The Silver Ferns have to work to do if they’re to trouble Australia on Sunday.
For the second successive game against Caribbean opposition at the Netball World Cup, New Zealand were disappointing. They eventually kicked away to beat Trinidad and Tobago 74-38 at Allphones Arena in Sydney, but it wasn’t a great performance.
Or do we ask too much Sometimes, maybe. But you should be entitled to expect New Zealand to be a lot better than teams such as Trinidad and Tobago.
If for no other reason than these smaller nations aren’t exposed to the same levels of competition – both domestic and international – nor the quality of coaching or preparation.
It’s a major against a minnow and for the Silver Ferns to lead just 16-12 at quarter time, then 37-25 at halftime, simply felt like it wasn’t good enough.
New Zealand did go with an interesting line. For starters there was no Laura Langman – the team’s most influential player – while shooters Bailey Mes and Jodi Brown haven’t played together a lot.
Without Langman, Shannon Francois played centre with Kayla Cullen at wing defence. Both seemed a little ineffective. For the second half Francois went to wing attack while Langman was centre, Katrina Grant and Phoenix Karaka the circle defenders, with Maria Tutaia and Malia Paseka coming into the shooting circle. Cullen was the one player to stay completely put.
Again, it can be difficult to dominate players you don’t know and haven’t encountered before but the Silver Ferns are given every opportunity to succeed as an international netball side and should do so – not look disjointed, throw balls away or miss easy shots. Especially not against opponents that have nothing like their advantages.
New Zealand started the match reasonably, pushing out to an early three-goal lead. That was soon extended to five, before the differential became just two goals for a few minutes.
Kopua took a fall and opted for a timeout at which Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu had some short, sharp instructions for the defenders. Cullen, in particular, was given the benefit of the coach’s wisdom.
They pushed their lead out to as many as 11 goals during the second quarter, but couldn’t hold that. Credit to Trinidad and Tobago, they did play well at times.
Goal shoot Samantha Wallace was impressive. At 1.93 metres, she moves well, has good hands and a long shot, which isn’t a strength of too many goal shoots.
Having Langman and Tutaia out there led to an improvement in New Zealand’s performance. Halfway through the third quarter they were up 47-29 and looking a much more formidable proposition.
Langman has her critics, as anyone who’s done something well for a long time tends to, but this team really can’t do without her. Much the same could be said for Tutaia and with 15 minutes left New Zealand led 56-33.
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