[mcleod]

#1377410

I would expect a 3-0 win over England in the TJ series, and no less than 2-2 in the Con Cup, (Diamonds have a mental block and can not win in NZ). Anything other than that should be cause for a goodbye to Noels and her bestie Deb’s

[silverferns1]

#1377413

Nweke should be rested against England to get her body right (have her on the bench in case all goes to hell). Good opportunity for the ferns to develop their 2nd GS. Bring in Walmsley, Tui and Bird. Ferns would still be capable to win 3-0.

[TB]

#1377419

I actually don’t mind that idea. Get Bird into the starting lineup. Shes had a great season and she’ll be familiar with the England players having played a season there last year.

[Nesian]

#1377429

@TB Going back to the last 3 times we have won the WC, none of them featured a single player that determined whether we won or not (arguably 2003 with IVD might have been an exception but that whole team was full of legends). That is not the case anymore. Yes, we may have had IVD be dominate in NZ, but we were still the whipping girls to Australia who regularly beat us with her. We can’t win anymore without Grace (against the top teams).

No other country picks fitness over form, NZ are the exception. It makes no sense and obviously didn’t help us at the WC.
Having players throw themselves across the line to try and make the fitness standard is just ridiculous. Not one person here can show me any game played by any of the players that have missed the so called fitness test where there so called lack of fitness showed. Every ANZ player is fit.

I just get sick of Noelene talking the talk but not walking it. As someone mentioned, I think we got lucky at the 2019, but it is what it is.

Nolene would not be coaching if the Ferns were held to the same standard as the All Blacks. Nolene should thank the stars that NNZ is not as professional, otherwise she would be long gone. I think from memory she has around a 60% winning percentage with the Ferns. Foster the former AB’s coach had a 70% winning percentage and that wasn’t good enough and he was replaced.

Now she has been retained and has of course kept her cohorts. Here we are, doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. That doesn’t work.

[TB]

#1377512

We would not have won the 2003 WC without IVD. We would not have won the 2006 CWGs without IVD. Who did we have back then who was as strong and dominant as IVD? Jodi Brown? Tania Dalton? Ellis and Harby would have eaten them up.
With IVD we had a healthy rivalry with Aus. Without her, totally would have been one-sided like pre-IVD days.

People who say it was “luck” that won us the WC in 2019, needs to go on YouTube and re-watch both the semi and GF matches. We did not win by luck. We out played both England and Aus. We didn’t come from behind and snatch the game out of their hands, we led in both games and held on. The girls worked dam hard, and YES they were all fit.
Let’s also remember DNT success (Lightning, Magic and Steel) had all been with a strong tall holding shooter. To change her style to a moving circle was brilliant.

Tiana Metaurua to me is not running fit. As skilful as she is, and dam she played well in the final. But she was labouring in the final quarter. She would be so dangerous at full fitness, there’s no other GA in the world like her.

I 100% agree with you when comparing with the ABs! Would I have re-appointed DNT? No I wouldn’t have. I would have given the gig to YMD. IMO it’s time for a change.
But that’s not my point. DNT is in charge and she has fitness standards. Players need to meet them. And if they aren’t meeting them, that’s on them.

[Nesian]

#1377514

@TB I am going to defer to your knowledge around the IVD era because I wasn’t as interested in netball back then and I seem to remember us getting beaten more often than not by the Aussies. Was that the case or am I a making that up? Did Australia more often than not beat us during the IVD era?

DNT had no other choice than to use a moving circle in 2019. It worked effectively too and yet we have moved away from that now and are just reliant on Nweke, why?

I agree about Tiana. She doesn’t look as fit as she has in the past. I don’t see her passing the fitness test. What is interesting though is that I too think Bird should be in for a look at the Ferns because she was simply outstanding this year. But guess what, she has never passed the fitness standard for the Ferns, and you can also put Tui in the same bracket. In fact Tui was the least fit player out of the Steel last year. Here we have two fantastic GS’s in a position where you don’t need to run around like a roadrunner all game, but because Noels has some stupid number in her head, neither of these players will be considered for selection. It’s just stupidity. Unless of course she wants to make an exemption for them both, like the rumour is that she has for a certain player…..

