Sports Call: The opening round of the 2018 ANZ Premiership has reinstalled hope for the future of the Silver Ferns - writes sports reporter Ravinder Hunia.
Northern Mystics defender Anna Harrison Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz
In the middle of round one a spanner was thrown into the works with Netball New Zealand announcing its trio of panellists to conduct a review in light of the Silver Ferns result at the Commonwealth games - but luckily on court it was down to business.
The toll seemed to show on some of the older hands, but the group of hungry youngsters across all six rosters is what opened up this competition to be one of the most exciting we've seen.
That could be because they're not directly linked to the organisation and the review, or it could mean that the seed that was planted to foster the next generation of young 'kiwi' players may already be starting to bear fruit.
Shooting accuracy which plagues the Silver Ferns have new challengers in the form of Central Pulse shooting duo Tiana Metuarau and Aliyah Dunn. Dunn's movement on the baseline and ninety percent shooting tops the leader board early as the busiest and most accurate.
Tera-Maria Amani was a pivotal shooter for the Northern Mystics and will hopefully see more court-time - she currently surpasses her Silver Fern counterparts on eighty eight percent accuracy.
The towering shooters of Southern Steel's Jennifer O'Connell from the NZU21s and Mainland Tactix' Ellie Bird plucked from the BEKO league proved if selectors look hard enough, there are home grown talents reminiscent of former shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid to be nurtured.
The heavily criticised midcourt is finally competitive again with Whitney Souness (Pulse) looking to get another shot at the national side in wing attack, but the off-season recruitment was kind to Canterbury with in-demand Kimiora Poi a stand out in centre.
As well as her impressive eye to sight shooters in the circle, her power of work in defence has earned her a top seven spot for deflections - not typical in her position.
Mainland Tactix midcourter Kimiora Poi Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz
New Zealand have always been typically strong defenders, even as attackers, but it's here you will find the current and former Silver Ferns still reign supreme.
This was evident in the round's final match between the Mystics and Tactix where the master, Anna Harrison, and the apprentice Temalisi Fakahokotau held their own score of intercepts: Harrison 6 - Fakahokotau 3.
The domestic competition for the first time is on an absolute even playing field and although it may be early to make calls in regards to national selections, this sport desperately needed to make a positive first impression - and they succeeded.
- RNZ
