KEY POINTS:
After a tumultuous series against England, the Silver Ferns' two-test tour of Australia starting in Melbourne tomorrow night is shaping up to be a tough end to a long season.
Last week's 2-1 series win over the visiting English side proved to be an emotionally draining time for
the Ferns, with their topsy-turvy performances placing them under great pressure - internal and external.
The team had just three days at home to unwind before flying to Melbourne for tomorrow's opening test.
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken admits her side could have done with a bit more a of break but is confident they will be rearing to go come tomorrow's opening whistle.
It has been a particularly long season for star defender Casey Williams, the only member of the team to have played every quarter of New Zealand's five home tests to date this year. She is unlikely to get any reprieve in Australia with the absence of Leana de Bruin, who withdrew from the series for personal reasons, severely limiting the Ferns' options at goal-keep.
Williams said the new 17-week ANZ Championship season and a busy international schedule has made for a hectic year, but she is adamant it won't show in the Silver Ferns' performances across the Tasman.
"Everybody is really excited about these next couple of tests," said Williams. "Knowing that it is our last series for the year and the last time we get together as a team, we're really keen to make sure that we make those last hit-outs on court really count."
Williams, with Magic teammate and long-time friend Laura Langman, will be co-captains for the series with regular skipper Julie Seymour missing the first test with an Achilles injury. It is hoped Seymour can join the team before next weekend's second test in Brisbane, but the veteran midcourter rates her chances of playing again this season as slim.
Midcourters Liana Barrett-Chase and Wendy Telfer have been called in to the team in the absence of Seymour and de Bruin.
Despite drawing plenty of criticism for her line-up changes in the second test, Aitken had hoped to continue developing players in the Australian series. But the recent changes to the squad may force her hand and she is now expected to maintain some stability in her side by keeping the tinkering with combinations to a minimum.
"We've had a bit of change this week so we do need to go back and reassess things, but we also need to make sure that we've had a look at the new ones in the team and see whether we do think they can fit in," she said.
"Obviously playing Australia at their home is a big challenge and we want players to have success so we will be looking at it again."
Diamonds coach Norma Plummer is in a similar predicament, with two of her most experienced shooters, Catherine Cox and Sharelle McMahon, sitting out the international season through injury.
Plummer isn't expected to shy away from giving her rookie players court-time.
