Netball: Ferns' final chance to hold some silver

Wai Taumaunu says that the team recognises the tournament is about helping to grow some youngsters. Photo / Mark Mitchell

After a year of disappointment, the Silver Ferns have one last opportunity to secure some silverware in this weekend's World Fastnet Series in Liverpool.

The international netball season wraps up with the three-day tournament, in which the top six nations face off in a shortened format of the game.

While the World Series is seen as a second-tier international competition, winning would boost the New Zealand team's morale after world championship heartbreak, and last month's series loss in Australia.

But coach Waimarama Taumaunu said the Ferns were not pinning their hopes on a tournament win to bring some respectability to their season.

She said the team were viewing the series more as an opportunity to develop their young players by exposing them to top-level international opposition.

"[The disappointment of the world championships] has not even been discussed, I don't get a strong sense that's a driving thing in this group.

"I think partly because half the group weren't at the world champs and partly I think the other ones recognise this tournament is about helping to grow some youngsters," she said.

Which is not to say the Ferns aren't there with winning in mind.

New Zealand have twice won the Fastnet and are keen to make it a "three-peat" in 2011.

But Taumaunu believes that on both occasions New Zealand had luck on their side, some of the rule innovations in effect making the tournament a bit of a lottery.

"We recognise the vagaries of this competition and the rules at present mean there's such a big element of luck that the difference between first and fourth is minimal in the end.

"So we want to try and be focused on developing the youth, giving them a good experience and hopefully that will pan out in a positive result."

Last year Netball New Zealand sent a second-string line-up to the tournament as it was just a month after the Commonwealth Ges, but this time several frontline Silver Ferns have opted to take part, including star shooters Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia, and defenders Anna Scarlett and Katrina Grant.

The rest of the team has been supplemented by some fresh faces, including under-21 midcourter Shannon Francois, and a trio of young defenders - Kayla Cullen, Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick and Jess Tuki.

Taumaunu said she was keen to give the younger players as much exposure as possible.

"We've made quite a concerted effort to be a bit more adventurous in our line-ups. It's all very well to say that before the thing starts, but the intent is there."

But that desire to be adventurous does not extend to all the rule innovations the shortened format of the game allows. In the past two years the Ferns have won the tournament without embracing the rule changes.

Attempts at taking two-point shots from outside the circle have been minimal, while rolling substitutions have been shunned.

Taumaunu said the six-minute quarters made substitutions unnecessary during play.

"My preference is, if we're going to use these young ones then they should at least be given six minutes."

But Ferns sharpshooters Maria Tutaia and Cathrine Latu have been taking the opportunity to hone their long-range radars in the build-up to the tournament and Taumaunu has encouraged them to take the two-point shot if the opportunity presents itself.

"We've talked about using [two-pointers] in a sensible and strategic way," she said, "and I must say Maria and Cat have done some great two-pointers at really good times."

WORLD SERIES

Echo Arena, Liverpool
Tomorrow - Monday

Competing teams:
Australia
New Zealand
England
Jamaica
South Africa
Fiji

New Zealand: Irene van Dyk, Kayla Cullen, Shannon Francois, Katrina Grant, Cathrine Latu, Camilla Lees, Liana Leota, Anna Scarlett, Anna Thompson, Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, Jess Tuki, Maria Tutaia.