Harrison fails to hoist Kopua: Comeback may b
Harris said. They’re going to find out with these new boys coming in like Ben Robb and Tahuna Irwin and Huapai Puha, even Warren [Parry].”
With new players coming up through the ranks, some of the more experienced Kiwis including Mark Cleaver, Rob Szabo and Darren Herewini did not qualify.
“It just shows the talent that we’ve got here that are able to qualify, no one really stands out,” Harris said.
“I was lucky that I didn’t have to qualify and I got the phone call to get the wildcard, so I was really happy about that.”
Harris, 32, will have a tough task in the opening round of the weekend’s competition after the draw pitted him against world No 1 Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands. After learning of the draw, Harris was unfazed, taking solace in Parry’s famous 6-5 win over van Gerwen in Sydney in 2014.
“Everyone knows that Warren’s beaten Michael before, so he is beatable,” Harris said. “I just want to get up there and get into it.”
Van Gerwen, who withdrew from the Auckland tournament in 2017 to attend the birth of his daughter Zoe, was confident coming into the 2018 event.
“I know if I reach my form [Cody’s] not going to beat me, but still I first have to make sure I prepare myself and get my game going,” van Gerwen said.
Although many sportspeople find extra motivation in their fields after becoming a parent for the first time, the 29-year-old said nothing had changed for him as he looked to continue his domination of the darts world.
“You always have that motivation, but it doesn’t really change anything for me. I’m a winner, I want to win my tournaments. It doesn’t change anything at all, that’s why I’m a professional.”
However, his most recent form left a bit to be desired after he was eliminated in the round of 16 at last week’s World Matchplay tournament in England.
“Unfortunately you can’t win all the time, but I’m sharp for this one.” Retiring netballer Anna Harrison says it would be a mistake to bring back her old international teammate Casey Kopua.
Harrison said the embattled Silver Ferns needed to move on and the thought of the 33-year-old defender Kopua returning to the national side did not “sit well” with her.
The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic’s Kopua, a former national captain, has been sidelined with a foot injury and last played for New Zealand in 2015. She will reportedly make herself available for the Silver Ferns if Noeline Taurua gets the coaching job.
The 35-year-old Harrison, who won four major titles with New Zealand in a career of 50-plus games, questioned if Kopua’s leadership qualities would automatically work in an evolving netball environment.
“I just heard that [Kopua comeback] and actually I’m not sure about that,” she told Radio Sport.
“Casey is an amazing player and if she wants to do that it’s up to her.
“From a New Zealand netball point of view it’s a little bit bad . . . you need to build players that are coming through. To bring back players, as good as Casey is, I don’t know if that is the right move.
“You need to work with what you’ve got, can’t keep going back and asking people. Casey and I are older. Coming into an environment . . . she might have been a great leader when she was in our team . . . there’s [now] an age difference.
“It’s a tricky one. Straight off the bat, it doesn’t sit well and not something we should potentially be doing.
“No disrespect to Casey, she is an amazing player, but from a growth point of view and trying to move forward, going backward isn’t the right way.”
Harrison said her retirement decision was final this time after she had quit netball on a previous occasion to play beach volleyball.
“I’m known to say never say never but I’m calling time . . . a tough decision but I always wanted to be in control of it,” she said.
“I wanted to leave when feeling good.”
The Northern Mystics’ netballing progress was taking time to consistently appear on the court.
“I just wish you could see the flair and skill consistently — once they get that nailed everything will come together and it will be amazing to watch,” she said. I was