Teenage Northern Mystics goalshooter Grace Nweke is the only new face in the Silver Ferns squad named for the Cadbury Netball Series in Palmerston North this week.
The Silver Ferns have named 15 players for the series and will name a game day team of 12 for each match against New Zealand A, the New Zealand Men and the under-21 team.
Coach Dame Noeline Taurua said competition for places in the national team had been “quite firece” during the second national training camp in Wellington.
Nweke is a Silver Ferns development squad player who will make the step-up for the Series which starts on Wednesday.
She is joined in the shooting circle by Monica Falkner who is making a return from ACL injury.
The Silver Ferns and New Zealand A had been training together in a move that Dame Noeline said would strengthen the respective programmes and she believes it is an important step for New Zealand netball moving forward.
NZA will carry a core squad of 11 players with the three players not included in each Silver Ferns match to get game time with NZA.
The side is coached by Marianne Delaney-Hoshek and assistant coach Gail Parata.
Dame Noeline said this strategy was about building depth not only in this cycle of four years but also beyond.
“We have the Netball World Youth Cup next year, and of course the Cadbury Netball Series and Taini Jamison Trophy against England is upon us. We need to leverage off each other and put ourselves under pressure so we can showcase the best possible product out on court for Cadbury Netball Series,” Dame Noeline said.
New Zealand Emerging Talent Selectors and head coach Yvette McCausland-Durie have also named the NZU21 team for the series.
With the experience of eight 2021 contracted ANZ Premiership players including Georgie Edgecombe, Taneisha Fifita, Paris Lokotui, Parris Mason, Tiana Metuarau, Renee Savai’inaea, Saviour Tui, Khiarna Williams, the team is brimming with variation, speed and versatility.
Nweke and midcourters Maddy Gordon and Tayla Earle are eligible for the NZU21 team but will be with the Silver Ferns and NZ A squads during the series.
McCausland-Durie is excited about the opportunity the Series presents to grow the combinations “in the heat of competition”.
“In a challenging year, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to expose our young high performance talent to international standard competition,” she said
“I have been really impressed with what these athletes have put out there over the two camps and the reward for this 12 selected will be playing against the best netballers in New Zealand.”
The series will be a part of the NZU21 squad’s build-up towards next year’s Netball World Youth Cup where they are aiming to win a third straight world title.
Squad members not selected for the Cadbury Netball Series remain in contention for the Netball World Youth Cup and will have the chance to play against England ahead of their series against the Silver Ferns.
“We’ve seen such a depth in the competition for places in the team which I think is a nod towards both the ANZ Premiership and Beko Netball League and what they have provided in terms of performance pathways for our athletes,” McCausland-Durie said.
Bailey Mes, Katrina Rore and Temalisi Fakahokotau were unavailable for selection for the Cadbury Netball Series due to injury management and medical reasons.
A Silver Ferns team to play England in a three-Test Series, starting 28 October, will be named on Sunday.
Silver Ferns – Cadbury Netball Series
Shooters:
Ameliaranne Ekenasio
Monica Falkner
Grace Nweke
Te Paea Selby-Rickit
Maia Wilson
Midcourters:
Gina Crampton
Claire Kersten
Kimiora Poi
Shannon Saunders
Sam Sinclair
Whitney Souness
Defenders:
Karin Burger
Sulu Fitzpatrick
Kelly Jury
Jane Watson
NZ A
Shooters:
Ellie Bird
Aliyah Dunn
Jamie Hume
Midcourters:
Tayla Earle
Maddy Gordon
Kate Heffernan
Defenders:
Kate Burley
Oceane Maihi
Erena Mikaere
Michaela Sokolich-Beatson
*Georgia Tong (subject to medical clearance)
NZU21 team
Georgie Edgecombe, Taneisha Fifita, Hannah Glen, Vika Koloto, Paris Lokotui, Parris Mason, Tiana Metuarau, Ainsleyana Puleiata, Renee Savai’inaea, Jessie Taylor, Saviour Tui and Khiarna Williams.
