Netball: It's all about style

Adine Wilson in action for the Silver Ferns. Phil Walter / Getty Images

When Adine Wilson was an 8-year-old learning to play netball on one of Hawera Primary's pine needle-littered courts, there was one player she wanted to be like - Sandra Edge.

The future Silver Fern captain was captivated by Edge's vision, bullet passes and lightning-fast interceptions - attributes which made her an idol of many.

But how would Edge fare in today's game?

For that matter, what characterises New Zealand's style now and where is the game going?

What can you expect to see in this year's National Bank Cup?

Back at Hawera Primary, the first skills Wilson learned were two-handed chest passes, shooting, passing forward, landing and pivoting.

Speed was the next skill she picked up when she handed in her little blue and white primary school skirt, ventured through the pine trees, across the rugby field and into neighbouring Hawera Intermediate.

By the time she reached Hawera High, Wilson had grasped contesting the ball. There was no way those girls from Stratford's St Mary's Diocesan were getting the better of her.

She had also learned about setting up triangles around the shooting circle to help position the shooters and the difference between zone and one-on-one defence.

By 14, Wilson had mastered the basics of the New Zealand style.

At the international level, the game has naturally evolved but the concepts remain the same.

Silver Ferns assistant coach Leigh Gibbs, who played for New Zealand from 1978 to 1988, says the game is now faster and there is more contesting of the ball.

"I thought it was pretty hard defensively," says Gibbs, describing her playing experience.

"You had to get the ball really cleanly because if there was an element of contact or brushing past, you would be called.

"The game was not as fast for that reason. We used triangles around the circle edge, that was still there, but there was probably not as much mobility in our attacking circle."

Today, the Silver Ferns style incorporates a mixture of speed, both one-on-one and zone defence and a variety of attacking play. There is also a lot of straight-line play and use of triangles.

In comparison, the Jamaicans play more of an unorthodox, unstructured style while Australia, famous for their one-handed passes, also use diagonal passes and tend to defend one-on-one.

Gibbs says there is still a visible difference between the top nations but the increase in international competition means other countries are learning from each other.

As for the future, she has a number of ideas that could be implemented into New Zealand's game.

On attack, lay-ups and jump shots, which already feature in the games of Silver Ferns Irene van Dyk, Belinda Colling and Jodi Te Huna, can be further developed.

"There is the jump shot and whether we could get into dunking. Unlike basketball you can't touch the pole, ring or net but if you can imagine Irene's [van Dyk] height and her ability to jump, that would be an area."

To counter that, Gibbs can see the New Zealand defence not only trying to block the shot, as Anna Scarlett attempts to do now, but also trying to block the ball as it approaches the net by jumping closer to the goal.

A netball goal is 3.05m high, Scarlett is 1.87m tall and can probably jump around 60cm.

A slightly taller player with a fraction more elevation would stand a pretty good chance of blocking the ball as it approached the hoop.

The team are also investigating ways of playing aerially "out of court".

An example would be floating the ball over the goal line, away from the defence and getting the midcourt players to reach over.

Silver Fern and Force midcourter Temepara George is already skilled at pulling in aerial balls from out of court, especially at the point where the goal circle meets the base line.

There was also room for development of passing distances.

"Traditionally New Zealand with their two-handed passes normally pass about 10 metres, you can actually pass 20 metres, nearly two thirds of the court.

"So it is just looking how we can introduce a longer pass into the game and get the ball through the court in three passes.

"Which makes it difficult for their opponents to (a) get the ball and (b) figure out if the ball is going to enter the shooting circle from the centre third or circle edge."

The Magic are one team who have mastered the art of letting the long ball go from the centre court into their shooter, van Dyk. In last year's competition, Silver Fern Laura Langman released some great passes to her, and similar passages of play can be expected this year.

Innovative as they are, not many of Gibbs' ideas are likely to be seen this season.

But a few traditional Australian moves may creep in, given the sprinkling of players from across the Tasman and the influence of former Australian shooter Sue Hawkins as Diamonds coach.

"I think the more ways we can play the game the more exciting and the better it becomes," Gibbs says.

And if Edge was in the game today?

"I think Sandy's range of skills were as good as any.

"She would fit into today's game really, really well."