Netball: Mene may captain Ferns again in Colling's absence

By RICHARD BOOCK

Beneath a Vatican-like cloak of secrecy, Netball New Zealand is believed to be preparing Bernice Mene for her second tenure as the Silver Ferns' captain.

While nothing can be certain until a puff of smoke appears above NNZ headquarters this afternoon, it appears Mene will lead the side against the world champion Australians on June 20, presuming the news on Belinda Colling's knee injury proves as bad as expected.

Unless Colling, the team's regular captain, has made a miraculous recovery over the past 24 hours she seems certain to miss out on the one-off test at Newcastle, although she could be back in time for the subsequent Fisher and Paykel series against the Rest of the World selection.

There are a number of reasons to think Mene will probably regain the reins, quite apart from her success at the helm of the Coca-Cola Cup holders, the Sting, and the fact that her national league coach, Robyn Broughton, is the Silver Ferns' assistant and a selector.

The 25-year-old defensive star has the advantage of reading the game from the back, has some experience of test captaincy after a short stint in 1996, and, if Colling should miss only one game and resume duties in the Fisher and Paykel series, has the temperament to handle the assignment in a custodial role.

On the other hand, long-standing knee problems and the possibility that she might not covet the job raises the question of alternative candidates, and in that regard the selectors probably have only two other genuine prospects, former skipper Lesley Nicol and mid-court dynamo Julie Seymour Either would be a major surprise. Nicol is respected for her grafting work-ethic and her "positivity" but was largely unsuccessful during the Gibbs' reign and is not expected to be burdened again, while the circumstances are not ideal for Seymour - given the likely temporary nature of Colling's absence.

Another option has more to do with coach Yvonne Willering's interpretation of the role of captaincy than any suggestion of other candidates.

A fierce advocate of the team equality principle, the Silver Ferns' boss is not averse to sharing the responsibility between co-captains, and a partnership of Mene and Seymour is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The other main talking points of the Silver Ferns squad involve the choice between likely mid-court contenders Jenny-May Coffin and Temepara George, the probable retention of bench defender Lorna Suafoa ahead of Anna Veronese, and the almost certain selection of former South African captain Irene van Dyk.

Van Dyk, speaking on television's 60 Minutes, said she could understand rival contenders feeling upset if she won a place ahead of them, but that she had set her heart on living in New Zealand and representing the Silver Ferns.

"They're justified in how they feel and if I were in their situation I'd probably feel the same way," she said.

"But I'm here to stay and I'm going for gold. If I'm not good enough then I'm definitely going to try again next year - so it doesn't really matter what happens this season. I'm going full out to do my best."

Possible Silver Ferns squad: Bernice Mene (captain), Linda Vagana, Lorna Suafoa, Belinda Charteris, Lesley Nicol, Julie Seymour, Anna Rowberry, Jenny-May Coffin, Donna Loffhagen, Irene van Dyk, Adine Harper, Teresa Tairi.