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Aussie starting 7:
GS: Koenen
GA: Austin
WA: Watson
C: Price
WD: Moloney
GD: Weston
GK: BruceFerns starting 7:
GS: Nweke
GA: Heffernan
WA: MRB
C: Gordan
WD: Heffernan
GD: Burger
GK: JurySo Heffernan gets the nod at GA… what happened to Noels saying she wouldn’t put pressure on Georgia since she probably wasn’t ready yet?
After all that talk, Georgia Heffernan is in!
Can’t believe I’m still awake (in Sydney), this better be worth it! Gordon’s first couple of moves drew a lot of attention that the rest of NZ didn’t capitalise on, but now it looks better. Aus really know when to move and where such that the passes seem quite simple. It’s 4-3 to Aus after 5 mins (one miss for each side, both with defensive rebounds)
Hi Iona! Aus have five shooters, so we’d expect one not named in the match day 12, today it’s Donelle as spectator.
Don’t be fooled by NZ coming 4th at the World Cup – they def are still second best in the world and can DEFINITELY beat Australia (although not when Bruce takes another internet like that).
Tamsin Greenway mentioned in the pre-match Liz Watson’s gutsy feeds over tall defence, and she’s doing it again, but the release point and the angle of the path make perfect sense.
Great quick feed from Austin to Koenen (Jury went out, so Burger was left at the back), crikey it’s 10-4! And lucky that Aus just missed that shot.
Gee they’re really banging on about Bruce “recently being named (by Netball Scoop) as the best player in the world”, they’ve said it at least four times. Catherine Latu’s commentary is really quite good, accurate, timely, insightful and FUN.
If you were in any doubt that it could be close, Kate Heffernan created a turnover at the centre pass and finally a great drive from her (debutant) sister Georgia at GA resulting in a goal that seemed to lift the Kiwis.
End of Q1 Aus 14/18 (78%) and NZ 9/10 (90%). Stats are really pretty even, 4 gains to Aus and 2 to NZ, prob more turnovers by NZ hence the scoreline.
1/4 time: AUS 14-9
Koenen 8/9 (89%)
Austin 6/9 (67%)Nweke 8/8 (100%)
Heffernan 1/2 (50%)Wow, that 15 minutes went fast. Aus threatened to blow the game apart but NZ fought back late.
Remember how the short pass rule changed? Gary Burgess just got his first win against Reuelu-Buchanan.
Just too easy (and therefore so good to watch) for Koenen, she identifies the space and does exactly the right thing to use it – bolt to the post, or offer for a subtle deceptive pop from Austin, so lovely. Currently 22-14 halfway through Q2.
The ball is suddenly getting in for shots so much faster for NZ (and also a little faster for Aus), due to Souness coming on at WA replacing Reuelu-Buchanan (MRB from now on). It seems like Souness has the faith that Nweke will pull it in, so she just pegs it (way off the circle) and Nweke has to pull it in.
Jo Weston went off for a few minutes and Aryang on, my view of that is giving the veteran player more rest, and Aryang didn’t have much time to prove anything, I’d expect her to stay on but be subbed back off at some point after half time, or indeed use the Bruce/Klau combo.
29-22 at half time. Aus want to win, I wouldn’t change the front line at all YET, but Hadley at C and Price back to WD would be acceptable.
NZ aren’t going to make inroads like this. They sometimes close the gap by one but there isn’t sustained pressure, and honestly, they’re just not intense or scary.
1/2 time: AUS 29-22
Koenen 17/20 (85%)
Austin 12/17 (71%)Nweke 18/18 (100%)
Heffernan 4/6 (67%)The Diamonds are up by 7 at half time, but they would be disappointed with their shooting %. Ferns are still right in the contest despite 11 turnovers
Heffernan to C and Sokolich-Beatson to WD would be great. Ferns defenders need to react faster. Austin is doing the same offload to Koenen every time under the hoop.
The halftime entertainment is a groovy stage band (not on a stage, just standing in a line being silly and playing that nice jazz-ska mixed style). Tamsin is clearly being sponsored by Coco Chanel and why not it looks awesome. Here we go, what does she say… really standard defence from Aus is analysed, using diamond defence to force delayed passes to lateral moves which Bruce can go for. Greenway also doesn’t think Austin is having a good match but um… what about Heffernan?
At halftime
Koenen 17/20 (85%) Austin 12/17 (71%)
Nweke 18/18 (100%) G Heffernan 4/6 (67%)Aunty Noels says in the first half there were moments they were competitive but just couldn’t bring the ball through. Yes, exactly.
Hadley is on at C, even someone as experienced as her doesn’t get it perfect coming from the bench. I’d call the first four minute scrappy, with NZ definitely finding a way through the chaos better, so it’s now 31-28 to Aus. Heffernan is definitely “injecting herself” more. That’s never been my favourite terminology.
Klau replaces Aryang at GD, good idea.
- This reply was modified 1 year ago by Andrew Kennedy.
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