Ferns think they can spring odd surprise
There’s been a lot of growth in the Silver Ferns since their last meeting with the Australian Diamonds, experienced defender Phoenix Karaka says. The Silver Ferns are facing Australia in the Constellation Cup series, starting with the first test in Auckland last night.
The last meeting between the two long-time rivals was in January’s Quad Series in England, with the Diamonds coming out on top 53-39.
It was Karaka’s first test since coming back from having her first child.
“In the January tour I was coming back from having a baby and just kind of getting back in the gist of things. But now I feel like I’m being really solid in my position. Physically I’m feeling fit so I think I’m in a better space confidencewise to take on Aussie,” Karaka said.
“This team is so different from that January tour that it’s really exciting . . . we’ve got new people but also we’ve grown so much from that tour.”
There’s a lot of anticipation around the series, given that the two sides didn’t meet at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
With Jane Watson and Karin Burger still to return to the fold, Karaka has become one of the key components in the defensive end.
Karaka and Kelly Jury are the common denominators for the four-test series, with Elle Temu and Sulu Fitzpatrick just playing one leg each.
Wing defence/goal defence slide Kayla Johnson might also get more time inside the circle during the Test series.
Karaka’s combination with Jury is still relatively new and she believed they were starting to read each other well.
“If something’s not working, we work really well to have those conversations about what next and what we could do better so I think we’re still growing in that area but it is a lot better than what it was in Commonwealth Games.
“We’re getting a lot better and a lot sharper in terms of what we want from each other and asking and demanding that of each other.”
The Silver Ferns are the current holders of the Constellation Cup after beating Australia 3-1 in March last year, ending a nine-year drought.
But the Diamonds are back on top of
the world after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Star Australian shooter Gretel Bueta dropped a bombshell last week when she pulled out of the series after announcing she was expecting her second child.
Karaka said it wouldn’t change the Silver Ferns’ game plan.
“We want to focus on what we know we can do well up against their play.
“I think we’ve got a great game plan to what our strengths are and, if we can focus on that, I feel like we can get ball.
“And Australia haven’t played our Kiwi style since the January tour so there’s also that aspect of surprise element as well that we have. We’ve got a few things up our sleeve to surprise them and give them a bit of the heebie jeebies.”
Not one hundred per cent
When Karaka got Covid earlier this year, it stuck around a long time and the 28-year-old said she still wasn’t 100 per
cent.
“And talking to a few of the other girls who had it and then had a bit of the flu afterwards are similar in that we are still finding it hard during a warm-up.
“There’s still the element of a little bit of fatiguing and struggle to breathe in the warm-up but, by the time we get through to the full-on training, we are able to recover and get to where we need to be.”
“I think that’s something that’s come out in the research . . . you might not hit 100 per cent when you’re an elite athlete because you put your body under so much pressure.
“We’re nearing that, but I wouldn’t say we are 100 per cent all the time.”
Karaka said being asthmatic both she and team-mate Fitzpatrick were hit hard.
“I find that you just find a way. If you’re feeling a bit breathless you just take your time to take those deep breaths.
“We’re always going to feel a bit fatigued and a bit breathless and it’s always going to be hard to compare to where we were before Covid.
“But we’re still able to maintain high intensity, it doesn’t really stop us from anything, it’s just how we’re able to cope with being breathless.”