KEY POINTS:
Norma Plummer sure knows how to kick a Silver Ferns side when they're down.
After telling the Ferns their supposed defence style of "roughing up" Australian shooters no longer worked and to "get over it", the Australian coach revealed plans to blood her young green players in the
next two tests - one of the ultimate insults a coach could pay her rivals, let alone the world champions.
"We've still got some youth that haven't been out there. So I'll be looking to introduce those other players," she said after the 53-46 drubbing in Auckland.
One of the newcomers to the Australian side, goal defence Julie Prendergast, made a huge impression on Wednesday night in only her second international, closing the Ferns' goal attacks out of the game.
Prendergast, a former national youth captain whose brother plays AFL football, came into the line-up when feisty defender Mo'onia Gerrard tore a calf muscle. Gerrard will return to the team for the third test, adding to the Ferns' worries.
"I was worried about missing Mo'onia but I think we just found ourselves another star defender," Plummer said.
Plummer showed faith in her starting seven throughout the first test, confident they had fitness to last 60 minutes of the world's best netball.
But expect to see uncapped shooter Natalie Medhurst and midcourter Lauren Nourse appear in either tomorrow night's test in Melbourne or in Adelaide next Tuesday.
It will be hard for Plummer to budge goal shoot Catherine Cox from the line-up after her outstanding game in the first test. While many had written off Cox, Plummer had pointed out her lack of dimension, and she's responded.
"She's a little bit stubborn about her game, but I said, 'Honey, it's this way or you're on the sideline'. I'm very proud of her," Plummer said.
Immediately after the first test, Plummer made her remarks about New Zealand's physical defence, but toned them down later when asked about the Ferns' new back-court combinations.
* The Vector Arena will have to leap some hurdles to host the final day of the world netball championships in November.
World championships organisers came away from Wednesday night's maiden test at the venue keen to make the move from Waitakere Trusts Stadium for the finals, allowing another 3500 seats. But they had reservations over problems within the arena: "none insurmountable but none inconsiderable."
There are only two dressing rooms, with four games to be played on finals day, and no warm-up area or practice courts.
Fans and players generally gave the 9000-seat arena the thumbs-up, but tournament organisers will make their decision by the end of next month.
