Netball: Former Ferns make low-key return

Daneka Wipiiti shooting for the ferns in 2008. Photo / Getty Images

Among the low-key surroundings of the Queenstown Events Centre, where the Southern Steel are hosting a pre-season netball tournament this weekend, a handful of former Silver Ferns quietly made their comeback to top-level netball yesterday.

With just one month of training under her belt after giving birth in early December, Steel shooter Daneka Wipiiti hit the court for the first time in the hosts' opening match against the Queensland Firebirds.

Wipiiti managed a full game against the Firebirds, which the Steel lost 48-56, and backed up with three quarters against the Northern Mystics later.

While the 1.94m shooter struggled at times, Wipiiti said she considers it a starting point and hopes to get up to speed with the ultimate goal being re-selection in the Silver Ferns this year.

Fellow new mum Leana de Bruin continued her smooth transition back, impressing in her two games for the Southern side, after taking the court in a couple of pre-season friendlies in Christchurch two weeks ago.

De Bruin, who gave birth in late October after continuing to play for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic last season well into her second trimester, has not taken long to find her form.

The pair's return complicates the selection puzzle facing Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken in the all-important Commonwealth Games year.

Meanwhile, veteran midcourter Jenny May Coffin emerged from semi-retirement yesterday, getting her first test with the Northern Mystics in their opening loss to Central Pulse.

Coffin played for the Steel in the competition's inaugural season, but withdrew from last year's squad to pursue career opportunities. She later underwent a knee reconstruction that would have ruled her out of the 2009 season anyway. Coffin went in to this weekend's tournament carrying a slight calf injury, which forced her off the court mid-way through the second period in yesterday's 66-60 loss to the Pulse.

The 35-year-old returned to the court in the evening match against the Steel, but it was clear she was still hampered by the injury.

Coffin had, up until eight minutes into the second quarter of the Pulse match, been relishing her comeback to elite netball.

The crafty midcourter enjoyed an active off-season and is looking fit.

"I've been in full-on training with the Mystics for three months and everything was going great, so [this setback] is a wee bit frustrating," she said.

The Mystics lost both match-ups on day one, going down to the Steel 64-62 in the evening session.

The hosts lost to the Queensland Firebirds in the opening match.

The Firebirds followed up with a solid 62-50 victory over the Canterbury Tactix in the evening session. The Tactix earlier toppled the Australian Institute of Sport 54-45.

PRE-SEASON TOURNAMENT

* Queensland Firebirds 56 Southern Steel 48
* Canterbury Tactix 54 AIS 45
* Central Pulse 66 Northern Mystics 60
* Queensland Firebirds 62 Canterbury Tactix 50
* Southern Steel 64
* Northern Mystics 62