Netball: Ferns eye southern cauldron for revival

Silver Ferns goal attack Paula Griffin could team up with Maria Tutaia in the shooting circle for the fourth test in Invercargill. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - As Silver Ferns netball coach Ruth Aitken succinctly put it: "Bring on Invers", but whether a rabid home crowd can cure her side's attack is another matter.

The Ferns return home today 1-2 down in the five-test series after Australia held their nerve best to win a torrid, physical third test 36-33 at a packed Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The sides reconvene in Invercargill on Sunday where it's must-win for the Ferns to stay alive heading to Auckland the following Wednesday.

On the strength of last night's gutsy defensive effort, with captain Casey Williams at the forefront at her new goal defence spot, it's well within the Ferns to avert their two-match losing streak against the world champions.

But Aitken admitted she had some thinking to do about her attack as the sides posted their equal-lowest combined score in 60-minute contests.

The radar-like Irene van Dyk, so long the Ferns' go-to girl, was effectively shut down by player of the match Susan Fuhrmann, the 1.96m defensive wall.

Her 16 from 22 wasn't up to her ultra-high standards, and the fact she only put up 22 shots told the story of her struggles, and those of feeders Temepara George and Laura Langman.

Aitken suggested a more mobile Paula Griffin/Maria Tutaia combination might be looming ever closer, to mix it up.

"We're wanting to develop more shooting options, that's one of our goals for this year.

"It's good to know that Paula's now a good option at goal attack and we'd like to develop another option without Irene in there at some stage," Aitken said.

Griffin, 21, looked composed and her general play was sound in her first start against Australia, although 15 from 22 hardly outshone her 37-year-old shooting partner.

With Sharelle McMahon celebrating her 100th test, she and Susan Pratley shot 36 from 45 for 80 per cent while van Dyk, Griffin and Tutaia - who struggled when injected into a tense final quarter - shot 33 from 50 for 66 per cent.

Aitken was encouraged by her side's defence under the tutelage of Wai Taumaunu, which won "truckloads of ball" and shut down Australia's speed.

"It just showed that these games are so tight and so intense, it's about who keeps their head, while still ensuring that their heart is passionate.

"The game got really on the edge and it's those times that we need to keep a cool head on attack and we weren't quite able to do that." Aitken hoped Invercargill would provide that tonic.

"Let's take them into our cauldron. I do believe we can take great heart from the fact we did a lot of good things but we know we've got to finish it off." That cauldron wasn't filling the Australians with great excitement as they catch a 6am flight on Wednesday for a long journey to the deep south.

Said McMahon with a grimace: "I'm really looking forward to that one." But coach Norma Plummer was having none of it as her side look to close out the series.

"Absolutely, we know it's tough to win in Invercargill. But as I keep saying, you win it because you do the job on the court, and the court doesn't change."

- NZPA