Netball: Veterans in shock Silver Ferns recall

Julie Seymour in action. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Canterbury midcourter Julie Seymour has earned a shock recall to the Silver Ferns at the ripe young age of 35.

There's also a recall for 34-year-old Southland shooter Tania Dalton in Ruth Aitken's evergreen preliminary 15-strong squad to prepare for the world championships in July next year.

Dalton also has the inside track to replace retired Belinda Colling in Aitken's squad of 12 to play Australia in a three-test series starting October 12.

Dalton will be competing with new-cap Paula Griffin for the spot, but Aitken is almost certain to turn to experience for the test series.

The 18-year-old Griffin's elevation to the Silver Ferns has been rapid and comes on the back of a strong national champs where she combined well with Maria Tutaia in the shooting circle.

But the story of the week is undoubtedly mother-of-three Seymour's recall.

She last played for the Silver Ferns in their heartbreaking double-overtime loss to Australia at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002.

Dalton has not played since the 2003 world champs in Jamaica.

Seymour would love the taste of gold before retiring. She joins Griffin, Tutaia and Debbie White as the only members of the squad not to have won a Commonwealth Games gold or world championship medal.

Although not being named in this squad will not preclude players from forcing their way into next year's world championship squad, the players named last night will have the inside running.

"The selection of the Silver Ferns has been the result of a comprehensive process by the national selectors," Aitken said. "It's from the basis of this group that the Silver Ferns side will be selected to compete at next year's world champs in Fiji."

Aitken has left three spots in the wider squad open. If anybody impresses her enough, when New Zealand A meets the Australian Institute of Sport before the Fisher & Paykel series, they will be brought into the squad.

The Silver Ferns go into camp on Friday.

The squad is: Tania Dalton (Southland), Vilimaina Davu (Canterbury), Leana de Bruin (North), Temepara George (North), Paula Griffin (Auckland-Waitakere), Joline Henry (Waikato), Laura Langman (Waikato), Anna Scarlett (A-W), Jodi Te Huna (Otago), Julie Seymour (Canterbury), Maria Tutaia (A-W), Debbie White (Otago), Adine Wilson (Southland), Irene van Dyk (Waikato), Casey Williams (Waikato).

New Zealand A: Daneka Wipiiti, Tanya Lund, Jess Tuki, Hayley Stockman, Jade Topia, Liana Barrett Chase, Phillipa Duncan, Maree Bowden, Anna Thompson, Rawinia Everitt, Erika Burgess, Stephanie Bond, Katrina Grant, Elizabeth Manu.