Netball: No respite for hard-working Ferns

Casey Williams says the three tests on the way home will be the most important part of the Silver Ferns' tour for her. Photo / Sarah Ivey

It has been a long, demanding season for the Silver Ferns, but coach Ruth Aitken doesn't intend to take it easy on her players on the end-of-year tour.

The Silver Ferns left for Britain last night, embarking on a three-week tour that includes the inaugural World Netball Series in Manchester, where a new-look, faster version of the game will be showcased.

The Ferns will then play three tests after the tournament, one against England in Bath, and two against Jamaica in Kingston on the way home.

After eight tests this year on the back of a gruelling 17-week ANZ Championship, it is at this stage of the season that niggly injuries set in and player burnout begins to become a concern.

Aitken said the coaching staff and medical personnel would be trying hard to manage player workloads.

"Because of the challenges with the length of this year and the travel challenges as well, that's one of the reasons we've expanded the squad to 15 so that we can really monitor players' progress."

But the New Zealand coach is keen to ensure her players don't just coast in to the summer break.

"The reality is international netball is about building resilience as well, we won't be cotton-wooling them, we do want them to still work hard towards the end of the season," Aitken said.

"It is important that the players don't feel 'okay we're in end-of-year mode', we feel it is a very important time for us looking ahead to next year."

Silver Ferns skipper Casey Williams is one such player whose workload will be monitored closely on the tour.

New Zealand's key defensive weapon was rested from training this week after picking up a hamstring niggle in the recent five-test series against Australia, which the Diamonds won 3-2.

Williams, who this week got engaged to partner Wessel Eshuis, said it was a case of needing to slow down a bit to listen to her body, but she is feeling fit and raring to go.

"It's just a precaution really, to make sure I'm right for the tour," she said.

"It is a really long season and it does take a lot out of your body - that's the way netball is going with professionalism and you've just got to get tough and get on with it.

"But also you still want to be playing netball in the future, so you do have to consider the long term as well as right now."

Williams said that while she was looking forward to experiencing the new-look version of the game in the World Netball Series, the most important part of the tour for her would be the three test matches.

Aitken likewise expects the tests to provide a better gauge of where her team are at heading into next year's Commonwealth Games. She said she would be using the Manchester tournament to trial a number of new combinations, with newcomers Camilla Lees and Charlotte Kight expected to get a run.

"While we'll certainly be doing all we can during the World Netball Series to win, we do want to use those six games as an opportunity to have alook at some different players," said Aitken.

"So it'll be a bit of a juggle, it'd be nice to be able to do both and we definitely never go out there not intending to win."

TOUR SCHEDULE
* October 9-11 World Netball Series, Manchester
* October 15 Silver Ferns v England, Bath
* October 20 Silver Ferns v Jamaica, Kingston
* October 22 Silver Ferns v Jamaica, Kingston