Jury stands tall for Ferns
OPINION: Ninety minutes drive from the Barrett rugby factory in Taranaki, the Silver Ferns have found themselves another game-changer.
Highly-touted defender Kelly Jury, in her first outing against Australia and just sixth in the black dress, returned from a rolled ankle to star in the Silver Ferns’ Quad Series title-clinching 57-47 win over the Diamonds on Sunday.
Australian goal shoot and captain Caitlin Bassett, for so long a nemesis for New Zealand, had few answers to Jury’s 1.92m height, her albatross-like reach and ability to close down space in the attacking end.
Bassett has regularly racked up 40-plus goals against the Silver Ferns and landed 53 in last year’s version of the Quad Series in Melbourne, but could only muster 22/24 in Invercargill in one of her most ineffectual showings at international level.
It was a composed and clever showing from Jury, who turns 21 next month, and was a key cog in the New Zealand under-21’s Youth World Cup triumph in Botswana in July.
Bassett rarely gets dragged off the court, barring blowout victories, which spoke volumes about Jury’s impact. Australian coach Lisa Alexander was forced into multiple substitutions throughout the game given her team’s woes with usually dependable midcourters Kim Ravaillion and Madi Robinson also dispatched to the bench.
A proud ‘Naki girl, Jury’s netball skills were fostered at a hoop on her parents 4000 acre sheep and beef farm in Makahu, near Stratford.
She grew up 90 minutes drive from the rugby production line that is the Barrett family in Pungarehu on the Taranaki coast, where Beauden, Scott and Jordie would all progress on to become All Blacks.
Talk about something in the Taranaki milk.
Jury, who was named player of the match against Australia, benefited from some industrious play from her partner in crime in the defensive circle, Katrina Grant. Wing defence Samantha Sinclair, under pressure heading into the match after two quiet Quad Series outings, was a nuisance higher up the court, nagging Robinson and forcing her into uncharacteristic errors.
The Silver Ferns have long craved a towering goal keep, who can match it with giant goal shoots in the international ranks like Bassett and Jamaican duo Romelda Aiken and Jhaniele Fowler-Reid.
In Jury, there’s genuine reason to be excited as the Silver Ferns adapt to life defensively following the international retirements of former skipper Casey Kopua, fellow centurion Leana de Bruin and Anna Harrison.
Jury is the tallest defender to represent the Silver Ferns, but as coach Janine Southby has repeatedly stated, height will only get you so far.
Jane Watson, who started at goal keep in New Zealand’s opening two Quad Series matches, was the premier defender in the inaugural national premiership and will continue to get her chances.
She offers a contrast to Jury with her supreme athleticism and may be favoured in games against shorter shooting combinations with greater mobility.
Alexander was quick to grumble about Jury after the game, arguing she got away with a lot and pushed the boundaries of the three foot mark.
The umpires were happy enough to let play go on, but Jury will need to adjust quickly if she is getting whistled in future games, something the Australian defenders didn’t do on Sunday.
Much like the Silver Ferns performance, Jury will realise this is just a start.
Alexander and other international coaches will now be fully aware of Jury’s capabilities and have a clear plan to get the better of her.
You can guarantee Bassett and whoever lines up in Australia’s troublesome goal attack bib in October’s four-game Constellation Cup series (Natalie Medhurst recall anyone?) will be smarting from the Southland shellacking.