Netball: Silver Ferns have a shot as champs, say ex-Ferns

The Ferns are up for a challenge. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The netball World Cup starts next Friday and it’s not just old rivals, the Australian Diamonds, the Silver Ferns should be worrying about as Tess Nichol discovered when talking to former Silver Ferns Belinda Colling, Lois Muir and Anna Stanley.

Colling: "[Shooter Caitlin] Bassett is a real strength for Australia and they will need strategies to shut her down. However, it's not all about Australia for them. I think England and Jamaica are going to be a real threat as well.

Muir: "I would be very nervous of Jamaica and England close behind. Australia are not the only challenge."

Stanley:

"They have really got to back themselves and leave no stone unturned and have faith in one another, so it will be tough but it's certainly achievable."

Colling: "Anything in a World Cup is possible. There's definitely some more vulnerabilities than there have been with a lot of new faces who haven't had a lot of time together."

Muir: "No, I wouldn't say that, but I just say it depends on the day and everyone fitting."

Stanley:

"It's all about how you perform during that 10-day period. If they don't perform on the days they need to, then they may not make the final. But they've certainly got every shot."

Colling: "These games have been really important for them. It hasn't always been pretty but you've got to accept that when you're building and in that developing phase.

"I would have loved to have seen [Kayla] Cullen at centre, I think she's got great speed, I would have loved to have seen more of Phoenix Karaka. I would have loved to have seen a game plan that had more pace to it and speed because they've got that. But that might be still to come - we don't see all their preparation."

Muir: "I was at the Hamilton game with the team for two or three days and it was really quite exciting. It's a fresh start and an exciting team and they will get better each game they play."

Stanley:

"I think it's great they're going into the World Cup fresh off a couple of wins over South Africa and I think they got better from test one to test two, which is good."

Shooter Maria Tutaia is a key figure for the Silver Ferns, who need her to stay on target. Photo / Dean Purcell

Colling: "I think they've got some real strength in their mid-court - [Laura] Langman's experience and capability, the speed of Cullen and [Shannon] Francois - and the speed and explosiveness of that shooting with [Bailey] Mes. Maria Tutaia is always the X-factor. When she's on, she is one of our key firing weapons. And in defence, you've got experience. When our defenders are on form, they are very hard to penetrate."

Muir: "Seamless subs. People can switch in and add value to the team. It's a team game and I think this Silver Ferns team has got that team quality. You can't always win by having one outstanding player."

Stanley:

"Defensively we're strong. That's an area that, when they make the changes and combinational switches, they're seamless. We've also got dynamic and athletic players - we don't have a player down the end that's six foot four that we just throw the long bomb in - which is a real strength and the way we play on attack ... it's going to be fast and dynamic and that can play to our advantage."

Colling: "There are definitely some more vulnerabilities than previous years. There are a lot of new faces who haven't had a lot of time together. [Casey] Kopua is still coming back from her injuries and the key shooting line-up from the last few years, you don't have that any more."

Muir: "The understanding between the new and experienced players, but it has to happen. I think they will play good netball and will do well."

Stanley:

"At times, our shooting consistency could be higher. We saw in the test series against South Africa that the shooting stats weren't as high as they should have been. But you never know what a shooter can pull out."

Colling: "It's going to be tough and, with the World Cup, you never know. It's all about what happens on the day ... but I would always back the Silver Ferns."

Muir: "A World Cup is running the total race. I wouldn't count my chickens too soon to say that it's New Zealand's right to be in the final against Australia."

Stanley: "They're going to have to fight pretty hard to make that final but I've got every faith they can do it. If the Ferns can get to the final, they've got a great shot at winning gold. [It's just] going to be a challenge to get to the final."