"We've become very focused on our individual tasks. We all recognise there are simple things that we can put right very quickly, and that's up to us to do," Taumaunu said.
"So from that perspective people are quite determined and quite confident they can adjust. Once we start making those changes then the snowball effect is that the result will be better."
There is little point in Taumaunu putting the players on notice. With the depth such as it is in New Zealand netball any threats of being dropped from the team would be considered empty. Instead she must work with each individuals to improve her skill-set, tactical awareness and confidence.
But while squad changes are unlikely, Taumaunu has hinted some changes could be made to the line-up for tonight's game after shooter Bailey Mes and midcourter Grace Rasmussen appeared to make an impact following their introduction.
"I tend to be guided by evidence and I think the group that finished on Thursday night did very well. They are inexperienced but they showed they can cope with the intensity of a test match against Australia," Taumaunu said.
One of the key issues to emerge in the opening game was the breakdown in the Ferns' defensive links, particularly through the midcourt. The experienced New Zealand midcourt trio of Joline Henry, Laura Langman and Liana Leota were overrun by Australia's slick through-court attack, as they struggled to halt the Diamonds' speed and swift ball movement.
Henry said her performance in Invercargill caused her "a few sleepless nights", but also prompted some constructive conversations within the midcourt unit.
"It has stimulated a lot of discussion about what each other's views are on what our roles are in there and how we can make life tougher for the opposition," Henry said. "Because we have been together a while I guess we made lots of assumptions about our connections and about our invisible threads. We've done a lot of work on that in the past and we assumed that those links would still be there."
Henry admits the team was extremely dispirited when they got on the plane to Melbourne on Friday after such a comprehensive defeat. But after addressing the key issues in the game and hitting the training court hard over the past couple of days, she said the mood in the camp had greatly improved.
"We don't want to sit around and dwell on that performance, we want to get out there again and show that we are a better side than that."
Constellation Cup Game 2
• Australia v Silver Ferns
• Hisense Arena, Melbourne 9.30 tonight
• Game 1 - AUS 59-42 NZL
Transtasman tussle
118
meetings between Silver Ferns and Australia
71
wins to Australia, 45 wins to New Zealand, 2 draws
10
Australia's longest winning run against the Ferns, from 1995 to 1999
