Australia are ready to tackle the Silver Ferns' silky shooter Maria Tutaia who they expect to take the court during the two-test series which opens in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Nineteen-year-old Tutaia was called into the Silver Ferns for last year's series against England and made her debut when the
Ferns toured Jamaica that year.
She played in the Commonwealth Games but did not take the court in the final in which the Silver Ferns beat Australia 60-55.
Australian coach Norma Plummer said she was impressed with Tutaia during the National Bank Cup and the way she stood up for the Diamonds in pressure situations.
"She is a lovely shooter. She is certainly prepared to go to the post and is delivering," Plummer said.
"Watching Belinda Colling, her movement was okay but she has been a bit shaky on the shot."
She said Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken would have to decide whether a mover such as Colling was wanted or two players such as Tutaia and Irene van Dyk, who could go for the shot.
"We are quite prepared to see Maria out there ... whether she starts or not is another thing."
With the Silver Ferns a little lacking in quality shooters, Plummer said the rise of Tutaia could only be good for New Zealand netball.
"I think New Zealand needs that coming through. People were telling me when I was in New Zealand that they were struggling for four shooters, that's why Ruth [Aitken] wasn't taking them.
"We look at our shooting in our under-21s and we are quite pleased with the depth ... they are big and tall and there are plenty of them at the moment."
Plummer said there was a "united" feeling in the Australian camp. The players took plenty of positives from the Games final defeat, where they put up two more shots than the Silver Ferns only to lose by five goals.
"There were eight players that had not played in a Commonwealth Games final or a world championships before ... certainly they learned a lot from that game."
The Australian side played their under-21 team last night. They will square off against the Queensland Firebirds tonight.
