Revealed: The not-so-secret seasonal seven At a glance
It’s been the most challenging ANZ Premiership season in the competition’s six-year history with Covid-19 causing plenty of disruption.
Now we’re down to the Pulse and Stars in tomorrow final, it’s time to don the chief selector’s hat and pick the team of the season.
Players were picked in the position they predominantly played this season, meaning Karin Burger, who mostly played goal defence, couldn’t slide to wing defence. Selection is purely on premiership form – this is not a Silver Ferns starting seven.
Shooters
Four players –
(Mystics), Maia Wilson (Stars), Aliyah Dunn (Pulse) and George Fisher (Steel) – deserve consideration at goal shoot and you could easily make a case for any of them. They all landed 545 goals or more and shot at 87% or higher.
Nweke gets the nod in a tight battle though given how much of an impact she had on court. In the four games she missed with an ankle injury, the Mystics lost every game – demonstrating how critical she was to the team.
Nweke had five games with 50 or more goals, including a season-best of 59 against the Stars.
(Pulse) edges Jamie Hume (Stars), Te Paea SelbyRickit (Tactix) and Bailey Mes
Grace Nweke Tiana Metuarau
had an excellent season, and Shannon Saunders of the Steel. Centre is the most fiercely contested position of the court for the Silver Ferns and it was a close decision for the team of the season.
(Stars) pips Kate Heffernan (Steel) in one of the toughest decisions with Kimiora Poi (Tactix) also having her moments in a struggling team. Reuelu-Buchanan flourished with her connections with Crampton, Hume and Wilson, and has made her case to be the Ferns’ starting centre at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
At wing defence,
(Pulse) missed the start of the season with a knee niggle, but upon returning to the court, added spark on attack and defence,
Mila Reuelu-Buchanan Gordon Maddy
Stuff Super Seven:
■ GS: Grace Nweke (Mystics)
■ GA: Tiana Metuarau (Pulse)
■ WA: Gina Crampton (Stars)
■ C: Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (Stars)
■ WD: Maddy Gordon (Pulse)
■ GD: Elle Temu (Stars)
■ GK: Kelly Jury (Pulse).
Bench: Maia Wilson (Stars), Whitney Souness (Pulse), Kate Heffernan (Steel), Karin Burger (Tactix), Anna Harrison (Stars).
Defence Elle Temu
was another success story for the Stars at goal defence, building on the encouraging signs she showed last year. Temu thrived alongside Anna Harrison forming one of the most dominant defensive circles in the premiership. Temu gains selection over Karin Burger (Tactix), who had another impressive season, Kristiana Manu’a (Pulse) and Phoenix Karaka (Mystics).
(Pulse) is a lock at goal keep and would be the ANZ Premiership MVP, if it was handed out. Harrison, Sulu Fitzpatrick (Mystics) and Kate Burley (Steel) all had strong seasons, but it’s impossible to go past Jury at the back. A Silver Ferns’ starting goal keep bib awaits in Birmingham.