KEY POINTS:
A lengthy session of pre-season goal-setting with the New Zealand selectors has paid dividends almost immediately for Southern Steel wing attack Liana Barrett-Chase.
The fringe Silver Fern midcourter made an emphatic statement with a dynamic display in the Steel's ANZ Championship season-opener against the NSW Swifts.
Although with the Australian commentators unable to tell Barrett-Chase and her midcourt partner Jenny-May Coffin apart, she didn't always get the credit for her sterling work. Not that Barrett-Chase blames the commentators, she said even her partner, Highlanders midfielder Johnny Leota, had trouble telling the Steel's nippy midcourt duo apart on the television screen.
"My partner kept getting us mixed up," she laughed. "But if people can't tell us apart it must mean we're working in-sync."
Though Coffin inadvertently tends to steal her young midcourt partner's thunder, Barrett-Chase said she is enjoying teaming up with the former Silver Fern in the centre court. She believes playing alongside someone of Coffin's experience is a huge plus.
"She's awesome and she's definitely helping me out on my game and if I've got something to say she doesn't mind me telling her what to do."
The opportunity to play the Australian-style more regularly is also helping Barrett-Chase improve her game, and strong performances against the Aussie franchises may be the clincher for test selection.
The 23-year-old is in the wider Silver Ferns squad and was perhaps unlucky to miss the cut for last year's World Champs. But with Adine Wilson taking time away from the sport to have a baby, Barrett-Chase is tipped to be the front-runner to fill the vacancy in the midcourt.
Improving her fitness and defence through the court were some of the big goals Barrett-Chase set herself at the Silver Ferns' squad camp at the beginning of the year.
And her hard work in the pre-season looks to have paid off as the diminutive midcourter certainly stood up in the Steel's opening game of the season, in which they suffered an 11-goal defeat to the experienced Swifts outfit.
Barrett-Chase had impressive speed through the court and was particularly dynamic on the circle edge. With natural flair and silky ball-skills, the youngster has been likened to former Silver Fern greats Rita Fatialofa and Ana Noovao.
But Barrett-Chase said it was difficult to adjust to the speed of the Australian style of game, but was generally pleased with her performance in the opening hit-out.
"The intensity and the style is quite different to New Zealand netball. They're just so fast and so fit and they let the ball go at speed, whereas the Kiwis are more airy fairy and it can be hard to adjust your mindset, but it's very beneficial."
She said the tight man-on defence typical to the Australian play also takes some time to adjust to and is the ultimate test for a midcourter.
"They're just so man-on, it's like they're attached to you wherever you go. It takes a lot of pre-movement and a lot of fitness to shake them off."
At just 1.68m tall, Barrett-Chase has to do a lot more work than others to make up for her lack of height.
"I have to make sure I don't get caught hiding in the pockets because with my height a lot of people can't see me at times, so just being available, being free and making quick, sharp movements."
While the media guide highlights Barrett-Chase as one of the shortest players in the league, she insists this is not the case.
"I'm sure people are lying! I'm definitely taller than Jenny-May."
But those Aussie commentators would probably beg to differ.
* FAMILY BOND STAYS STRONG
While Liana Barrett-Chase has been compared to the likes of Rita Fatialofa and Ana Noovao, her career also bears a striking resemblance to midcourt dynamo Temepara George.
Not only do they have the same electric speed and flair, but like George, Barrett-Chase had a child in her teens.
The midcourter has a 5-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, who has just started school in Palmerston North.
While Barrett-Chase and her partner Johnny Leota are based in Dunedin for their respective sporting seasons, Brooklyn has stayed in the Manawatu with her grandparents.
Barrett-Chase said it is hard being apart from her daughter at such an important time in her development.
"It's her first year at school so we're missing out on some memories but our parents keep in touch and we video call her every day so that's good," she said.
The couple plan to move back to Palmerston North once the Super 14 season is over. The ANZ Championship season doesn't finish until two months later, but the Southern Steel are happy to accommodate her situation.
