Netball: It's time to Force the issue

As far as catchphrases go, 'It's Force Time' is high up on the corn scale.

Nevertheless, starved by the Sting of the National Bank Cup success they crave, the Force has adopted an 'it's now or never' attitude to try and break the southern stronghold.

To this end coach Yvonne Willering has changed the pre-season preparation of the traditional slow starters.

Put simply: "We've played more games."

Last week Willering took the team to Australia for some hard match play before today's cup opener against Otago Rebels in Dunedin. The short tour achieved most of its aims, "except for the injuries", Willering bemoaned.

Veteran defender Kate Dowling has been ruled out of the trip, meaning a call for Linda Vagana, who probably never imagined her offer to help out in case of injuries would be taken up so quickly.

Willering says Vagana's base fitness will not be a problem, although match fitness will be a different matter.

"I'm not guaranteeing her any game time but we need her as cover as we're light on defenders."

Daneka Wipiiti will play with a splint on the thumb of her shooting hand after picking up a knock across the Tasman. She has been shooting with it during practice and reports no problems.

Wipiiti's progress will be monitored closely this season.

The enduring storyline to the beginning of this 2005 National Bank Cup has been the hysteria surrounding the depth of shooting behind Irene van Dyk. The panic is palpable and, according to Willering, not totally misplaced.

"We've placed such a great reliance in the past few years on two or three shooters.

"The situation now is one of 'what if Irene van Dyk gets injured?' She's such a vital player."

Ever since she was a very young player, Wipiiti was seen as a natural Silver Fern but some off-court dramas and on-court failings have seen her stocks lower.

She needs to convince everybody she has the maturity to push her mercurial talents to greater heights and not such low lows.

For now, Willering is just happy she's committed herself to the Force cause.

The former Silver Ferns coach says it is up to Wipiiti to make, in her own time, the decision about whether she is ready to cope with the pressures of playing at the highest level.

"She's certainly got time on her side," said a protective Willering.

The Force travelled yesterday to Dunedin where they expect a tough match from the locals.

It is a good match to get first up. By tonight Willering will indeed have some indication as to whether it is Force time or not.

Force: (from) Leana de Bruin, Linda Vagana, Temepara George, Kimberley Horton, Cathrine Latu, Ritua Petero, Nicolette Ropati, Sheryl Scanlan, Teresa Tairi, Daneka Wipiiti, Angelina Yates.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY