KEY POINTS:
Veteran forward Aneka Kerr has returned from knee surgery to bolster the New Zealand women's team for the Oceania championship in Dunedin.
Kerr, 26, underwent a second reconstruction to her left knee late last year and has been in rehabilitation with a view to playing for the new Christchurch Sirens franchise.
After missing most of the Tall Ferns' programme this year, she has been added for the championship, which starts on September 26 and doubles as the 2008 Olympic qualifying tournament.
It will mark her first competitive outing since collapsing on the court last November.
"Because of her previous good performances for the Tall Ferns, it was pretty clear we needed to rush her back into the team," coach Mike McHugh said yesterday.
"She is the sort of person you want to be in the trenches with.
"Aneka has been running for some months and practising for some time. I'm told by her and her specialist that the knee is as strong as it can be."
Kerr's return means the Tall Ferns are as close to full strength as they have been all year.
Only three spots are different to the outfit who won a silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, with forward Rebecca Cotton now retired, while captain Donna Loffhagen and injured guard Charmain Purcell are both unavailable.
Two other Commonwealth Games performers, guard Lisa Pardon and forward Jody Tini, have been added to the roster after sitting out tours to Japan, China and Taiwan.
"Everyone at this level is entitled to another chance," McHugh said.
"If they have been in the team, they just don't get dealt out. For the first half of the year, Lisa has had contractual obligations in Australia that didn't allow her to be part of the programme, but she had a pretty good camp in Christchurch last week.
"Without Donna, Jody's experience will be critical for this team."
World champions Australia and an as yet undecided South Pacific nation will compete against the Tall Ferns in Dunedin, and the winners will qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
- NZPA
