The Silver Ferns are playing purely for pride when they meet Australia in tonight's fourth and final Constellation Cup Test in Invercargill.
New Zealand's 53-51 win over the world champion Diamonds in Launceston last week has been book-ended by two 12-goal losses.
Te Paea Selby-Rickit shoots for the Silver Ferns during the 2016 Constellation Cup. Photo: PhotoSport
That means the Silver Ferns have the nigh-on-impossible task of beating Australia by 22 goals to win the series and claim the trophy for the first time since 2012.
But mid-courter and vice captain Laura Langman said that margin is not something they're thinking about.
"If the margin ends up being 25, fantastic, if it ends up being two - fine," she said.
"For me I don't really care about the outcome, it's the product we're putting out there and as a group we're still learning that every time we come into the environment it's a step up.
"If we can really start making inroads into that, that'll hold us in really good stead."
Laura Langman Photo: Photosport
Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering agrees that the focus needs to be on winning the match, not the series,
"Twenty-two goals is unrealistic," she said.
"I think what the Silver Ferns need to do is focus on the performance. I think in that last test -- and even the Australian [captain Clare] McMeniman said so as well - the score did not reflect the game.
Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering has concerns about the lack of depth of international standard players. Photo: Photosport
"I thought that really it was a lot closer than the score indicated, so the Ferns really need to focus on their own performance, get rid of the unforced errors and everyone needs to just stick to the task."
Langman said the team was lacking urgency in their last outing, which has been a big focus during their preparations for Invercargill.
"Always being in the moment or being active...but also keeping the ball alive because when we make the Australians work we can off-foot them and get some really nice ball going in there.
"So just being fearless -- we were fearless in that Lanceston game and the result spoke for itself."
That Launceston match is still fresh in the minds of the Australians too.
Goal Shoot Caitlin Bassett in action for the Australia Diamonds Photo: Photosport
Diamonds star goal shoot Caitlin Bassett said even with a 21 goal buffer, they can't rest on their laurels in Invercargill tonight.
"Like Tasmania, they're going to come out even harder and it's going to be tough to play down here with the crowd on their side and I think like us, they're going to want to come out and prove a point that that isn't the way that they play," she said.
Bassett said after uncharacteristically missing nine goals during their win in Auckland, she personally needs to put out a stronger performance against New Zealand goal keep Anna Harrison.
"She is a bit of a nuisance. Obviously she's tall she's got a long armspan and she can jump as well, so the traditional high ball that usually comes into me, we need to think outside the box and mix it up a little bit beacuse that's something that she loves and can easily pick off."
Bassett said while sealing the Constellation Cup series win is a big driver for her team tonight, their main motivation is sending off their retiring captain Clare McMeniman with a victory.
But McMeniman's not the only player saying goodbye in Invercargill.
The Silver Ferns veteran midcourter Laura Langman is also leaving the national side - at least temporarily.
Silver Fern Laura Langman catches the ball as Australia's Clare McMeniman defends. Photo: Photosport
Langman - who has played 140 consecutive Tests for the Silver Ferns to date - is ineligible for international play next year after she chose to play in Australia's new domestic league.
Netball New Zealand decided it would not give any player an exemption to play in Australia during the 2017 season, with the trans-Tasman league splitting into two separate domestic competitions next year.
Yvonne Willering said while Langman will leave a big hole in the New Zealand team, it is up to the rest of the players to prove they can win with or without her.
"I mean look at how she's constantly being utilised whether as a wing defence or a centre...so, yeah she's going to be a loss, but ....the Ferns will look at it as an opportunity for someone else to step up, and certainly that needs to happen."
The match gets underway at 7.45pm.
- RNZ