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Nesian.

[schmeetle]

#1377516

@silverferns1 are you one of the NZ supporters insisting England bring their A-team however are wanting Nweke rested?

[silverferns1]

#1377531

@schmeetle yes, you are 100% correct there! Great observation! Just like England did last year! There are capable shooters the Ferns can bring into the squad and still beat England A 3-0, if Housby decides to turn up instead of drinking Red Bull on the sideline. She cannot use the excuse of a ‘long season’ this year since her side didn’t play finals and she is complaining that SSN is too short of a season. No other sport have athletes not playing the international season due to their ‘long’ domestic season. Look at Rugby, they are away from home for months on end. Going on numerous tours a year.

[TB]

#1377552

@Nesian I don’t know the stats properly on our H2H with Aus in the IVD Era. But yes, Aus would definitely have the upper hand on that. From 2003-2006/7ish NZ dominated. Probably went even for a stage, with Aus getting on top of us towards the end of her (IVD) era.

Re the moving circle: I don’t think she has the players to do it successfully now? Besides from Ekenasio, most of our GAs look to a pop pass at every opportunity or they’re injured. I think our best bet for it would have been a Eke/TPSR (who is unavailable).
DNT relying on Nweke is really not a surprise to me. Her success came from that style in CBass, IVD and JFN. It’s really her bread-and-butter. She just wasn’t banking on Nweke to ever get injured. That injury highlighted some of DNTs downfall as a coach, and I say that respectfully.

[TB]

#1377553

Re Bird and Tui: I’d be interested to see if they meet the fitness standards now? Bird is looking really fit and wasn’t Tui injured at the beginning of last season?
I wouldn’t be surprised if their fitness standards has raised by a lot. They’ve been the 2 inform shooters this year!

[Maryann]

#1377554

Tui was injured and didn’t even start last season at the beginning of it. She was on managed time when she returned and it took pretty much all season for her to really get back in to it. I believe it was an off season accident that required meniscus surgery. During her recovery she diid a huge amount of work on nutrition and fitness and it appears that it has continued into her time at the Magic.
Tui played for Samoa in 2022 at the Oceania World Cup qualifiers – would that affect any SF chances?

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Maryann.

[silverferns1]

#1377556

I think it’s only if they play at a World Cup, just going off Shimona Jok and her being eligible to Australia now.

[Maryann]

#1377557

Thanks @silverferns1 – I see she was in the last A squad which would have been selected post her Samoa appearance.

[Jinxibo]

#1377568

All
take a step back and breathe

@TB is right! NZ winning the NWC 2019 was not luck, it was pure hard work, mentally and physically. There is an interview with Kopua who talks about what DNT put them through at selection and it sounds scary.

@TB & @nesian I agree with you both about Tiana but IMO her volume of shots is her weakness. DNT has said it many times, she wants her shooters to shoot. I feel there is always 1 extra pass with her and that’s where possession is lost.

@ SF1 & @schmeetle, ha, ha, you both need to remember the Roses squad is rebuilding. The defence is questionable at this stage but I think they came win 1 game.

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Jinxibo.

[Jinxibo]

#1377574

generally IMO

Bird – I’d like to see her get a SF cap because she has played very well this season but DNT is building towards the next NWC and CWG. I don’t think Bird would be part of that.

Grace & Walmsley – they are both in DNT plans and if possible I think she’d like to get them both on the court at the same time. Either way they have both had knee injuries so DNT will have to consider that and rethink her usual method of playing players till they drop.

Tui & Salmon- I hope they are both given a chance to trail. I think one of them will be your next starting GA.

DNT – does she have that spine? She probably does but as I said before she can’t continue to play them till they drop. Players mindset changes over time, she was tuned into the 2019 squad. Now she has to find the rhythm for these new players as their tune is different.

PS. sorry if I sound like I’m rambling, it’s 30C over here 🤪🤪🤪

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