Netball: Seeking new blood for lacklustre Ferns

Kayla Cullen’s career development has been stalled by a serious knee injury. Photo / Getty Images

After the Silver Ferns produced their worst performance in a final of a major championship in Glasgow, the thought of next year's World Cup brings with it a sense of impending doom.

The Ferns were left exposed in every area of the court in their 18-goal drubbing at the hands of Australia in the Commonwealth Games final, raising major concerns about the team's ability to challenge the dominance of the Diamonds side.

Waimarama Taumaunu has just 12 months to turn around the broken Ferns unit and develop the personnel and gameplan to challenge the dominant Australians.

There are not going to be mass changes to the test line-up before the World Cup. For one, it would be counter-productive to bring in a raft of new players and try and establish new combinations in the short timeframe available, and secondly New Zealand netball does not have the depth to do it anyway. Actually, that should probably have been number one.

But following last Sunday's horror-show in Glasgow, the national selectors will be looking closely at the balance of the team and considering what tweaks can be made to close the gap on the impressive Australians.

So who is a chance of breaking into the Ferns' line-up for next year's World Cup?

Temalisi Fakahokotau (defender)

The Ferns have fielded the same four defenders - Casey Kopua, Leana de Bruin, Katrina Grant and Anna Harrison - for the past three major championships. They are an experienced and mostly formidable unit, but they are also now well known to the Australian attack. Taumaunu may look to inject something different into the defence, with impressive young defender Fakahokotau considered a strong option.

Temalisi Fakahokotau. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The 19-year-old was a stand-out in her rookie season in the ANZ Championship and provides strong aerial contesting and aggression at the back. Fakahokotau is raw, but Ferns management are likely to fast-track her development by including her in the national squad next month.

If she impresses during camp, she could be rewarded with a test call-up for the end-of-year series against Australia and England.

Kayla Cullen (midcourt)

Seen as a key player for the future when she made her senior international debut in late 2011, Cullen's career stalled after she suffered a serious knee injury just days out from the start of the World Youth Cup nearly a year ago. She hoped to be back on court for the Mystics by the midway stage of the ANZ Championship this year and force her way back into the Ferns line-up for the Commonwealth Games, but a series of set-backs with her rehabilitation prevented that. She also missed the under-23 national championships in Dunedin last month. It is thought Cullen won't be ready to return to court-specific work until October, making it unlikely she will take part in any of the Ferns programme for the rest of the year. Her road to selection for next year's World Cup will have to be through a strong 2015 ANZ Championship season.

Grace Rasmussen (midcourt)

It was about the fit rather than the form of Rasmussen that saw the midcourter, a stand-out for the Magic last season, miss out on a place in the Commonwealth Games. The national selectors were looking to find the right balance in the midcourt, with Shannon Francois providing more of a point of difference to the crafty Liana Leota.

Grace Rasmussen. Photo / Christine Cornege

But after Francois struggled to make an impact at the tournament, the midcourt options will again be carefully reviewed. Getting unstressed ball into the shooting circle was an area the Ferns consistently struggled with against higher quality opponents in Glasgow, and given Rasmussen led the transtasman league in goal assists this year, she could be a contender for a recall. Camilla Lees, who will play alongside Laura Langman, Maria Tutaia and Cathrine Latu at the Mystics next year, will also be on the selectors' radar.

Bailey Mes (shooter)

After sitting behind Latu and Tutaia on the Mystics bench for the past five seasons, Mes will move south to the Tactix next season in search of consistent court time.

Bailey Mes. Photo / Sarah Ivey

What little we have seen of Mes has been in the goal shoot and wing attack bibs, but with those positions well-covered in Canterbury, it is likely Mes will hold down the goal attack spot. The selectors will be keeping a close eye on how Mes develops in that role under the tutelage of coach Sue Hawkins, a former Australian shooter. The 1.87m attacker, who battled her way back from a serious knee injury last year, could be an option for the internationals later in the year as the Ferns look to build depth in a traditionally problematic area of the court for them.