Netball: Ferns face Aussies scrapping for positions in games squad

Sharelle McMahon says her tailored training regime will help ensure she's ready for the Commonwealth Games. Photo / Getty Images

With the D-Day for Commonwealth Games selection looming in the Australian camp, the Silver Ferns can expect a tense battle in this weekend's opening test in Adelaide.

Australian coach Norma Plummer said positions were still up for grabs heading into Sunday's test, which will be the last opportunity for the 15-strong squad to push their case for Delhi before the final squad of 12 is announced on Monday.

From there the final 12 will cross the Tasman for the remaining two tests in Wellington and Auckland.

"There is a lot riding on this game for all of the players," said Plummer.

While at this point you would expect Plummer to have a pretty clear idea in her mind over who will be boarding that plane to Delhi, she insists there are a number of players still fighting for their places.

The wily Australian has to cull a player from each area of the court, and she said all those final decisions were proving tough.

The Diamonds' three-test rout of Jamaica this month has done little to clear up the selection dilemmas for Plummer.

She said with strong competition for places within the squad, the players ensured they made the most of their opportunities on court.

"All the players have stood up and even though they are fighting for individual positions, they know it is important to build combinations and relationships on court as well. So for us it's been a really great exercise."

Although D-Day is looming for the Commonwealth Games naming, the mood in the Australian camp remains upbeat, according to Plummer. She said the fierce competition for places hadn't had a negative impact on the team environment.

"We've been really delighted with the camaraderie in between [the test matches], even though they know they're all being tested against one another," she said.

"When you put your hand up to be selected for these sorts of things you may make it, or you may miss out. That's a fact of life and that's the competition, so players are very aware of it. It doesn't help the hurt if they miss out, but don't put your hand up if you can't handle that sort of stress."

The only hitch to Australia's selection process was the limited availability of captain Sharelle McMahon, after a corked thigh ruled her out of the first two tests against Jamaica.

The 33-year-old returned in the third test on the Gold Coast, and looked to be close to getting back to her explosive best.

But Plummer said her star shooter, who has been plagued with injury over the past few seasons, still needs more court time to prove herself.

"Sharelle has got to get out there because we need to see that she can cope with the workloads," Plummer said.

"That was taken away from us in the last series, so it's put us back really."

After the frustrating setback during the Jamaica series, McMahon is confident she will be able to take full part in the series against the Silver Ferns.

"I possibly, just because of the stage I'm at in my career, need to monitor my training load, but looking at the programme it all seems fine and I should be able to take part in it all."

McMahon doesn't entirely like the idea of being wrapped in cotton wool, but the 106-test veteran has learned over the past couple of years sometimes a spell on the sidelines is for the best.

Hampered by a niggly knee injury in her inaugural season with the Melbourne Vixens in the transtasman league, McMahon was virtually playing on one leg by the end of the gruelling 17-week competition. Worried about the longevity of her captain's career, Plummer was forced to intervene and sat McMahon out for the international season to allow her time to recover fully from minor surgery.

Since then McMahon's workload has been carefully managed to ensure she remains in tip-top condition for the pinnacle events.

"I had a bit of wear in my knee that kept me out of the 2008 international season and it just means that I can't do some of the things I could 10 years ago.

"It can be a little frustrating not being able to do everything, but as a sport we've been really great over the last couple of years working on an individual basis now, so it's no longer a one-size training regime fits all. And that's just the reality of it."

Despite the injury concerns over the past couple of years, McMahon said there was never a point that she worried her body wouldn't hold out until the Commonwealth Games.

"I was always determined that my body would come right and I would make it."

The Silver Ferns assembled in Auckland yesterday and had a light training run before an early morning departure to Adelaide when they have two practice sessions scheduled.

SILVER FERNS v AUSTRALIA
* August 29: Adelaide
* September 2: Wellington
* September 5: Auckland