Netball: Aitken's Cup runneth over, now hunt is on for young guns

If Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken could recreate the depth she's built up at the defensive end of the court at the shooting end, you wouldn't be able to wipe the smile from her face. As it is, she's pretty damned happy.

The National Bank Cup, which tomorrow will uncover who Force or Flames) will meet the Sting for the right to meet the Magic in the final (phew), has been a revelation in terms of its skill and competitiveness.

It's a competition Aitken believes will add to the strength of the world-champion Ferns.

"The fact we had five teams separated by just one point and in the last round of the round robin the two top seeds were upset has been fantastic for our game," Aitken said from the deep south, where she watched an impressive Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic side swat aside the Southern Sting 61-51.

"There's been basically sudden death matches throughout the competition, where teams have had their backs to the wall and have had to step up."

Aitken is not worried that the tournament has become a little too competitive. Irene van Dyk suffered a blip in her form midway through the competition, possibly for the first time in her career. Defences were double-teaming her, with Anna Scarlett in particular getting up close and personal.

"We've got some very skilful players in the defence end in particular," Aitken said. "They see Irene as the biggest challenge and everybody rises to the challenge when they play her. It's been fantastic - she [van Dyk] has had to go back and reassess her game and on Friday she made the statement that there was still a lot of netball left in her. In the National Bank Cup you used to be able to be average and get away with it. Irene could have an off day and still be too good. Now that's not good enough and that can only be good for our game."

New Zealand defenders have, however, undoubtedly provided Australian coach Norma Plummer with a template of how to restrain van Dyk's influence - that is to say, dare the goal attack to shoot. The potential problem for the Silver Ferns is that, statistically, there is nobody close to van Dyk.

"They will have been analysing the tapes and they may take something from it," Aitken said. "But that's our challenge - we've got to be more creative. If you only rely on the one shooter it is too easy to double-team."

The Magic regained their magic when goal attack Tanya Lund, an Australian, took more of the shooting onus upon herself.

Aitken conceded there was some concern about a lack of depth in the shooting circle, exacerbated by the injury to Jodi Te Huna. "There is, but these things tend to go in cycles. We've got our top shooters and we've got a gap underneath them."

Giving hope to Aitken, though, is the development of a clutch of shooters on the rung below that - shooters like Jessica Tuki, Jamilah Gupwell and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Ricket, who are expected to develop into international calibre players over the next five years.

Maria Tutaia, Aitken believes, will fight hard for court time with Belinda Colling - who had a sensational Commonwealth Games - after an explosive National Bank Cup.

"She [Tutaia] has shown she is ready. There will be some interesting decisions to be made."

Aitken has delayed naming her squad until the Monday following June 30th's National Bank Cup final. Last year the squad was named just prior to the finals series but the coaches involved found it emotionally disruptive as some players were on massive highs and others, obviously, were shattered.

A 12-strong squad travels to Brisbane prior to the first test against Australia on July 22 for a series of warm-up games against Queensland Firebirds.