Netball: Ferns' coach shooting for dynamic look

Malia Paseka was the surprise in the team picked for games against South Africa and Fiji. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It is possibly the biggest gamble of Waimarama Taumaunu's career. A calculated gamble, but a gamble no less.

The selection of uncapped youngster Malia Paseka over experienced shooter Cathrine Latu in next month's World Cup squad was the main selection shock in a team not short on surprises.

With 12-test rookie Bailey Mes, who like Paseka is a brilliant athlete but still raw, also making the cut for the Sydney tournament, the New Zealand shooting line-up will have a very different dynamic to previous years.

When you add into the mix established stars Maria Tutaia and Jodi Brown, the Silver Ferns have four shooters who can play both positions, opening up a myriad of combination permutations for Taumaunu and assistant Vicki Wilson.

Next week's Taini Jamison series against Fiji and South Africa will give the first glimpse of how the Ferns' new-look attacking line will operate.

With only three weeks to go before the Ferns open their World Cup campaign against Barbados, Taumaunu said there was not enough preparation time to develop every shooting combination, so she planned to narrow down the options.

"The most likely goal attacks - and I reserve the right to change my mind once I've seen a bit more - are Maria followed by Jodi, and the other two are shooters," said Taumaunu.

The intention to use Mes and Paseka in the goal shoot role only suggests the Ferns are looking to play a more open style on attack, as both are among a rare breed of shooter who can match the world's top defenders for athleticism.

"It's an exciting line-up, we're strong in the aerial game, but also there are strong movers who come forward and make themselves available," said Wilson.

"Malia is just that unknown and when she is in full flight she is impressive to watch. Bailey is the fastest player in the team, she can stop on a five-cent piece and change direction."

Latu's omission from the team was as much about how she fits into the attacking unit as it was about her own individual performances. She is one of the most accurate shooters in world netball, but her volume is well down compared to other leading goal shoots, indicating she struggles to get her hands on the ball.

A clever mover and creative ball-player, Latu's array of dodges and rolls under the goal post require perfect timing and pinpoint accuracy from the feeders - which is not easy to achieve without a settled midcourt combination that has the same attacking instincts as the Mystics star.

So, the selectors have opted for a line-up that can deliver a clearer path to goal. They want shooters who can lose their defender cleanly and are prepared to put up the shots from anywhere in the circle - even if that means sacrificing some accuracy. And that's where the gamble part comes in.

All four of the Ferns' shooters have hovered around the 75-80 per cent mark over this year's ANZ Championship season.

For Mes, that is a marked improvement from last year's international outings, when she had a couple of horror performances and averaged around 60 per cent in her four appearances for the Ferns.

But Wilson believes Mes has steadily progressed over the season, with a 32/35 return against the Melbourne Vixens, who have experienced defenders Geva Mentor and Bianca Chatfield, hinting at what she is capable of.

While taking a leap into the unknown is a risk for the Silver Ferns, it will also be worrying the opposition coaches.

With imports occupying the goal shoot position in their teams, both Mes and Paseka featured largely at goal attack this season so rivals will have little data or video footage of the pair at goal shoot.

Chosen four

Shooting statistics for 2015 ANZ Championship season:
Maria Tutaia
Season: 345/434 (79.5%)
Best performance: 28/30 (93%) round 9 v Firebirds in Auckland
Worst performance: 16/30 (53%) round 14 v Vixens in Auckand

Jodi Brown
Season: 304/370 (82.2%)
Best performance: 30/32 (94%) round 10 v Steel in Dunedin
Worst performance: 18/27 (66%) round 3 v Tactix in Christchurch

Bailey Mes
Season: 74.8% (208/278)
Best performance: 32/35 (91%) round 9 v Vixens in Melbourne
Worst performance*: 15/26 (57%) round 3 v Pulse in Christchurch

Malia Paseka
Season: 75.2% (152/202)
Best performance: 12/12 (100%) round 9 v Fever in Perth
Worst performance*: 10/17 (58%) round 2 v Swifts in Tauranga

*Only matches in which player had more than one quarter considered.