Netball: Tall order for Aussies going into second test

Silver Ferns assistant coach Leigh Gibbs said if she were Australian coach Norma Plummer she'd be tempted to unleash towering young defender Susan Fuhrmann in tomorrow night's second test.

The Silver Ferns outclassed Australia in every area of the court in their win in Brisbane on Saturday night.

While the Australians struggled on attack and to put the ball through the hoop - they ended the match with a 76 per cent shooting record compared with the Silver Ferns' 85 per cent - their biggest worry is perhaps their defence and lack of height there.

While 1.90m tall Irene van Dyk has always given the Australians grief, the introduction of the fearless 1.87m tall Maria Tutaia had the Australians in a real quandary.

They weren't sure whether to double-team van Dyk and let Tutaia roam free or mark each player. They chose to double-team van Dyk at first, which forced Tutaia to shoot from out wide.

The problem was that Tutaia didn't miss many and those she did miss were rebounded by van Dyk, who is taller than both Australian defenders Liz Ellis and Bianca Chatfield.

"When you have two shooters who can shoot from anywhere, it is very demoralising," Gibbs said. "If defenders can't get the ball off the shooters, they try and make them shoot long, but if they can shoot it is quite hard."

Although she had a number of defensive options, Plummer chose to stay with Ellis and Chatfield for the entire match.

While there would have been little point in putting the shorter Mo'onia Gerrard at goal defence, Plummer could have gone to her bench and 1.96m tall Fuhrmann.

Gibbs said due to that difference in height, she'd give Fuhrmann a run in the second test.

"You'd have to really. You'd be wanting to see if she is up to it and why have her there if you are not going to put her on?

"It has always been indicated that the height is something they needed ... I would certainly feel she needs to get out on court but then you don't know how she is going at training."

From New Zealand's perspective, Gibbs was most pleased with her side's strong start which came despite a rejigged starting lineup which included Tutaia at goal attack and Leana de Bruin at goal defence.

So convincing was Tutaia's performance that the Silver Ferns could hand Australia the ultimate insult in the second test and sub off van Dyk.

Gibbs said the Tutaia and Belinda Colling combination was not one they had worked on a lot but she did not rule it out. "It is something we have got in mind. We are looking at all 12 players and a range of combinations."

Gibbs also acknowledged the work of Ferns goal keep Vilimaina Davu and van Dyk during the match. Van Dyk showed more diversity by putting up more shots from further out.

Midcourt the Australians struggled to contain Silver Ferns Adine Wilson and Temepara George.

The third quarter was disappointing for the Silver Ferns, when they let a 14 goal lead slip to nine.

New Zealand made two changes in the quarter: Colling at goal attack and Anna Scarlett at goal defence. Colling made a shaky start but the New Zealand coaches persevered with her and she seemed to come right.

"In thethird quarter Australia had to come out all guns firing otherwise they were going to let that game slip away. So perhaps we didn't quite take that into account but maybe we needed to adjust a little more quickly."

Although Australia showed some good passages, especially when they got the ball moving, they generally looked like a unit that hadn't spent a enough time together. They are expected to tinker with their lineup for tomorrow - but Gibbs said New Zealand would too.

"I feel fortunate that we are able to look at changes not because we are failing but because we want to push even further."

* Second and final test: Tomorrow, Brisbane 10pm.