Central Pulse defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit. Photo / Getty Images
Central Pulse defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit. Photo / Getty Images
This is rare air for the Central Pulse.
They finally have the squad they want, a coach they're happy with and next to no excuses as they approach the latest instalment of the ANZ Championship.
The Pulse have gone from being competition whipping girls, to competitive battlers to a side with playoff potential.
Now they've evolved even further and this season will be considered an abject disaster if they don't make the top four.
They've got depth in every position on the court and nearly boast a complete starting side with Silver Ferns experience.
Evergreen shooter Irene van Dyk has come back to town, goal attack Donna Wilkins decided to sign on for another year and they've retained the core of their side in captain Katrina Grant, defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit and mid-courter Camilla Lees.
The bookies have them as joint-third favourites to win the competition and they're rated the best Kiwi team heading into the season.
But the time for speculation is over and the Pulse open their campaign against the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Porirua on Monday night.
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the Pulse in 2014 is living up to the expectations people will place on them.
Coach Robyn Broughton is well aware this is a group of players who have the potential be a front-runner this season.
"A team of champions doesn't make a champion team," Broughton said.
"I keep saying to them that it's combinations and it's team culture, it's all the stuff that goes on off the court as well as on the court. There's so much more to a team than just thinking 'oh yeah, you've got good names, we'll go out there and win'."
The signing of Liana Leota could prove to be a calculated gamble by the Pulse. Leota is an international-quality wing attack and a former Most Valuable Player of the ANZ Championship but she is due to give birth to her third child any day.
Returning after having a child is never easy and Pulse wing defence Joline Henry found it tough last year as she didn't hit top speed in 2013.
But Broughton remained confident Leota wouldn't have any issue bouncing back and expected her to join the side in a month.
"The thing about her is you've got huge experience at the wing attack position. And as you're getting more tired through the year and it gets halfway through the season and injuries start cropping up it's well worth while to have a good experienced side that you can call on and she fits in to that," Broughton said.
Lees and fellow Silver Fern Katarina Cooper seem set to battle for minutes at wing attack before Leota arrives. Newcomer Elias Shadrock, who has transferred from the Magic, is likely to start at centre.
Henry has rebounded well from last year's struggles and is aiming for a big campaign at wing defence with defenders Grant and Selby-Rickit ready to patrol the circle.
Shooters van Dyk and Wilkins have probably played more games of competitive netball than some of the other squads combined so they can be relied upon to do their thing.
Broughton also makes no promises about giving court-time to players who aren't delivering what she wants.
"The best will go on, I think everyone recognises that."
• Coach: Robyn Broughton. • Captain: Katrina Grant. • Last season: Fifth. • Gains: Irene van Dyk, Elias Shadrock, Gemma Hazeldine, Ama Agbeze, Katarina Cooper. • Losses: Caitlin Thwaites, Victoria Smith, Amber Bellringer, Daya Wiffen.
