Wanganui-born netballer Joline Henry has completed her comeback to the international arena as she was named in the 12-player Silver Ferns squad yesterday that will face Australia for the Constellation Cup next month.
After a year-long absence to have a baby in January, compounded by calf muscle problems which saw her miss half of this year's Central Pulse campaign, 30-year-old Henry earned a deserved recall after making the wider 15-player training squad coming out of coach Waimarama Taumaunu's gruelling national camp at the start of the month.
Taumaunu said all 15 players in the wider group would get upcoming game time, as preparations ramp up for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
"The 12 players selected have been chosen for the five test matches against the Australian Diamonds for the Constellation Cup," she said.
"With such a busy international calendar ahead, we fully intend on using the whole squad of 15 players in the next few months, especially with the three tests against Malawi in October, the Fast5 Netball World Series in November and the Silver Ferns' tour of England in January."
Henry played the last of her 68 tests in 2011, before sitting out the 2012 season through maternity leave, and her return could have hardly come at a better time. Anna Harrison and Kayla Cullen - who both did a decent job of filling Henry's bib during her absence - are missing from the squad, with the former having a baby of her own and the latter sidelined through injury.
Henry said she had no expectations during the recently completed national trials for the wing defence role.
"You never, ever take that kind of thing for granted, especially when you go away and have a baby and wreck your body in the process," she said. "But I had belief in my ability to put my best foot forward and knew that, if I did that, I would get an opportunity to get some time on court."
There are two new caps in defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and mid-courter Courtney Tairi.
The first test against Australia is on September 15 in Invercargill. "I think, given that we're now without the two people that we ran last year at goal defence, it's very timely," Taumaunu said of Henry's return. "She has a wealth of experience and she's pretty hard-headed when she's on the court, so those two things will stand her in good stead."
At the end of the ANZ Championship, Henry estimated she had regained 80 per cent of her old form, but that number has edged steadily upwards during the national trials.
"I could be a bit fitter and a bit stronger and a bit faster but, considering that I didn't have a summer period to build a base, because I was about nine months' pregnant, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at.
"I still have the utmost ability to do the job, if needed, when I line up against Australia.
"I know that I can do the job that's required of me and help my team out."
Henry's vision and ability to bring the ball through the court will be welcomed as New Zealand begin the defence of the Constellation Cup in Invercargill, a series the 30-year-old was eagerly anticipating.
"It's really good, just being back in the environment has reaffirmed that it's the place I want to be."
Additional reporting APNZ