Netball: Pain of 2006 drives Henry

Star defender Joline Henry. Photo / Kenny Rodger

She was the Melbourne misfit who could be Delhi dynamite. Unwanted four years ago, Joline Henry is now a key performer as the Silver Ferns chase a second consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in October.

The 27-year-old wing defence, the outstanding player in the two-test series against Jamaica, admits the pain of 2006 persists. "I thought I did enough to be there, but I wasn't picked," she says.

"It is still motivation."

Henry, who had been in the squad since 2003, geared her "whole life" towards being a Commonwealth contender, but missed out as the selectors opted for Vilimaina Davu, Leana de Bruin, Anna Scarlett and a 19-year-old called Casey Williams for the backcourt.

"Every time I feel like going a bit easier in training or having a day off, I think about those moments, how I felt and the fact that I was never ever going to let that happen again," she says.

"It was probably a blessing in disguise. What judges you is how you come back from those things and how well you respond. I think that is the difference between a netballer and a great netballer."

Four years on, Henry is one of the first names on coach Ruth Aitken's teamsheet.

"She brings a real competitiveness and determination to the court and reads the game better than most.

"Joline has always been well-conditioned, but this year has really stepped things up in terms of her fitness levels.

"We have been very impressed with the pressure she has been putting on outside the circle, which makes it easy for our defenders to look good."

After nine years, Henry left the Magic for the Mystics following an acrimonious contract dispute. That brought issues, as Henry had to revert to goal defence after two happy years at wing defence.

She struggled at times, especially with the Caribbean style of Althea Byfield, her partner in the circle for the Auckland franchise.

"What they [Jamaicans] class as 'normal' is very different - I battled not knowing what my buddy was doing and did things I have never done before."

Over the entire ANZ Championship season Henry played just 20 minutes at her preferred wing defence and admits a "hint of doubt" began to creep in.

While she counted on past performances being enough to convince the selectors, she wondered if there was a chance she would slip below the radar.

"She was probably a bit worried but we had great faith in her," says coach Aitken. "A couple of years ago [the switch] would have confused her but now she has done the [WD-GD] slide easily, which is a reflection of the maturity of her game."

The 1.83m Henry is still seen as an option at goal defence, especially against more mobile attackers, and she was cast into an even more unfamiliar position at the Ferns' selection camp in July.

"I saw my name at centre and thought the whiteboard was wrong. I approached [assistant coach] Wai Taumaunu. She turned around, gave me her eyes as she does - 'Yes?'. I looked at her, said nothing and walked away."

After the second day she realised it was a viable option, even if she is only "the back up to the back up". Since her 2004 debut, Henry has worn the silver fern 43 times and is comfortable with the tag "youthful veteran". She describes herself as a "stubborn creature" who always wants the ball."I'm greedy".

Veteran Australian shooter Catherine Cox admires her. "You know that she will do whatever it takes to get the ball back and win the game."

Her other distinct asset is her long range passing - those flat tracer bullets from halfway that hit Irene van Dyk under the post, stunning opponents and thrilling fans. Cox compares her vision to former Australian defender Kath Harby-Williams.

"She has that rare ability to let the ball go, and go for it if it is there. I admire those whose first look is down the court and into the circle. If you can get there in one pass, why not?"

Aitken admits it heightens the risk of a turnover.

"They are fantastic when they work and we kill her when they don't. She needs to be sure of them but we wouldn't want to restrict it at all because it is a matchwinner."

Aitken says the rules are simple: "She has to let it go immediately. If she hesitates, she has to use another option. If she actually thinks about it, that moment has gone."