Coaching blamed for demise

Silver Ferns have no game plan under inexperienced coaches and lost identity

As the Silver Ferns return to New Zealand from the Commonwealth Games empty handed for the first time in netball history, serious questions have risen about what went wrong for the national side.

The Ferns, who are ranked No 2 in the world, have always dominated on the world stage, previously winning nothing less than a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

But over the past six months they have been in a downward spiral, unable to defend major series titles and losing multiple times to all three of their biggest rivals, England, Jamaica, and Australia.

Under Silver Ferns coach Janine Southby the Silver Ferns have produced arguably their worst results to date with a mere 51 per cent win rate and 19 loses from 38 matches.

Former Silver Ferns assistant coach Robyn Broughton believed that New Zealand had the talent, but that the Ferns' demise came down to the coaches.

"I think it's coaching. I can't see a structured game plan out there and I consider that a coach's responsibility," said Broughton.

"It's the coach's responsibility to work with the team, to put together your strengths, to do a game plan. We weren't, we were just running everywhere."

Broughton, who coaches East England Netball Superleague team the Hertfordshire Mavericks, criticised the Silver Ferns coaches for not knowing how to manage the team when things went wrong, and said the choices made on court reflected a side that had "lost their identity".

"I don't think that they looked for extra knowledge to come in. I think that they had two inexperienced coaches at that level who were probably not too sure what to do.’’

Former Silver Ferns player Margaret Foster said the last six months had been packed with warning signs for what went down in the Gold Coast, but as a former player, she kept holding on to the hope of a classic New Zealand comeback.

However, when the Ferns lost the Taini Jamison Series to Jamaica, Foster said she knew something wasn't working, and said the lack of connection between combinations on court should have been the biggest priority for Southby to fix.

"Janine has not been building up that continuity and that sense of feel, even from a player's perspective, it's about familiarity with other players on the court and that builds your confidence up and you've got that connection.

"It felt like when they were playing, they were playing in isolation and there was no sense of what we call an ‘invisible thread' around the team, there was no real connection, I didn't feel it.

"Normally as a player I can watch them and feel that connection and passion in there, because it's a collective thing, so I don't know if they have the right type of players in the main seven."

A full review will now be made following the Ferns' disastrous Commonwealth Games campaign.

It's possible that Southby's position as coach could be under threat.

Broughton said she believed that the review should focus on all aspects of the team, but also specifically around the selection and structure of the coaching system.

Foster believed the review would be vital to not only ensure the national side maintains a highstandard, but to make sure netball remains one of the top sports.

'This is our beloved sport, it's number one for girl's participation at the moment in New Zealand, and we need to maintain that."