Former Silver Ferns defender Tanya Dearns believes New Zealand netball coach Ruth Aitken may opt for experience over youth when she names her squad for the Commonwealth Games later this year.
Aitken will name 22 trialists following the final of the national netball championships in Dunedin today and will trim
that number to 12 for the match against Australia on October 29.
The group of 22 is bound to include several promising youngsters, but Dearns believes the final 12 will have a more settled look.
"They are likely to pick a team with the experience to get them through those 10 days during the Commonwealth Games tournament and then look to make changes and bring some younger ones in with the world championships in mind."
Dearns said New Zealand had an abundance of quality mid-court players pushing for selection but one player stood out, for her, as an obvious first choice.
"You couldn't look past Laura Langman. She is supposed to be the in-form centre at the moment and is certainly playing very well," Dearns said.
She would pick Adine Wilson at wing attack but struggled to name a first-choice wing defence.
Lesley Rumball had a wealth of experience, but was only one of a number of possibilities.
Dearns thought Auckland's Stephanie Bond, when she played at wing defence, had offered agility and height in the position.
She also thought promising Southland schoolgirl Hayley Crofts was a player to watch.
With former Silver Ferns Anna Rowberry and Victoria Edward in the mix, Dearns said she was glad it was not her having to decide who to leave out.
Otago avenged their earlier loss to Western yesterday, earning them a shot at fifth place. Western stunned a complacent home side with a 53-49 win on Tuesday but Otago's payback came in a 47-37 win. They will face Southland in the playoff for fifth and sixth place today.
Otago's determination came three days too late for them to make the top six and launch a serious assault on the championships.
Southland only scraped into the playoff match after nearly coming unstuck against Eastern. They prevailed 48-47 after trailing for most of the game.
- NZPA
