KEY POINTS:
A further chapter in the netball reinvention of Laura Langman looks set to be written tomorrow when New Zealand meet archrivals Australia at Christchurch's Westpac Arena.
The 22-year-old Waikato player first made the Silver Ferns as an 18-year-old wing defender in 2005, moving in July last year to
take over the centre's bib following the retirement of Temepara George.
Langman then shifted to wing attack for her Bay of Plenty Magic team in this year's inaugural transtasman league, impressing New Zealand coach Ruth Aitken enough to make her a distinct possibility to start there tomorrow night.
"I'm trying to add another string to my wee bow - every time I get out there, I'm learning something new and trying to add to my repertoire," Langman said.
Although both roles have similarities, Langman said there were major adjustments to be made when switching between the two positions.
"Centre is more of a balancing, be-the-outlet type game where as a wing attack you're more of a controller down that attack end," she said.
"I find wing attack has more short, sharp decisive movements, whereas at centre you just come in and out, and pretty much be that glue which cements the two ends together."
Langman said she'd found moving between the two attacking midcourt positions a real test of her concentration.
"It has been a bit of a challenge to switch between the two roles, but I've been fortunate in having time in both positions in the lead-up to the test series."
Langman's versatility is just one of a whole raft of options open to Aitken as she plots to down Australia in the first time the two sides have met since the newly named Diamonds wrested the world championship title off New Zealand last November.
Goal shoot Irene van Dyk has impressed at goal attack for the Magic in the transtasman league earlier this year, while defenders Leana de Bruin, Joline Henry and Sheryl Scanlan make up a range of combinations in the defensive third.
"I think we are less predictable - we have mega options in all areas of court and it'll keep the Aussies guessing, which will be fantastic," Langman said.
She said the 17-week transtasman league had been a huge learning curve for New Zealand netballers, and had provided "really good exposure" to the Australian style.
"The Aussies like that one-handed passing, very quick game. They've got a very physical defence and huge through-court pressure."
Langman said new midcourt cap Kim Green had a quick game with plenty of dogged determination, and the Australian shooting duo of Catherine Cox and Sue Pratley were always sharp and accurate.
Although the Australians were missing two top shooters in Sharelle McMahon and Natalie Medhurst, Langman said she didn't expect their absence would be missed.
"The Aussies have incredible depth - there's always someone ready to fill that gap and I think you'll see both games going down to the wire."
Diamonds coach Norma Plummer is adamant her team, despite an average age of just 23, can pick up wins in Christchurch tomorrow and Auckland on Saturday.
"We have a lot of players who haven't got on the court (for Australia) but gee whiz, what talent they are," Plummer said. "I'm quite excited about these girls. And we still have depth there even if we are young.
"We see this as a development year and we are preparing for the next four years by working with the young players and giving them opportunities," said Plummer, whose goal is for Australia to win back the Commonwealth Games title from New Zealand in India in 2010 and then defend their world title in Singapore in 2011.
- NZPA