Netball: Ferns front line to step up

Silver Fern Irene van Dyk shoots. Photo / Getty Images

They were often monstered by their Australian counterparts in the ANZ Championship, but Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken is backing her attackers to regain the initiative.

Players like Laura Geitz and Susan Fuhrmann seemed to reach new levels of ferocity and effectiveness in this year's transtasman competition, but Aitken remains confident the "advanced Australian fare" will not transfer to the international arena.

"The Australian defenders have improved since last year," says Aitken, "and we have to be really smart in how we play in that forward court. But I have great confidence in the ability and desire of our forward line to improve and do what is needed. They have a lot more to give."

Irene van Dyk endured her least productive ANZ Championship season in the history of the competition, shooting a comparatively low 446 goals after notching 554 in 2010. While she can be a victim of her own high standards, the Ferns' linchpin particularly struggled against Geitz (Firebirds), sometimes looking reluctant to put up the shot. She was strangely anonymous in the major semifinal in Brisbane, shooting just two goals across the second and third quarters; and still looked off-colour the following week against the Mystics.

"There were a lot of challenges for her in the finals," says Aitken. "The Magic goal attack/wing attack line were very new to finals level and I think Irene went into 'help-out' mode, which obviously affected her game. I'm looking forward to seeing her back out on court against Geitz to see what she has added to her game to keep foiling those defenders."

"I'm sure Irene has learnt a lot from those games - she is the most amazing competitor and always bounces back," adds former Ferns captain Adine Wilson. "It was probably a good thing if she got tested by those players this year as she will be well and truly ready for them come the big matches."

At international level van Dyk can expect service which changes the equation from Laura Langman, Temepara George and Liana Leota in the midcourt. Despite this, it was noticeable last year that her performances, or productivity, dipped slightly against the Diamonds. While she maintains an incredible 90 per cent career shooting average, she played second fiddle to Maria Tutaia in the Delhi final and shot at 82 per cent in the three-test Constellation Cup series.

Aitken admits that the pressure will only intensify on van Dyk this year: "Australia have acknowledged Maria needs tighter attention than probably what they gave her last year - when they didn't really rate her that highly," says Aitken. "The goal defence is certainly sitting on our goal attack now which makes it crucial that our goal shooter [van Dyk] is able to get free and that is something that we will be working on."

A key component of the Aitken agenda is getting her attackers ready for the physical battle. Some of the circle action reached almost brutal levels in the ANZ Championship. International play is usually even more combative.

"We need to keep working on our shooters to take the ball really strongly; to take the feet to the ball. There is an obvious adjustment to the international game from our New Zealand defenders who do a lot more space marking and don't ride our shooters as much.

"If shooters don't come and meet that ball hard, then defenders will come through and take it off them. Also, one-handed possession is no longer deemed to be sacrosanct. We will be working on a variety of options for getting free - rather than just the hold."

The other element is the obvious vacuum below the two superstars of the Ferns attack. Just like nobody really wants to contemplate what will happen if Richie McCaw or Dan Carter are not around in October, the absence of either Tutaia or van Dyk in a crucial match in Singapore would cause major worries for the Ferns - hence their attempt to shoehorn Cathrine Latu into the picture.

While nobody questions the ability of Paula Griffin and Anna Thompson, they remain rookies in the international arena; yet to be tested under white-hot pressure. Griffin has made just three appearances (one as sub) against Australia, shooting 29/44 at 66 per cent, and Thompson has yet to face the Diamonds. Aitken hopes to use both players next week, though their appearance is not guaranteed.

"We do want to get them out on court but only if they have been proven worthy of it on the training court," says Aitken.

Looking beyond the matches in Palmerston North (Thursday) and Auckland (Sunday), Aitken knows Singapore will require a whole new level, after the achievement in Delhi. "We absolutely have to take a step up and everybody realises that. I don't know if the plan will change that much but we will be focusing on better execution."