newcastle last year, but could be back for the test against her old nemesis on June 9 at Melbourne.

Only 23, Loffhagen's netball career received a dire setback near the end of 1999, when - with the world championship final locked at 41-41 and 20 seconds left - she missed a straightforward shot which Australia were able to rebound and score off at the other end.

Her next assignment was the test at Newcastle, after which she made herself unavailable for the Fisher and Paykel Series at home and for the tour to South Africa - apparently to take a break from the game.

Loffhagen has bounced back strongly this season, shooting 89 per cent for the Sting in the Coca Cola Cup and looks set to take the New Zealand place vacated by the unavailable Tania Dalton.

The only way she might miss out is if the selection panel of coach Yvonne Willering, Ruth Aitken, Te Aroha Kennan, Marlene Flavell and Sharon Gold are tempted to promote former youth team shoot Daneka Wipiiti, or if they decide to make do with the cover provided by attack utility Adine Harper.

As far as the shooting circle is concerned, Willering already has the experienced pairing of Irene van Dyk and Belinda Colling at her disposal, but without any proven cover for goal-shoot, she is likely to call for another player.

The other big issues are the squad's mid-court and defence end.

Magic wing-defence Victoria Edward and team-mate Jolene Henry have been in outstanding form and will have been noticed, but whether they can force their way past the incumbents is still anyone's guess.

New Zealand completed their international commitments last season with a win against South Africa and a 52-40 triumph over Australia, and it could be that Willering wants to stick with the combination which served her so well then.

Perhaps the most vulnerable team members are Canterbury Flames defender Anna Veronese and the Force's Sheryl Clarke.

Whatever happens on that front, it seems the selectors will almost certainly retain the mid-court duo of Jenny-May Coffin and Temepara George, along with key defenders Bernice Mene, Linda Vagana, Vilimaina Davu and Leslie Nicol, and the three shooting options - van Dyk, Colling and Harper.

That would leave three vacancies, one of which will probably be filled by Loffhagen, with the others to be contested by Veronese, Clarke, Edward and possibly Henry.

fusixpoint A possible Silver Ferns squad could be: Bernice Mene (captain), Linda Vagana, Vilimaina Davu, Lesley Nicol, Anna Veronese, Sheryl Clarke, Jenny-May Coffin, Temepara George, Adine Harper, Belinda Colling, Donna Loffhagen and Irene van Dyk.