Shooters needed: More players could push their way into Silver Ferns

Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua is leaving the door open for more shooters to push their way into the Silver Ferns squad later this year - and she will need them to.

Selectors have confirmed a 2024/25 Silver Ferns Squad of 16, with two spots still open.

Australian product Claire O'Brien and Pulse defender Parris Mason have been named for the first time, while Kimiora Poi and Erena Mikaere have both been recalled.

Shooter Tiana Metuarau, wing attack Peta Toeava, and defender Paris Lokotui have dropped down to the Silver Ferns development squad.

O'Brien, Mason, and Poi have also been named in a Silver Ferns team of 13 to take on England next month.

Earlier this week, Dame Noeline said four triallists were ruled out of selection contention for the upcoming series after failing to meet fitness standards.

But selectors have left two spots open for players to push their way in and they could do that if they subsequently meet fitness targets.

"We still see the potential in our players in the development squad. For some of them it's readiness, some of them it's fitness, some of them it's getting their overall game better.

"They will come back into December camp where they can put their hand up once again hopefully for trials for the January tour. So we've left those openings there in the hope that others will be able to do what they need to do to improve."

Only four shooters have been named in the wider squad and Grace Nweke will not be available for the January tour, as she is playing in Australia next year.

Dame Noeline hopes development squad shooters Saviour Tui, Martina Salmon and Metuarau will be able to put their hands up, or she will only have three shooters for the January tour.

"That's the intent so our priority must be around those three players in regards to their overall physical conditioning plus also ensuring that they can either get their volume up in the case of Tiana around her shooting, knowing that there will need to be changes out of December camp.

"I'm pretty confident with all three of them and they've just got to be prepared to do the work so hopefully that will bolster up our shooting end."

Surprisingly, Steel goal attack Georgia Heffernan, who made her debut against Australia in January as a development squad member, has not made any Silver Ferns squads.

Specialist wing attack Peta Toeava has been in and out of the squad for a number of years but only has eight test caps. Her biggest barrier to wearing the black dress has been her conditioning.

So how much longer do the selectors give the 30-year-old?

"That question has been asked by the selectors, that's the hundred million dollar question - but we love her. We see what she is capable of and still believe if she can do what she needs to do around her physical capability and conditioning that she'll be a massive asset for us.

"So you know December's pretty much the last time at this moment, we'll see what she can do over the next four or five months but if we can have her back in the mix on court, I'll be elated. Hopefully we can get her over the mark and hopefully she is prepared to do that work."

The Silver Ferns coach said Lokotui was in great physical condition but needed more court time.

"During the ANZ she was sort of fighting it out with Greer Sinclair over the wing defence bib. Once she can secure good court time we can see consistently what she can do, and that would also help progress her game.

"We still definitely see her in the mix probably as well starting to position her to be a wing defence to goal defence slide so that we can build more depth in that area."

Growing 'Netball IQ'

The Silver Ferns coach said Magic midcourter Claire O'Brien impressed her at trials.

"She has a clear understanding of court strategy and what I describe netball IQ. She has subtlety in her movement so she doesn't move around a lot but her timing to make herself available is on point and she's got natural feeding ability to put shooters into a good position."

Dame Noeline said Mason added an edge to the defensive end.

"She's got that really strong aggressive background defensive skill-set. She wins ball and works well in a unit and one of her major strengths is her ball-carrying skills and vision."

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the recall of Magic defender Mikaere, who played one Test for the Silver Ferns in 2019, but Dame Noeline said the 36-year-old was in the best form of her career.

"She's got strong presence on the ball ... she's happy to get physical against the shooters. She's also a great leader on and off the court and that's of value to us."

Poi last played for the Silver Ferns in 2022 and was rewarded after elevating her game.

"She's done a lot of work in the gym around her body strength so she was able to contest physically on other people at trials and usually come up with the ball. I was rapt to be able to let her know she was back in the mix, knowing that I've been on the opposite side giving her a lot of bad news over the last three years."

The Silver Ferns meet England in three Tests for the Taini Jamison Trophy with the first to be played in Auckland on 29 September.

A team to take on the Australian Diamonds in the Constellation Cup will be named after the Taini Jamison Trophy.