Netball: New blood holds court in Aussie

By JULIE ASH

Shooter Jodi Te Huna has a chance to make her mark when the Silver Ferns head to Sydney on Sunday with the hope of extending their winning run over arch rivals Australia.

The New Zealanders will face a New South Wales invitation side on Tuesday and Thursday before the opening test next Saturday.

The withdrawal of veteran goal attack Belinda Colling and the unavailability of Donna Loffhagen has left the Silver Ferns a little wanting in the shooting area.

With Colling pregnant and Loffhagen dabbling in the Australian basketball league, this series will go a long way towards establishing whether Te Huna and Angela Mitchell have the goods to help New Zealand succeed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games and defend their world title in 2007.

"Certainly Belinda is a huge loss, there is no doubt about it," said Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken.

"But I think at this stage, 18 months out from the Commonwealth Games, it is great to blood some more players especially in that shooting role and for Jodi and Angela to get some quality time out there against some top competition.

"In the long term I think it will be good for netball because we will be developing more players we can use. But you can't replace that experience overnight, that is for sure."

A regular in the New Zealand squad for the last two years, Te Huna is probably Colling's natural successor. She was a little shaky when she took the court at goal shoot for the first half in the final test in July but that was her first outing against the Australians.

"She [Te Huna] is aware that they are huge shoes to fill but she has been sitting and watching and learning from the sideline. She had a bit of a taste last time, realised how much harder it is out there than it looks, so she is willing to do everything it takes to fit in well."

With the goal attack position being so crucial, the performance of Te Huna or Mitchell could determine New Zealand's fate in the series, although they still have the accurate Irene van Dyk at the back.

Any weakness in goal attack, however, will simply see van Dyk double teamed.

While Anna Rowberry's experience will obviously be missed in the midcourt, Temepara Clark and Adine Wilson (nee Harper) are more than capable replacements, while defensively the Silver Ferns can still call on their world championship winning trio of Vilimaina Davu, Sheryl Scanlan and Lesley Nicol.

With just one change to the side that completed the 3-0 whitewash of Australia four months ago, New Zealand will go into the series as favourites.

Australia have retained eight of the players from that series and have welcomed back Catherine Cox, Jane Altschwager and Mo'onia Gerrard, who have returned from injury.

The side are without shooter Sharelle McMahon, who is out with an ankle injury.

"They are an Aussie team that is hurting so that is always one to be wary of," Aitken said.

With 15 players going into the series, predicting the Australian starting lineup is a little difficult, particularly in the shooting department, where they have several options.

Aitken expects they'll either pick Cynna Neele and Catherine Cox, or the tried and true Sydney Swifts combination of Megan Anderson and Cox.

The New Zealand coach used all her players in the last series and is keen to do so again.

"We are looking for a 3-0 win ... but I want to do it as well as building that bench. How we do that is always the difficult question.

"It is difficult to have a really cohesive team out on court when you are looking to make so many changes.

"But at this point, 18 months out from the Commonwealth Games, that is not the be all and end all."

Aussie Series

* November 13: First test, Sydney Superdome

* November 16: Second test, Challenge Stadium Perth

* November 20: Third test, State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne