Netball: Mental toughness the key, say Ferns

The Silver Ferns will focus on honing their mental toughness. Photo / Getty Images

The Silver Ferns believe a lack of mental toughness has cost them the series against Australia.

The New Zealand team arrived in Auckland yesterday ruing a lack of composure in the dying stages of Sunday's heart-breaking one-goal loss to Australia. The result saw Australia take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series heading into tomorrow's final test at Auckland's Vector Arena.

The Ferns are now desperate to ensure 3-1 does not become 4-1.

They have singled out the mental side of their game as needing the most work in the lead-up to the final test.

Silver Ferns assistant coach Waimarama Taumaunu said with the biggest winning margin over the past four tests being just four goals, there was very little between the two sides.

She said the team showed some major improvement on attack in Sunday's loss, but lacked the mental fortitude to execute under pressure.

"We had the winning of the game in the last two minutes and we didn't take it," said Taumaunu.

"We have to learn to really appreciate that in games where you're winning and losing by one goal, it's minimal percentage point differences in terms of our centre-pass success rate and those sorts of things and it comes down to nailing it when it absolutely matters.

"I think it's about the whole group needing to understand when we absolutely have to commit ourselves to scoring a goal and that's an area we really need to fine-tune before Wednesday."

Captain Casey Williams echoed those thoughts, saying her side did not cope with the pressure of the tight match as well as the Australians.

"I think the top two inches is really important, you can be physically fit, but also mentally you also need to be fit as well. I think at the crucial times our decision-making is not so hot."

The narrow loss to Australia is clearly still grating on the ultra-competitive defender, who said in Sunday's televised post-match interview she was "pissed off" to have handed the series to the Diamonds.

Her comments drew equal amounts of praise and scorn from the public, with some finding the gutsy defender's brutal honesty a breath of fresh air, while others believed that as a role model to young children, she should have picked her words more carefully.

It is the second time Williams has raised eyebrows with her post-match comments.

The talented defender gave a blunt appraisal of her side's attacking performance after their 36-33 loss in Brisbane, singling out shooter Irene van Dyk as having had a poor game.

The New Zealand skipper was not backing down from her comments yesterday, claiming she will always deliver a frank and upfront assessment, and what was said was a reflection of her disappointment.

"You work so hard as a team and you put so much into it, and to lose by one goal really hurts. But at the end of the day that's life, that's sport.

"There were positives in that game, we did actually play a good game of netball. I guess it's just the things that happen at the crucial moments that we need to tidy up on."