By RICHARD BOOCK
The Silver Ferns have resorted to name, rank and serial number tactics over their likely starting line-up for the first test against Australia.
Although the New Zealand squad have been reasonably settled in the past year or so, the starting line-up for tomorrow night's opening test in Wellington is still far from certain, and coach Yvonne Willering is keen to keep it that way.
Television crews were asked not to film Wednesday night's practice game against the New Zealand men, and newspaper photographers allowed to shoot images for 15 minutes at the beginning of play were soon ushered away as the training session progressed.
There are three main areas of contention when it comes to the home side's starting line-up, which will carry at least one alteration after the unavailability of wing-defence Lesley Nicol.
The biggest uncertainty is at goal-attack, where Willering has used Donna Loffhagen and Belinda Colling in tests, but there is also doubt over whether Vic Edward or Julie Seymour will start at wing-defence, and whether Willering will opt for Linda Vagana or Vilimaina Davu at goal-keep.
Willering has expressed satisfaction over her team's preparations, but remains coy about her likely opening quarter combination, saying only that she was happy with the options she had at her disposal.
"This gives us the opportunity to try out combinations and give all our players a go," she said of the match against the men.
"Because we've been changing our line-up so often it took time to settle after each quarter."
It could be that Edward will be favoured for the wing-defence berth on the basis of her earlier selection in the squad, and that Vagana's experience will be preferred at the back.
Elsewhere, the team virtually pick themselves, with van Dyk a certainty at goal-shoot, Adine Harper a shoo-in at wing-attack, and Temepara George and Bernice Mene automatic choices at centre and goal-defence respectively.
Netball: Ferns line-up unclear
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