Dana Johannsen: Choke after choke steals milestone year

Captain Laura Langman says there is no mental block. Photo / Getty Images

Were it not for their frustrating inability to master the big moments, it could have been a historic year for the Silver Ferns.

Instead, the netballing annuals will mark down 2011 as a year of squandered opportunities.

New Zealand were on the verge of achieving some significant milestones this season. A world crown; back-to-back gold medals; the Constellation Cup; a breakthrough series win on Australian soil; and the opportunity to hold the world number one ranking for an entire calendar year - it was all well within the Ferns' grasp over the past six months.

But what they got was perpetual disappointment, capped off by Sunday night's three-goal loss to Australia in the Constellation Cup decider in Melbourne.

Bringing back sickening memories of the world championship final, the Ferns let a six-goal halftime lead evaporate in the third quarter, allowing Australia to roll right over the top of them and claim the silverware.

It hasn't just been these two big occasions on which the Ferns have faltered. Sunday's match continued an alarming pattern to their season. New Zealand have held the halftime lead in all six of their matches with Australia this season, but won only twice.

The Ferns have shown they have the ability to outclass their transtasman rivals, but when the pressure comes on late in the game, they choke.

Despite their repeated second-half jitters New Zealand captain Laura Langman does not believe Australia have a mental edge over her side.

"I don't think there is a psychological barrier there. Australia are very good at surging and we need to defend a lead and absorb that pressure and surge back, and I think that is something we are learning collectively."

But losing a world championship final in almost identical fashion should have been the only lesson they needed.

Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu believes her side's downfall in this series was a lack of depth.

When Australia were under the pump, they had the ability to change their line-up on attack and defence and force New Zealand to rethink their strategy.

Two of the heroes for Australia in Sunday's match were Erin Bell, who replaced 2011 ANZ Championship MVP Natalie Medhurst at goal attack at quarter-time, and midcourter Madison Browne, who was not even originally named in the squad.

When the going got tough for New Zealand, Taumaunu did not have the luxury of being able to draw on her bench.

She said if the Ferns' prospects were going to improve any over the next four years, more work needed to be done to improve New Zealand's depth.

The return of captain Casey Williams and her fellow frontline defender Katrina Grant will certainly help the Ferns' cause, but it is in the attack end that the real concern lies.

"I think there are some good players in New Zealand that are recovering from surgery or injury, or some good youngsters that haven't been tested yet. We certainly don't have the numbers Australia have, but realistically we're never going to," said Taumaunu.

"I'm fairly confident we can add another 4-6 players to the mix over the next four years, and that will give us greater depth."

Taumaunu will get the opportunity to test the next tier of talent at the World Series Fastnet tournament in Liverpool this month.

New Zealand last year defended their crown with a second-string team, and it is likely the team named tomorrow will again feature several young, up-and-coming players.