Donna Loffhagen's days of singing to herself are over - for now.
She makes a return to international sport tonight when the New Zealand women's basketball team - the Tall Ferns - take on the Australian Opals in the Oceania championships.
Like their male counterparts, they are guaranteed spots at next year's
Athens Olympics, but the result of this three-test series in Tasmania will help to decide seedings at the Games.
The second test is tomorrow and the third, if necessary, is on Sunday.
Loffhagen said it was hard sitting out this year's Silver Ferns netball programme, especially after their world championship win, and she was relieved it was finally time to get out on court for the Tall Ferns.
The team have yet to play together this year and were selected after three camps under new Australian coach Carrie Graf.
The last time the two teams met was in a series in 2001, when the Australians, ranked No 3 in the world, beat New Zealand by 50 points. "I haven't played basketball for a wee while," Loffhagen said. "I had last year off, so it will be good to get out there and mix it up with those Australian girls."
She is hoping to match herself against the best Australia have on offer, but the Opals will be without several top players - including star Lauren Jackson - because of injury and unavailability.
Loffhagen rates this New Zealand team as the strongest she has played in, but the Tall Ferns would need something special to stop a 21-0 losing streak to the Australians.
Since winning a fifth consecutive national netball title with the Southern Sting, Loffhagen has had a lonely existence, making regular trips from Invercargill to Dunedin for training and games with the Otago Breakers.
That's where the singing comes in; she did it to stay sane, and awake, on the five-hour round trip. "I've definitely got sick of driving to Dunedin and back."
Loffhagen played a ball-carrying role for the Breakers, but will switch back to playing close to the hoop against the Australians. It's a job which will ensure her ribs and face get a workout during the series.
"The Australians are tall and skinny, but have sharp elbows and know how to put them to use.
"Especially at my height, the players I'm marking are all taller so I'm in line with some pretty good elbows."
- NZPA
