2021 Season Overview9

SILVER FERNS

By year’s end, the Silver Ferns were grateful to have had the opportunity to complete three high-quality series after their international programme bore the brunt of the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19. Throughout 2021, the Silver Ferns designated fixture list was thrown into turmoil as the pandemic continued to resurface and threaten any play at all. However, a resilient and adaptable attitude, backed by support from government officials, the Ministry of Health, Sport NZ and High Performance Sport NZ, ensured the Silver Ferns received valuable opportunities to take to the court.

With the safety of players, management, officials and volunteers paramount, combined with the need to play under strict protocols, the Silver Ferns acknowledged their privileged position and made the most of the challenging circumstances when they could so easily have been denied the opportunity.

There was an excited buzz surrounding the announcement of the Constellation Cup to be played in March as a tantalising opener to the Silver Ferns international campaign for 2021. It signalled a return of the great rivalry shared between the trans-Tasman pair for the first time in over a year following the 2020 edition being cancelled due to COVID-19.

With two matches set to be played in Christchurch and two in Tauranga, the Australian Diamonds arrived for the mandatory two-week quarantine period with some new faces and a new coach in Stacey Marinkovich.

To build momentum towards next year’s Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup in 2023, Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua opted for a bigger, 14-strong squad which included one new cap in midcourter Maddy Gordon and the return from injury of shooter Bailey Mes.

The re-emergence of COVID-19 in the community and change of alert levels around the country in late February quickly forced a change of tact with the series given the go-ahead but under new protocols. All four matches were staged in Christchurch to minimise travel but in keeping with the guidelines around mass gatherings, crowds were not permitted.

Having won the Constellation Cup just once, in 2012, since it was introduced in 2010, the Silver Ferns made the perfect start as they sought to change the status quo with a well-crafted 49-44 win in the opener.

With the Diamonds just emerging from MIQ the day before, both sides showed a lack of preparation but it remained a typically willing and hard-fought transTasman contest. The Silver Ferns held the edge throughout to enjoy handy leads at all the breaks while setting the early marker.

The Diamonds rebounded in trademark fashion with a decisive 45-36 response in the second Test to leave the series hanging in the balance.

Winning the second half was not enough for the Silver Ferns after a poor start left them trailing 15-6 and 30-16 through the first two quarters in a low-scoring, defence-orientated game. Without injured captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio, the home side made plenty of changes during the match in a bid to make up the leeway, including Gordon becoming Silver Fern #177 and Mes returning to her first international action in over 12 months after an injury-enforced lay-off.

Making their debut the night before in the opening Test, the youthful Diamonds shooting circle of Cara Koenen and Kiera Austin were influential figures with their fluency, speed and accuracy.

After a two-day break, the Silver Ferns took a big step towards claiming the Constellation Cup for the first time in nine years with a pulsating 55-49 win in the third Test and with it a 2-1 series lead.

Trailing by five at half-time, the Silver Ferns showed plenty of character with a forceful second-half response to nail the all-important win.

The return of the influential Ekenasio, some Jane Watson defensive magic and super accurate shooting from Maia Wilson won the day in an absorbing but physical and bruising clash where momentum swings were a constant theme, the pressure eventually having a telling impact on the visitors.

Showing their growing ability to close out games, the Silver Ferns produced another gripping come-from-behind win to pip Australia 45-43 in the decider to clinch the Constellation Cup 3-1.

In a recurring theme, the Silver Ferns, after being down by five at half-time, delivered a blockbuster second half. In a fourth-quarter arm-wrestle, the Silver Ferns held their composure in a toe-totoe stand-off with their great rivals.

Ekenasio kept her unbeaten on-court run as captain intact with a peerless performance while calmly guiding her team in all facets, particularly her shooting partner Wilson.

With the lowering of COVID-19 restrictions and a return to Alert Level 1, crowds were welcomed through the doors for the first time during the series. A full house was on hand at Christchurch Arena to lend invaluable support to the Silver Ferns cause.

Ekenasio, the Silver Ferns Player of the Year in 2019, announced her pregnancy in May, ruling her out of playing for the rest of the year, but she remained a visible presence with the team.

England arrived here in New Zealand in late August for a three-match series against the Silver Ferns the following month with all matches played in Christchurch to minimise travel risk. It was the second successive year the world number-three-ranked Vitality Roses had ventured to New Zealand during the pandemic; this meant another two-week stint in MIQ.

With both Ekenasio and Watson (ankle surgery) unavailable, long-serving wing attack Gina Crampton was appointed the Silver Ferns 28th captain with experienced defender Sulu Fitzpatrick stepping into the vice-captain role.

In a major development ahead of the late-season programme, NNZ’s broadcast partner Sky confirmed TVNZ as its free-to-air partner for the 2021 Silver Ferns internationals, ensuring the Silver Ferns were showcased to the largest audience possible. This was set to include the three-match series against England in September and four matches against Australia in October. The Silver Ferns matches were also broadcast live on Sky Sport as well as being streamed on Sky Go and Sky Sport Now.

Given the impact of COVID-19 on both sides of the Tasman, the second instalment of the Constellation Cup, featuring two matches in Australia and two in New Zealand in October, was put on hold in the hope it could be rescheduled later in the year.

To help fill the gap, an exciting all-Kiwi showdown was put in place for a threematch series against Aotearoa Men to follow hot on the heels of the England series. The Silver Ferns had an anxious build-up to the England series when Auckland-based players Crampton, Fitzpatrick, Peta Toeava and Grace Nweke were unable to leave their home city due to the region being in Alert Level 4 lockdown.

