Taurua realistic about Nweke
A Silver Ferns spot at July’s Netball World Cup looks unlikely for teenage sensation Grace Nweke.
The 17-year-old has been the talk of the ANZ Premiership, helping the previously winless Northern Mystics to two victories in seven days in her debut season in the elite ranks.
Nweke, a year 13 student at Auckland’s Avondale College, played a starring role in Sunday’s 64-54 come from behind win over the Tactix. The 1.93m goal shoot landed 48 goals from 52 attempts after coming on at the start of the second quarter. In her three previous appearances, she slotted 30 or more goals in each game in restricted minutes.
Her stellar play had impressed Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua, who saw her skills first hand, sitting in the stands at Auckland’s Trusts Arena on Sunday.
Taurua confirmed the Ferns will name four shooters in their 12-player World Cup squad when it’s unveiled on May 23. With eight games over 10 days in Liverpool at the World Cup, balancing court-time will be critical and Taurua will have to rotate players around in the early games.
She has repeatedly stated they can’t afford to discount any premiership netballer in the country from their World Cup thinking after the Ferns’ poor results over the past year.
Nweke was a precocious talent and looks a future Silver Fern in waiting. Taurua told Stuff there was plenty to weigh up, given she had played just six ANZ Premiership games and was raw with her strength and conditioning and time in the high performance environment.
‘‘I’d hate to say [the World Cup] is a long shot because you never know what a person could possibly do.
‘‘These are the considerations we have to take into account when we are selecting somebody and eight games in 10 days is a huge load for anybody.
‘‘We’ve got to make sure we go through the process and do it right with all the players we select.’’
Centurion Maria Folau, who could retire from international netball after the World Cup, and Ameliaranne Ekenasio will be Ferns certainties in the shooting end. Aliyah Dunn, who converted 37 from 37 in Wednesday’s 66-50 top of the table win over the Steel, and is the most accurate shooter in the competition at 93 per cent, appears a strong chance of selection.
That likely leaves Maia Wilson, Te Paea Selby-rickit, Bailey Mes, Monica Falkner and possibly Nweke fighting for one spot.
Taurua praised the Mystics for the way they were managing Nweke’s workload, not using her over a full game, and carefully monitoring how she was coping physically.
Not playing 60 minutes each game wouldn’t necessarily count against her.
Taking an inexperienced player like Nweke could prove a risk for the Silver Ferns if a senior shooter suffered a serious injury at the World Cup and she needed to play greater minutes than she was accustomed to.
‘‘What we have to consider is the body and one, are they physically capable, hence why we’ve been quite strong on the physical standards that’s required for selection and two, what the management would need to be for a player.
‘‘Whether they’re old or young we go through the same process.’’
Taurua, who watches every ANZ Premiership game either live or via video stream from her Sunshine Coast base in Australia, was intrigued to see how Nweke went in her next outing against the unbeaten Pulse in Porirua on Wednesday.
Matching up against Pulse circle defenders Katrina Rore and Sulu Fitzpatrick, the premiership’s benchmark defensive duo, would provide a strong gauge where she was at.
Nweke shone against the Magic’s Silver Ferns defensive combination of Casey Kopua and Kelly Jury. She also outperformed Tactix goal keep and Fern Jane Watson, who was unwell, on Sunday.
Taurua raved about Nweke’s long-term potential and said elements of her playing style reminded her of a young Romelda Aiken – the Jamaican and Queensland Firebirds shooting star.
‘‘She’s going to be formidable. Oh god, she’ll be great, she’ll be awesome . . .
‘‘I think she is of value, not only to Mystics at this stage, but also to New Zealand netball going forward. I think she’s got fantastic talent.’’