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I don’t see it as a replay- you can bounce the ball off the post or even the net, and the ring is just an extension of the post.
It was a nice change-up to have an attack focused game as a lot of the ANZP matches are defence heavy. Both teams played well, although I would have brought on TPSR and Llyod at the start of the fourth. Nweke had some wobbles in the third but dominated in the last quarter. Watson and Burger seemed to be having so much fun out there – but I wonder if this was a way to get into Grace’s head? Karaka is surely in the Ferns as a GK, whereas I wouldn’t have had her there in GD. Bird well deserved POTM with strong takes, holds and was efficient in movement compared to Dunn. The second-best GS this year in my view.
It should be fairly even final, not the Mystics steamroll I expected.
Perhaps we’ll see all of Bird, Dunn and Walmsley play for their home teams next year.
- This reply was modified 9 months, 2 weeks ago by museboy.
Bird has been the inform shooter this year! Strong takes of the ball and a great hold.
Based on that she should make the Ferns. However do you really need both Nweke and Bird? I feel if Nweke is losing the battle in the circle, the change up would be a different style shooter eg Tui or Wilson (although I think her days in the Ferns are done). Replacing Nweke with another holding shooter, would not change the defensive structures of the opposition.
I would go one of 2 options:
Nweke Ekenasio Bird (one of) Metaurua/Heffernan/Malesala/Vui
OR
Nweke Ekenasio Tui (one of) Wilson/Metaurua
The Wilson experiment at GA this season was a fail. Like Garbin at GA was. I don’t see Wilson returning to the black dress. At the CWG 22 when Wilson was at GS against Jamaica NZ got smashed. Games with Wilson at GS at the NWC 23: Tied with South Africa, Lost to Jamaica, Lost to England, then Lost to Jamaica again. And then NZ lost to England C grade team in 2023 with Wilson at GS, and when they dropped her they won the other 2 games against GS. There has been no shift in her game this year. The same old burying herself into opponents, same old high bun, same old body-on-body style of play. I would be taking Tui, Bird, Walmsley, and Salmon over her.
Also the argument that Bird is too similar to Nweke, well wouldn’t of the ferns loved to have had that issue at the NWC. A like for like swap. Ferns have adapted to that tall target shooter at the back, and can only play that style. If they wanted a moving circle they will put Ekenasio into GS.
My SF shooters would be: Nweke, Tui, Ekenasio, Malesala.
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