Dannevirke: Fern fans back for more - 24 years on

Jilly Boyden (left), Kerry Duley, Di Hawke, Dale Burn, Robyn Evans, Leonie Selby and Moana Beveridge, dressed in their own-design supporters gear. Photo / Christine McKay

Twenty-four years ago dedicated local netball supporters were in Sydney for the world netball championships and, yesterday, five of that group returned with the Dannevirke and Hawke's Bay KRAFT supporters to Sydney for this year's netball World Cup.

"It's amazing to think five of us were there in Sydney 24 years ago and off we go again," Dale Burn said.

Joining Dale in 1991 were Leonie Selby, Jilly Boyden, Wendy Young and Robyn Evans.

When the group returned to Dannevirke in 1991, they formed the KRAFT group and members have followed the Silver Ferns around the world ever since.

The women are part of the 14-strong netball supporters who flew out to Sydney yesterday, all with links to Dannevirke, although some now live in Hawke's Bay.

"When we went to the world champs in 1991 some people thought we were the Silver Ferns. That was hilarious then but I don't think anyone will make that mistake this time," Dale said.

On Saturday, seven of the 14 got together at a Dannevirke cafe and were happy to parade their designer supporter gear along High St, stopping traffic and receiving plenty of toots of support. The pre-flight champagne get-together is also part of the tradition which sees the women leaving their men behind.

"We've never taken our men. The poor buggers have to stay home. That's why we're still all sane," Robyn said.

This year, in an effort to really stand out from the crowd, the women are wearing their own designer outfits, made by Leonie Selby's seamstress sister in Auckland.

"When eight of us went to the world championships in Sydney in 1991 we wore old, fleece-lined tracksuits and, for every world cup, we've always worn black T-shirts," Dale said.

"The trouble is, every other New Zealander at the event wears the same thing, so this year we decided to really stand out."

Moana Beveridge said the uniforms had to have plenty of bling.

"We always have a good time when we get together and this week in Sydney will be no different and there will be no way anyone will miss seeing us in these outfits," she said.

One thing which remains the same is the songs the women sing.

"We've written our own song sheets and we're always the noisy bunch at the Silver Fern games," Moana said.

This is the fifth Netball World Cup for Moana, but a coup in Fiji in 1999 threw the group's plans into disarray.

"There were 17 of us booked for Fiji, but following the coup the World Cup was transferred to Auckland, however, only a couple of our group went, the rest of us went to Fiji for a holiday anyway because everything had been booked," she said.

And although the group think this year's World Cup is going to be a big ask for the Silver Ferns, it's not likely to dampen the KRAFT team's spirits.