KEY POINTS:
The Silver Ferns have been sharpening their claw-like grip on the ball to combat the ardent Australian defence expected in tonight's first test in Auckland.
When the Australians beat the Ferns by three goals in their last encounter, in England in May, they employed a new tactic of
batting the ball out of the New Zealanders' grasp.
Ferns shooter Maria Tutaia revealed the New Zealanders had been working on "clawing the ball" - receivers meeting it hard and clutching it strongly to maintain possession.
"The likes of [Australian defenders] Liz Ellis and Mo'onia Gerrard can hit it out of your hands if you're not really grabbing it," Tutaia said yesterday. "The refs aren't calling it, so we've got to learn to adapt to it, and make sure we're going for the ball full throttle, every time."
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken said the objective was for the whole team to meet the ball more strongly and keep it safe.
Aitken also expected the Australians to come out fast and hard, and to play the ball down the sides of the court, away from New Zealand's tight defensive unit. "I expect their strategy will be to try and play it wide and pull our defenders apart," she said.
The Australians have made it clear they intend to strike what they see as the Ferns' weakness - the new midcourt, in particular the centre role filled by Laura Langman and Julie Seymour. But Aitken believed the mid-courters gelled well against Jamaica and would match the Australians.
"Laura's strength is that she's really bold - she's strong on attacking play, driving through the court with no fear, and opens the court up really nicely. I back Laura to have that real tenacity," she said.
Aitken was also reassured by back-up centre Seymour and her "low error rate".
She admitted the Australian midcourt of sisters Natalie and Laura von Bertouch and Selina Gilsenan would be difficult to shake, having built a strong combination to be the benchmark in international netball.
All of the Ferns were on deck training at the new Vector Arena for the first time yesterday, including Tutaia, who woke with tonsillitis and pharyngitis, but is determined to play tonight.
Tutaia showed her versatility in the last two tests against Jamaica, combining well with Irene van Dyk and Jodi Te Huna in the shooting circle. She already has a regular relationship with rookie Fern Paula Griffin from their time in the Diamonds.
She has been developing her own shooting game, especially positioning herself in the circle - crucial when both she and Te Huna play a similar free-moving style.
"I've become more aware of where the other shooter is, working on my rotation in the circle, and thinking more about getting the wheel going - when one shooter moves somewhere with a purpose, the other comes around," Tutaia said. "It's been working great,"
Aitken brought in three Auckland-based squad members to train with the team yesterday, including dropped defender Anna Scarlett. The Australians trained in a closed-door session after the Ferns.
Although the Australians have been troubled by injuries, coach Norma Plummer is confident she has a fit 12 to choose from. Wing defence Gilsenan is back from an ankle injury, while gutsy defender Gerrard, nursing a calf tear, is expected to rejoin the team for the third test in Adelaide next Tuesday.
SILVER FERNS V AUSTRALIA
Vector Arena, 7.30 tonight:
SILVER FERNS
Shooters: Irene van Dyk, Jodi Te Huna, Maria Tutaia, Paula Griffin.
Midcourt: Adine Wilson (c), Maree Bowden, Laura Langman, Julie Seymour.
Defenders: Sheryl Scanlan, Joline Henry, Casey Williams, Leana de Bruin.
AUSTRALIA
Shooters: Sharelle McMahon, Catherine Cox, Susan Pratley, Natalie Medhurst.
Midcourt: Natalie von Bertouch, Laura von Bertouch, Natasha Chokljat, Lauren Nourse.
Defence: Selina Gilsenan, Julie Prendergast, Bianca Chatfield, Liz Ellis (c).
