Netball: Ferns seek flaw in Diamond dominance

Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Ruth Aitken puts it down to depth and hunger.

Joline Henry cites cold, clinical efficiency. Former captain Adine Wilson says it is self-assured arrogance. Bernice Mene names fitness as a factor along with a "nuggety attitude". The Aussies say it is built on the training ground. 'It' is the Australian ability to continually prevail in the closest contests.

Transtasman competition stretches back to 1938 and in those 72 years there have been 45 matches where the winning margin has been five goals or less. Of these encounters, Australia has emerged victorious 28 times. Since 1998 the girls in yellow have taken 73 per cent (16 matches out of 22) of those games with tiny differences at the death.

Last year was a prime example. A three-goal win to the Ferns in Sydney was followed by a four-goal loss in Melbourne, a three-goal reverse in Brisbane and single goal defeat in Invercargill.

"They never give up and always appear very sound and mentally tough - not much gets to them," says Henry. "When they are down, you always have a feeling that you need to keep pushing and pushing because they are never really out of the game."

Henry says that while the Ferns have come a long way in the area of mental toughness, there are still lessons to be learned.

"When things don't quite go our way, some individuals let that affect them in different ways. Some of them can be positive and others negative but I don't think we have hit the nail on the head in terms of pressure in crucial situations."

"I think we have individuals who like those pressure situations and thrive but there are others who perhaps find it a bit more challenging.

Some players can perform consistently all the time - it is down to the mental approach - while others can have a really good performance but don't back them up as often as they need to."

Coach Aitken says player depth has been a paramount factor over the years. There are 110,000 senior (18 years or over) netball players across the Tasman. New Zealand has 24,000.

Aitken says this creates competition within the team which, along with state funding and the academy system, breeds hunger and tenacity.

"They think are the best and if there is a weak link they will find it," she says. "It comes down to a supreme belief in your team-mates and your preparation."

Aitken also acknowledges that, due to depth, the Ferns haven't always had "everyone on the right page at the right time, so there have been little chinks. If you go into those dying moments really confident and knowing that everyone has done the work - that is what gets you over the line."

Mene and Wilson endured the heartbreaking Commonwealth Games losses in 1998 (three goals) and 2002 (two goals after double overtime) along with the infamous World Championship defeat (one goal) in 1999.

"In years gone by there was a mental aspect around playing Australia," says Mene. "They were so calculating, well-drilled and tough."

Wilson thinks that it is something essentially Ocker. "Across all sport in general they are so self assured, arrogant - in a good way - and have such confidence in themselves and each other."

Diamonds goalshooter Catherine Cox says: "We do train exceptionally hard over here. Our pre-seasons are getting harder and harder and, when it comes to playing 60 minutes of netball, that is relatively easy compared to what we have been through in our pre-season.

"Every player who comes through the Australian way and Australian style picks up that bit of confidence."

In 2010, the teams will battle for the Constellation Cup, set to become netball's version of the Bledisloe Cup. The trophy, encrusted with 101 diamonds, was unveiled by the respective governing bodies yesterday. The Ferns would dearly love to be the first names on the cup and Aitken remains cautiously optimistic

"This group have huge confidence and belief in each other. We know we are not quite there yet - there is still some work to do, but they don't see themselves as second to Australia."



Six of the best

1975 World Championships (Auckland)

NZ 34 Australia 34

A tense battle on outdoor concrete courts at Windmill Rd in West Auckland, with spectators on temporary seating. The Ferns missed two late chances and the tie meant Australia kept their world title.

1987 World Championships (Glasgow)

NZ 39 Australia 28

The classic team of Sandra Edge, Julie Townsend, Margaret Matenga, Tracey Fear, Leigh Gibbs et al dismantled an Australia team that had beaten them five times the year before. British television commentators were particularly taken by Edge, likening her to a "Manchester United centre midfielder".

1999 World Championships (Christchurch)

Australia 42 NZ 41

An aging Australia team, derided as "Jill's Geriatrics" by New Zealand media, overcame a six goal deficit at three-quarter time to win with a last second shot by Sharelle McMahon.

2003 World Championships (Kingston, Jamaica)

NZ 49 Australia 47

Ruth Aitken's finest hour as her team broke a 16-year world championship drought. Captained by Anna Rowberry and featuring present-day Ferns Temepara George, Anna Scarlett and Irene van Dyk, the New Zealand side were in control for the entire match.

2005 Fisher & Paykel Series (Auckland)

NZ 61 Australia 36

The 26-goal margin was the Ferns' biggest victory in transtasman clashes stretching back to 1938. Irene van Dyk, playing in her record 129th international match, shot at 92 per cent and notched 41 goals.

2006 Commonwealth Games (Melbourne)

NZ 60 Australia 55

After two narrow losses in 1998 and 2002, the Ferns finally had their hands on a Commonwealth Games gold medal. Van Dyk and goal attack Belinda Colling were critical as was burly defender Vilimaina Davu.