Netball: Versatile squad for champs

By JULIE ASH

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is confident she has selected a side who can handle anything rivals throw at them when they line up at the world championships in July.

Aitken yesterday named the 12 players to represent New Zealand at the tournament in Jamaica.

Twenty-one-year-old Jodi Te Huna was the only newcomer in the side, who include the return of shooter Tania Dalton and midcourter Temepara Clark.

Shooter Angela Mitchell, wing defence Victoria Edward and midcourt players Jenny-May Coffin and Amigene Metcalfe all missed the cut.

"I am looking forward to the job ahead," Aitken said.

Although the defence virtually picked themselves, it was the midcourt and shooting circle that gave Aitken the most grief.

"If you look at our midcourt mix in terms of centre and wing attack, we have Adine Harper, Temepara Clark and Anna Rowberry, all of whom bring different skills.

"Temepara is very explosive, Anna is more a power kind of player, and Adine has the advantage of having been a shooter. We have height variation and style variation."

The absence of Coffin was probably the biggest surprise.

"For Temepara it is her great vision in her feeding that is a real bonus," Aitken said. "She has got a real flow to her game, and I believe she has added more variety.

"On defence she has become a lot more selective - sometimes I felt she was trying to do too much and wasn't effective in what she was doing, but she has tidied up in that area."

Coffin, who has kept Clark out of the team for the past 14 months, was at a loss.

"I honestly don't know what went against me," Coffin said. "I haven't spoken to anyone in the know. I didn't feel like I had done anything wrong.

"I'm gutted ... there's no other way to put it really."

In the short term Coffin said she would "sink her teeth" into the rest of the National Bank Cup competition where her team, the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, are striving for a top-four playoff spot.

"Long term, I don't know. I will play the season out and see what happens. That was always going to be the case anyway, regardless of whether I made the team or not.

"But hey I'm all right, I will live."

Diamonds wing defence Edward was also unlucky to miss out to the more experienced Lesley Nicol.

"By taking four shooters we didn't have the luxury of taking two wing defenders,"Aitken said.

"Sheryl Clark and Anna Rowberry can both play there, but it was a tough call. However, I thought at this level it was more important that we had shooters who can put the ball through the hoop."

The withdrawal of Force shooter Daneka Wipiiti from the national squad last year opened the door for Dalton, who was a late inclusion into the trials.

With three test caps under her belt, Dalton last played for the Ferns in 2000 against South Africa.

"Tania has a lot of experience, and she is so good in that team environment. She is a real mobile shooter, which brings in a different style as well," Aitken said.

Shooter Te Huna, a former New Zealand under-21 captain, was rewarded for her strong performance in the national league and at the trials.

Asked about her reaction when she received the call from Aitken, Te Huna replied: "I had given up and was getting ready to go to bed. Then Ruth rang and I was jumping up and down and screaming. I was so excited."

The flamboyant Jamaicans, powerful Australians and tenacious English are expected to be New Zealand's toughest rivals in the tournament, so selecting players who could adjust to the different styles was essential, Aitken said.

"They have been chosen because we believe their performances warrant their selection, but we are aiming for the next level and they'll all be looking to up their performances."

The Silver Ferns are in the same pool as the Cook Islands, England and Fiji.

If all goes to plan they will meet Jamaica, who recently beat Australia, in the semifinals.

"It's about not looking too far ahead," Ferns captain Anna Rowberry said. "Everyone says Australia, but I we have to beat Jamaica first."

Before the world championships the Silver Ferns face England in a three-test series to be played at home in June.

The squad

Irene van Dyk (GS, GA, Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic).

Belinda Colling (GA, WA, Canterbury Flames).

Jodi Te Huna (GS, GA, Flames).

Tania Dalton (GS, GA, Southern Sting).

Temepara Clark (WA, C, Northern Force).

Adine Harper (C, WA, GA, Sting).

Anna Rowberry (capt, C, WA, Auckland Diamonds).

Lesley Nicol (WD, C, Sting).

Sheryl Clarke (WD, GD, Force).

Leana du Plooy (GD, GK, Magic).

Anna Scarlett (GD, GK, Otago Rebels).

Vilimaina Davu (GK, GD, Flames).