Shining Fast5 Ferns could get silver lining from Taurua
Noeline Taurua isn’t leaving any stone unturned with prospective Silver Fern players.
The Fast5 Ferns, coached by Silver Ferns assistant Debbie Fuller, will compete in netball’s abbreviated format in Melbourne this weekend.
New Zealand’s 10-player squad is packed full of fringe Ferns with unwanted shooters Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Bailey Mes both having major points to prove.
Silver Ferns coach Taurua won’t be in attendance, but has been in daily discussion with Fuller and is sharing the team’s video feed from training, so is across everything players are doing.
The Ferns December training camp squad is expected to be announced next week, meaning the Fast5 World Series tournament won’t be all laughs and fun, as is typically the case.
While it’s not seven-a-side traditional netball, a standout showing from a Fast5 Fern could help catapult them into the Silver Ferns reckoning for January’s Northern Quad Series.
‘‘Everything is up for grabs. There’s plenty of chances for the girls to put their hands up. It is a continuation of the Silver Ferns programme,’’ Fuller said.
‘‘The same game structures and language we use has been carried over.’’
Fast5 is played over four six-minute quarters with three scoring zones available for shooters. Teams also nominate a power play quarter, where goal points scored are double.
The wing attack and wing defence from normal netball are both missing in Fast5 with sides using two shooters, two defenders, and a centre.
Claire Kersten, Whitney Souness and Kimiora Poi will operate at centre with Fuller confirming Mes, who Taurua has been keen to use as a wing attack, playing her familiar shooting role.
Experienced goal shoot Mes, who played the last of her 63 tests at April’s Commonwealth Games, and Ekenasio, will be crucial to the Fast5 Ferns’ chances.
Both shooters have played in several Fast5 tournaments and are assets in the shortened format with their long range ability and rebounding.
Ekenasio will be eager to impress after landing just 10 goals from 18 against England in Taurua’s first game in charge in the Quad Series last month. She wasn’t selected for the rest of the series and dropped for the Constellation Cup against Australia.
‘‘They’re both such experienced players and so athletic in how they play the game. You can never underestimate how much others learn from having people like that in the team, even just observing their preparation and trainings and the focus they bring,’’ Fuller said.
The Fast5 Ferns have a strong record at the World Series Netball tournament, winning six of the eight titles. They were underwhelming last year, finishing fourth, and Fuller said expectations were high.
‘‘This tournament celebrates the success we’ve had with netball.
‘‘The New Zealand game style can be played fast and we’ve had a history of accurate, long shooters and defenders that can turn over ball with the intercept.
‘‘We’re very aware the bar has been set very high and we’re going after it.’’
Tomorrow (NZ time): 3.45pm: v Jamaica, 5.15pm v Malawi, Final: 8.55pm.