Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken doesn't think her decision to start without ace shooter Irene van Dyk was a major factor in her side's shock loss to Australia in Sydney.
Aitken thought the muscle injury to centre Temepara George was far more disruptive to the team, but the Australian camp
certainly viewed a starting line-up without van Dyk as of benefit to them.
"You would have to say it was an advantage," said Australian coach Norma Plummer, enjoying her first win over the New Zealanders since November 2004. "We'd be kidding ourselves to think it wasn't."
Van Dyk hit the court in the second quarter, but an energised Australian team had their tails up and blunted the chances for the world's most famous player with aggressive defence, allowing her only four chances at goal in the third quarter.
Australia squared the series with their 48-38 win after the Silver Ferns took the first test in Brisbane on Saturday, 52-40. Although New Zealand took the series on superior goal differential, the night belonged to their opponents who out-thought and out-manoeuvered them.
Aitken said her side lacked sparkle in what was clearly an off night.
"We weren't as hungry as the Australians, pure and simple. They threw everything at us."
Although young Maria Tutaia, starting at goalshoot instead of van Dyk, missed her first four attempts at goal, Aitken said she and Belinda Colling were just starting to gel in the goal circle when George had to leave the court with a side strain and that was far more critical than van Dyk's early absence.
Laura Langman moved into centre with Joline Henry coming on at wing defence, but the rhythm and flow through the court was missing under strong pressure from a fired-up Australia.
When George came back on at halftime, she gave it her all but was still hampered by her injury.
Aitken, losing only her fifth test out of 51 at the helm, said complacency wasn't a factor in the loss.
"The reality was once Australia got a sniff they were not letting anyone back in. They've had their backs against the wall, they have been pretty much written off by a lot of people. We didn't have quite that spark and we did not have the team links which was really really disappointing but that was the way it went."
Aitken rang the changes trying to find the spark, but all to no avail as the Australians led by 27-19 at halftime and refused to surrender their advantage.
The Australian win has sparked up a three-test series between the top two netball countries in New Zealand in October. Both sides experimented with new combinations in this series and Aitken promised her side would learn from the lessons they received.
The Australian win was particularly pleasing for co-captain Sharelle McMahon.
"I think we have lost nine of the last 11 and I was out of the team for the two we won, so it's nice to get that winning feeling back."
- NZPA
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken doesn't think her decision to start without ace shooter Irene van Dyk was a major factor in her side's shock loss to Australia in Sydney.
Aitken thought the muscle injury to centre Temepara George was far more disruptive to the team, but the Australian camp
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