What a difference a year makes for Silver Ferns

Down and out 12 months ago, the Silver Ferns are one win from stunning transformation, writes Brendon Egan.

Twelve months ago, the Silver Ferns walked off the court in Wellington following a forgettable loss to Australia. The 58-47 defeat secured a 3-1 Constellation Cup success for the Diamonds, increasing their stranglehold on the trophy they’ve held since 2012.

It was an uninspiring showing from the Ferns, leaving new coach Noeline Taurua with more questions than answers heading to the Netball World Cup. Exactly a year on from that sluggish showing the turnaround from the once-shambolic Ferns has been quicker than anyone imagined.

They upset Australia in July’s Netball World Cup final to capture the silverware for the first time since 2003. If anyone thought the result was a fluke, the Ferns debunked that theory, holding a 2-1 lead over Australia in the Constellation Cup.

A win in today’s (3pm start NZ time) final test in Perth would see the silverware come back across the Tasman for the first time in seven years – something few would have predicted this time last year.

The Silver Ferns would dearly love to put in a memorable shift for shooting legend Maria Folau, who will become the second New Zealand netballer to reach 150 tests, joining skipper Laura Langman.

Folau could be taking the court for the final time for the Ferns. There hasn’t been any official word on her plans to call it a day, but if she stepped down after the game it wouldn’t be a shock.

The Silver Ferns’ transformation has been built around a master plan from Taurua and her management group, buy-in from the players, and a realisation they needed to be better on and off the court. There have been no short cuts, just a stack of hard graft behind the scenes, and a steely sense of determination.

‘‘Now the standards have been set and we know what the expectation is as a group,’’ Taurua told Stuff. ‘‘We’re really proud of what we’ve been able to do, but we know that there’s more and we know we need to keep working.

‘‘I just feel we’ve got a better understanding of that as a group.’’

Taurua quickly realised last August upon taking over from Janine Southby, who stepped down after a harrowing review into the dire Commonwealth Games campaign, that New Zealand netballers were lacking in their strength and conditioning.

She set minimal fitness standards and refused to pick anyone who did not meet those requirements, which weren’t very onerous.

Not everyone agreed with Taurua’s tough-love approach, but the proof has been in the pudding.

The Silver Ferns were the fittest side at the World Cup, frequently powering home in the fourth quarter of crunch games to win. It’s been a similar theme in the Constellation Cup, winning games one and three in the last term as

‘‘We know that there’s more and we know we need to keep working.’’

Australia wilted in the pressure moments.

‘‘I feel the belief is there, but also reality – the grind that needs to happen for us to perform,’’ Taurua said.

‘‘As each game goes on, the grind is becoming the norm . . . We’re still trying to embed that with others who will come into the system and that’s probably the change.’’

Taurua is a forward thinker and has already identified the cornerstones, who will form the nucleus of the Silver Ferns’ line-up over the next four years leading into the 2023 World Cup.

Veteran defender Casey Kopua retired after the World Cup and Folau and Langman are both in the latter stages of their international careers.

Replacing players of that experience and ilk is impossible, so Taurua is mindful of the need for younger players in the squad to soak up every nugget of wisdom from them.

She wants the fringe performers and future Ferns’ mainstays to replicate their work ethic, values, and pride in the black dress.

‘‘I don’t think we’ve been good at this, where we’ve worked in isolation.

‘‘If we’re smart . . . When one goes out, another one is going to come in at the level that’s required to compete.

‘‘Just taking the strategic approach and the planning behind it will help us immensely.’’

If the Ferns could topple Australia in captain Caitlin Bassett’s 100th test for the Diamonds, it would cap a remarkable rise for New Zealand netball in a short space of time.

Taurua is a realist and knows to compete with Australia year in, year out, they can ill-afford to become complacent.

‘‘It sets the bar high for what’s required for us to keep improving.’’

NZ coach Noeline Taurua