KEY POINTS:
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken has written off her Australian counterpart Norma Plummer's claims that New Zealand are the favourites for the transtasman tests.
Aitken accuses the Australian coach of playing mind games.
Despite the Australians enjoying a healthy period of dominance over the past 18 months, Plummer has declared her side the underdogs going into this week's two-test series beginning in Christchurch on Wednesday.
In the lead-up to the series Plummer has been at pains to point out Australia are missing five players from last year's World Championship winning team after the retirements of Liz Ellis, Selina Gilsenan and Laura von Bertouch, while health concerns have ruled out new skipper Sharelle McMahon and fellow shooter Natalie Medhurst.
The shrewd Australian coach said her side are in a rebuilding phase and, with her sights set on Commonwealth Games gold in 2010, she plans to experiment widely with combinations to build depth in her squad.
But Aitken is refusing to read too much into the comments and believes that Plummer would never sacrifice winning for player development.
"She's certainly been saying she wants to experiment, but sometimes you never know what to believe with Norma, whether she's just saying things to put you off on the wrong direction," said Aitken.
With the newly branded Australian Diamonds missing two class goal-attacks in McMahon and Medhurst, Aitken said Plummer doesn't really have the luxury of messing around with her shooting end.
The absence of McMahon and Medhurst certainly won't weaken the Australian front line, with impressive NSW Swifts pair Catherine Cox and Susan Pratley arguably the in-form shooting combination anyway.
But with only the inexperienced Kate Beveridge and Caitlin Thwaites to turn to on the bench, Aitken believes Plummer's options are limited.
"I'm expecting her not to experiment in that shooting circle.
"I'm also expecting her to probably look for her experienced players to start with and then she might add some more in," said Aitken.
As for her own plans to test out new combinations against Australia, Aitken said she is likely to take a very conservative approach.
Given New Zealand are missing two key attacking players from last year's World Champs, with Adine Wilson and Jodi Brown taking time out for motherhood, Aitken has no choice but to test new combinations.
She said she will take a "slowly does it approach" but hopes to introduce a variety of lines in the coming weeks, with the Ferns also set to take on England next month before a return series against Australia.
"We certainly do want to develop players during these next seven weeks and that means getting players out on court.
"But I do want our structure to stay really good and obviously I want the outcome to be what I want as well."
And Aitken is confident minor injury concerns in the camp won't force her into any changes for Wednesday's opening test.
Captain Julie Seymour and Leana de Bruin both sat out training sessions over the weekend with niggling injuries.
Seymour has had a slight hip strain, and de Bruin copped a heavy blow to the thigh after a training collision with Sheryl Scanlan.
New World International series
Silver Ferns v Australia:
Game 1: Wednesday, Christchurch.
Game 2: Saturday, Auckland
