Netball: Silver Ferns Coach Dame Noeline Taurua Faces Selection Dilemma
Netball New Zealand's confirmation last week of a Northern Hemisphere tour in November would have come as a relief to Dame Noeline Taurua.
The Silver Ferns will play two tests against Scotland and three much-needed internationals against England. Without the tour to the UK, the Silver Ferns would have finished the year with just seven tests, nowhere near the international exposure they need.
The next two years are huge for netball, with the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and World Cup the following year. The Silver Ferns will be desperate to get better results, having finished third at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and fourth at the 2023 World Cup - their worst result at the pinnacle event.
On Monday, Dame Noeline is set to name a squad of 16 to 18 players for the Taini Jamison series against South Africa in September.
The 2025/26 Silver Ferns and Development squads will then be announced on the 11th October, before the four-Test Constellation Cup against Australia starting on the 17th October.
Shooters
The biggest issue facing the Silver Ferns right now is a lack of depth in the goal attack position and that is been brought to the fore with captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio taking a break from internationals.
Dame Noeline will be crossing her fingers that Ekenasio's break is temporary and that the 79-Test veteran will be raring to go for next year's Commonwealth Games.
With Grace Nweke likely to become eligible for the Silver Ferns under new criteria, the goal shoot position looks very solid.
Amelia Walmsley, this year's top scorer in the ANZ Premiership, will be named but will not be available for the South Africa series as she is representing New Zealand at the Youth World Cup.
Going forward, Nweke and Walmsley should be mainstays in the goal shoot bib, except Walmsley might be needed to step into the goal attack bib, given the lack of options.
Former Silver Ferns Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Tiana Metuarau are not making themselves available.
The 52-Test Silver Fern Maia Wilson, who only got 17 minutes during last year's Constellation Cup, had a lacklustre domestic season.
In any other year Wilson would be at risk of being dropped but with shooting stocks thin, she may be seen as a safe pair of hands to have in the team.
Now is the time to test some fringe players who show promise - Martina Salmon, Filda Vui, Georgia Heffernan, and Saviour Tui are in that mix.
Tui's issue is that she really only covers the goal shoot position, and she has been inconsistent at times in the domestic league.
In terms of out-and-out goal attacks, Filda Vui's fearless shooting from anywhere in the circle could be a real asset. Vui was named in the Silver Ferns for a series in early 2022 but did not take the court.
Georgia Heffernan, who made her New Zealand debut in January last year, had a better season with the Steel this year so could get a recall.
Martina Salmon is an attractive prospect because of her height, her long-range shooting, and the fact she can cover both shooting positions.
Aliyah Dunn has not played for the Silver Ferns in seven years but could be a left-field selection. The high volume goal shoot was impressive in her return to the Southern Steel this year but the mandatory fitness tests have cost her a place in the Ferns in the past.
Midcourt
The midcourt is the hardest area to narrow down, with several players in the mix.
The first two names Dame Noeline Taurua will want to write down are Maddy Gordon and Kate Heffernan.
Gordon again showed how versatile she is, taking up the wing attack bib with aplomb in the last few rounds of the ANZ Premiership, when Whitney Souness was unavailable.
Kimiora Poi made a great return to the Silver Ferns dress last year with her performances at wing attack in the Constellation Cup. She is just as good at centre and has an engine that never stops.
Explosive wing attack Peta Toeava will make a long anticipated return to the black dress if she can pass the fitness tests.
Toeava has been in and out but mostly out of the squad over a number of years. The biggest barrier to adding to her eight test caps has been her conditioning.
After Toeava missed out on the Silver Ferns squad last year Dame Noeline told RNZ that the selectors would dearly love to pick the 31-year-old.
"...We love her, we see what she is capable of and still believe if she can do what she needs to do around her physical capability and conditioning that she'll be a massive asset for us."
Claire O'Brien, who grew up in Australia, made her Silver Ferns debut last year after impressing selectors with her 'netball IQ'.
The wing attack took a while to warm into this year's domestic season but offers a point of difference and maturity in the midcourt.
Wing attack-centre slides Whitney Souness and Mila Reuelu-Buchanan have not been able to cement starting positions in the Silver Ferns.
Between Gordon, Poi, Toeava, and O'Brien, the wing attack position is well covered. And between Gordon, Poi, and Heffernan the centre bib is well taken care of.
There just might not be room for the 44-test cap Souness and Reuelu-Buchanan, who has 13 caps.
Heffernan was very effective at wing defence during last year's Constellation Cup and is likely to be Dame Noeline's first choice there.
Wing defence Paris Lokotui looks ready to be promoted into the Silver Ferns after a fine season with the Tactix and a debut should be on the cards.
Another young player who has impressed this year is Magic midcourter Georgie Edgecombe, who can slide between centre and wing defence.
With 12 tests coming up it would be a good time to blood a player that shows so much promise.
Defenders
Experienced defenders Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger form the backbone of the defensive end.
Parris Mason made her debut last year and the feisty young goal defence will thrive with more court time but her return might be gradual as she recovers from a neck injury.
With veteran defenders Jane Watson and Phoenix Karaka not available, it is time to test new circle defenders.
Catherine Hall and Carys Stythe made great strides in the ANZ Premiership this year, featuring in the top stats, and should get their first taste of Test netball in this international window.
Michaela Sokolich-Beatson could be in the conversation following a very good season at the Mystics, where she reminded everyone that she is a genuine goal defence option.
Kate Burley has made the past two Silver Ferns squads but a test debut still eludes her. That wait might continue, as she recovers from a foot injury that saw her miss most of the domestic season.
Possible squad
Shooters
Grace Nweke* (pending dispensation)
Amelia Walmsley
Martina Salmon
Georgia Heffernan
Filda Vui
Maia Wilson
Midcourters
Kate Heffernan
Maddy Gordon
Kimiora Poi
Peta Toeava
Claire O'Brien
Paris Lokotui
Georgie Edgecombe
Defenders
Kelly Jackson
Karin Burger
Parris Mason
Catherine Hall
Carys Stythe
Potential new Development Squad members
Sophia Lafaiali'i
Holly Mather
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