With the quartet left in limbo while awaiting word on government exemption requests, Silver Ferns Development Squad members Georgia Tong, Paris Lokotui and Kimiora Poi were quickly shuttled to Christchurch to help bolster the Silver Ferns ranks.

Within days of the Taini Jamison Trophy series commencing, the Silver Ferns received welcome news that the Auckland players were granted exemptions to travel and play after returning negative COVID-19 test results and meeting the highest threshold to qualify for dispensation.

Played under strict Alert Level 2 protocols meant another series without crowds. However this did not dim the expectation or excitement levels with all games broadcast live on Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now with delayed free-to-air coverage on TVNZ 2.

The Silver Ferns put a disjointed preparation behind them to open the Taini Jamison Trophy series with a satisfying 48-42 win over the England Roses.

With the world champion Silver Ferns having the better of the first half, England, the Commonwealth Games champions, delivered a strong second half to keep the contest in the balance.

After a standout domestic season, Tiana Metuarau, 20, became Silver Fern #178 when making her debut against the country of her birth, ‘getting the nod’ in the starting line-up at goal attack in the series opener.

The Silver Ferns were unable to stem a rampant second half from the England Roses, who turned the tables to square the series with a rousing 55-45 win in the second Test two days later.

England showed their depth of experience to run home strongly against the Silver Ferns, who introduced 19-year-old shooter Grace Nweke for her international debut, becoming Silver Fern #179 while midcourt dynamo Toeava returned for the first time since 2018.

With Crampton forced to watch from the sidelines due to an adductor injury and Metuarau suffering a similar fate later in the game, the Silver Ferns combinations were put to the test with 11 having court time during the second Test. That was compounded when Fitzpatrick was also forced out after hyper-extending her knee during training.

Handily-placed with a 10-goal advantage at half-time, the Silver Ferns copped a highenergy response from the Roses in the second half, the Commonwealth Games champions showing their experience and depth to keep pushing for better.

Midcourter Serena Guthrie and shooting substitute Eleanor Cardwell were impressive figures in England’s secondhalf resurgence. In a last throw of the dice, defender Georgia Tong became Silver Fern #180 when she made a late entry to the game as the home side strove to keep their hands on the trophy. There was no let-up from a resurgent Roses, who kept applying a torrid onslaught as the respective fortunes were reversed.

The Silver Ferns were unable to weather a storming second-half comeback as the England Roses clinched the Taini Jamison Trophy with an impressive 4945 win in the series decider.

The ever-challenging landscape for the Silver Ferns took another twist when the series with Aotearoa Men in October was forced to change locations from Hamilton to Wellington following a change in COVID-19 alert levels in the Waikato.

With next year’s Commonwealth Games looming ever closer, the Silver Ferns were grateful for the valuable opportunity to come up against the unique style that Aotearoa Men provide. On managed loads, Crampton and Metuarau returned to the side while Fitzpatrick and Sam Winders missed the series completely due to injury niggles. Silver Ferns Development Squad members Tong and Lokotui were retained for the series. All games screened live on Sky Sport, while free-to-air broadcast partner TVNZ 2 simulcast the first Test live, as well as providing delayed coverage of the following two.

The disrupted build-up for Aotearoa Men, which included several members being unable to join the team, did not hamper their approach as they used all their speed, flair, height and physicality to serve up an entertaining and highly competitive series.

The introduction of Nweke changed the Silver Ferns fortunes on their way to a 58-47 win in the opening match.

Landing 39 from 44 attempts, Nweke was the individual standout, while defenders Karin Burger and Kelly Jury played their part, also in getting their hands to turnover opportunities as the Silver Ferns kept their noses marginally in front before pulling away in the final quarter.

Played back to back over three days, the Silver Ferns held their nerve in the second clash with a 59-58 win to clinch the series after showing their grit in a quality all-round Netball match. There was more polish from the Silver Ferns in the on-court patterns and topnotch defence but with Aotearoa Men moving away from their aerial style, turnover opportunities were limited and they had to grind it out to take the spoils.

Solid shooting from Nweke, Metuarau and Wilson, combined with outstanding midcourt defence from Claire Kersten and Gordon, heralded the tightest of wins. The individual highlight belonged to Aotearoa Men’s shooter Jay Geldard, who returned perfect figures of 44 from 44 attempts.

...long-serving wing attack Gina Crampton was appointed the Silver Ferns 28th captain with experienced defender Sulu Fitzpatrick stepping into the vice-captain role.” Well and truly in the groove, there was no stopping the proficient Aotearoa Men in the final showdown when they picked up a well-deserved 57-53 win.

It was anything but a dead rubber for the Men, who fronted with more spark than the Silver Ferns to stretch out to a 15-goal lead at one stage before being reeled in during the final quarter. Victor Godsmark-White in defence was a menacing presence throughout while Kersten completed an impressive series for the Silver Ferns in the midcourt.

An eventful year for the Silver Ferns ended in disappointment when the hope of rescheduling the Constellation Cup had to be abandoned due to the challenges of international travel and complexities around the trans-Tasman bubble.

Two intense late-season camps became the substitute as the Silver Ferns continued to implement their resourcefulness in the most productive fashion possible while preparing for the 2023 Commonwealth Games, with what lies in between being increasingly uncertain.