Halfway through netball's annual highlight, the Constellation Cup, the Silver Ferns are in the hot seat. Merryn Anderson looks at the intel we've gleaned so far.
The Silver Ferns are one win away from retaining the Constellation Cup, and keeping their hands on the silverware for the first time.
After a four-goal win over the Australian Diamonds in Tauranga on Sunday, New Zealand lead the four-match series, 2-0. Where they only need to win one more test in Australia to keep the Cup, the Diamonds would have to win the final two games by more than 10 goals combined to claim it back.
New Zealand have only won the first two games of a Constellation Cup once, back in 2012, but with only three matches in that series, it was enough to win the trophy.
Twice the series has finished 2-2 (in 2015 and 2019) but Australia won both with superior goal difference.
Re-crossing the ditch, the Diamonds will be especially hungry to win - it’s been over 1000 days since they last played a home test. The two final games are in Melbourne on Wednesday and the Gold Coast on Sunday.
With the series result still up in the air, but the Ferns having the upper-hand, here are five things we’ve learned so far from the Constellation Cup.
The international brilliance of the Nweke/Toeava combo
Anyone who watches the ANZ Premiership knows about the magical connection between goal shoot Grace Nweke and wing attack Peta Toeava at the Northern Mystics.
Toeava made her Silver Ferns debut in 2018, but only had three caps to her name before this series - unable to make the same mark in the black dress that she has domestically. And no-one knew how Toeava would react in her first time playing the Diamonds and their tight man-on-man defence.
No-one need have worried.
She had a massive 25 and 27 goal assists across the two tests, and was the key feeder to Nweke. The Ferns were down (by one) at halftime in the second match, after hesitation to feed the ball straight into Nweke. But once Toeava regained the confidence to go long and look in, the Ferns were unstoppable, especially in a huge third quarter.
Toeava now sits out the two Australian games, and after playing two full matches, all eyes will be on the new midcourt combinations - with Toeava firmly making her case for further Ferns selection, especially if Nweke is in.
The goal's gotta go in
In the opening test, the Ferns and Diamonds both had 61 attempts at goal, yet the Ferns triumphed by eight goals. Nweke and captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio missed just five shots between them, while the Aussie shooters struggled, finishing the match with just 79 percent accuracy.
The Diamonds improved their accuracy in the second test - Cara Koenen and Steph Wood stepping up - but a wildly impressive 37 goals at 100 percent accuracy from Nweke gave the Ferns the edge again.
The shooting circle has been an area of debate over the last few years, with Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua known for wanting shooters who have the confidence to turn and shoot, but sometimes coming at the expense of accuracy.
Not only does Taurua now have consistent shooters in Nweke and Ekenasio, she also has Maia Wilson on the bench, who’s been proven to shoot consistently and hold her own on the international scene.
It’s hard not to be confident to put shots up with Nweke under the hoop - she took two rebounds in the first test, while the Australian defenders couldn’t grab one clean one.
A good dilemma to have
As the Ferns flew into Melbourne yesterday, they were without Sulu Fitzpatrick, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan and Toeava - making room for Maddy Gordon, Kimiora Poi and Elle Temu.
For the largely inexperienced trio (14 caps between them), facing the world number one and recent Commonwealth Games champions will be a big challenge, but it’s a chance for coach Taurua to test out her wider squad against quality opposition.
Temu’s two Ferns appearances came against an under-strength Jamaican side, so the step up to a trans-Tasman battle in front of an Australian crowd will be exciting to watch.
It’s a huge opportunity for Temu to make her mark, while the Ferns are without star defenders Karin Burger and Jane Watson. Burger (foot surgery) and Watson (first baby) should make their return in the new year, if the proposed Quad Series in Cape Town goes ahead - which should double as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup there in July.
Add Phoenix Karaka (MVP in game one), Kelly Jury and Fitzpatrick into the mix and Taurua and the New Zealand selectors are going to have a tough decision on their hands before the World Cup.
There's depth on the bench
At the beginning of the first test, New Zealand had a whopping 176 caps of experience between their five subs, while the Australian bench had less than 40 between them.
When the Ferns were down in the second test, Taurua was able to call on the experience of Jury and Kayla Johnson to get the team back into the game, while the Australians introduced three debutants (who made little difference).
Shooters Wilson (35 caps) and Te Paea Selby-Rickit (57 caps) were unused in the first two games, with Nweke and Ekenasio proving their worth as athletes who can run out a full 60 minutes.
But to have experienced heads who won’t miss a beat when called on (like Johnson coming on to replace a bleeding Karaka in test one) shows the Silver Ferns' depth. Something we were envious the Australians had, not that long ago.
Premiership paying dividends
In Suncorp Super Netball, the Australian domestic league, teams get timeouts to re-group with their players and coaching staff, often choosing to take them when the opposing team goes on a run of goals to stop their momentum.
In international netball and our ANZ Premiership, players are left to sort it out themselves, or risk an angry changing room talking-to at half-time.
During the second test, the Ferns found themselves down by four early in the second quarter, with the Diamonds threatening to push that lead further. But the Ferns were able to assert themselves back into the game, reducing their deficit to just one at half-time.
The Diamonds couldn’t do the same, losing the third quarter 15-9, before a much improved final quarter saw them win the stanza by just one goal - but not enough to undo the damage done by the Ferns in the third period.
Suncorp Super Netball also has the opportunity for unlimited imports, with stars from all around the world (minus New Zealand) having the chance to play against each other on a weekly basis.
Netball New Zealand’s policy doesn’t allow Kiwi players to compete in Suncorp without an exemption. It was a controversial decision when introduced, many believing it would limit Kiwi players if they weren’t experiencing games against some of the best players in the world. It cost Ferns legend Laura Langman an international season.
However, others lauded the idea, with the NZ-only competition giving young Kiwi talent the chance to play consistent netball and develop into world-class players, while some young Aussies are stuck on the bench over the ditch.
This was clearly on display this week, as Australia struggled without key shooter Gretel Bueta, who’s expecting her second child, and is out of the World Cup as well. A lot of the shooting stars in Suncorp are international, with players from Jamaica, England, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Malawi all represented in the circle.
Whereas New Zealand were missing midcourters Shannon Saunders (pregnant) and Gina Crampton (on sabbatical), and the midcourt didn’t skip a beat.
How can the Ferns win?
The Silver Ferns have the chance to win the series outright with one more victory. But with a slightly-different looking Kiwi team suiting up in Australia, and home court advantage for the Diamonds, the win won’t come as easily.
But don't forget, the Australians also have off-court drama to contend with, over a contentious new sponsor's logo on their playing uniforms.
New Zealand have never won a Constellation Cup outright, whereas Australia have completed two clean sweeps (2014 and 2017).
It would be the perfect preparation for a Netball World Cup in nine months’ time if the Silver Ferns could win the Constellation Cup for just the third time in the competition’s 12-year history.
*The Silver Ferns take on the Australian Diamonds in the third test of the Constellation Cup on Wednesday, with the game live on Sky Sport 1 at 9pm. The final test takes place on Sunday, at 9pm, also on Sky Sport 1.
