Netball: Silver Ferns shock and awe

Veterans Latu, Henry and Leota axed as coach aims to surprise dominant Aussies.

When Silver Ferns netball coach Waimarama Taumaunu gathered the team she had selected for the World Cup together on Wednesday night to deliver the good news, it wasn't long before the excitement in the room gave way to shock.

As the players looked around the room at one another, it soon dawned on them that there were some big names and long-serving veterans missing from the group.

There was no Cathrine Latu - a player who four years earlier the selectors were so desperate to have in the World Cup team that Netball NZ went all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to try to get the former Samoan international's stand-down period reduced.

No Joline Henry, the Silver Ferns' enforcer at wing defence and a midcourt mainstay for over a decade. And no Liana Leota, who had left her rugby-playing husband, Johnny, and their three children on the other side of the world so she could chase her World Cup dream back home.

In all, 186 caps had disappeared with the stroke of a pen.

In their place, a group of exciting young talents, but largely untested at international level, including uncapped shooter Malia Paseka.

Young defender Phoenix Karaka, 20, who is set to appear in her first World Cup, said she felt disappointment for others as keenly as her own delight at making the team for the biggest tournament on the netball calendar.

"It was such a weird feeling because it's been quite a shock over who hasn't made the team as well and it was really sad to see people leaving [the camp]," said Karaka.

"We were all excited for each other and individually for ourselves, but it was mixed emotions because there were some really experienced players who have given their all for the Ferns that weren't there."

Given New Zealand's poor run of results against Australia over the past two seasons, Taumaunu said the selectors had no choice but to make some big changes to the team if they were to have any chance of challenging the dominant Diamonds.

"We're on a nine-game losing streak to Australia, there's no doubt that I came in knowing that I needed to make changes, but I want to reiterate we picked the 12 best players here, this is not change for change's sake," she said.

"I've got no doubt there is risk attached to this team, but with change comes risk and I felt if we didn't take a slightly riskier approach, we weren't going over to Sydney to try and win, we were going over to play."

The most controversial selection was the axing of Latu for Paseka, who is unproven at this level. Although Latu has struggled against Australia in recent seasons, she was still seen as a safe pair of hands against the likes of Jamaica and England, whom the Ferns will have to get past if they are to reach the final.

But Taumaunu said concerns over Latu's shooting volume and reluctance to put up the shots from distance proved sticking points with the selection panel.

"In the shooting end we need people who will create shooting opportunities, that the feeders can find with some ease, who can rebound well, and who don't lose the ball through passing errors or offensive penalties," she said.

The selection of Paseka, a former NSW age-group player, will see her return to the city she grew up in for next month's tournament. Much of her family remain in Sydney and Paseka is delighted they will be there to support her when she makes her World Cup debut.

"I'm really happy my family can be there. When I called my Dad he was like 'great, get us some tickets' - he never thought before now that I might be there," said Paseka, who returned to New Zealand in 2012.