The Silver Ferns delivered the Australian Diamonds a reality check for the ages in the first Constellation Cup Test last night, dismantling the Commonwealth Games gold medallists in seven minutes of supremacy in the first quarter, setting up a 56-48 win.
The Gretel Bueta-less Diamonds had no answers for the Ferns’ disciplined defence, patience through the middle and attacking line of Grace Nweke, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Peta Toeava.
Here are the big talking points out of the first Test.
Watch the oldest rivalry in Netball as Origin Australian Diamonds face New Zealand in the Constellation Cup Live & Free on Kayo Freebies. Join now and start streaming instantly >
WRAP: Desperate Diamonds forced into extraordinary call as tall Fern proves a menace
Toeava: that girl is on fire
Diamonds legend and national selector Anne Sargeant often refers to the “invisible thread” that runs through a netball team, linking the players on the court.
Such a connection was on display in the first Test in Auckland last night … but it didn’t tie the Australians together, rather Ferns’ shooter Grace Nweke and her wing attack Peta Toeava.
The pair, who play together in New Zealand’s domestic league, put on a terrifyingly good display in their side’s emphatic win, with 28-year-old Toeava feeding the young shooter from midcourt at one stage.
Nweke, just 20, was the game’s leading shooter, finishing with 40/42 at 95% accuracy and two rebounds, while 161cm Toeava, in just her fourth Test, was the best feeder by a stretch, recording 25 goal assists and 31 feeds, 28 with an attempt.
Ferns’ coach Noeline Taurua was happy to see Toeava deliver a four-quarter performance, after patchy form in her first few games in the black dress.
“I’m really proud of her. One thing I’m really proud (of) was she was able to sustain four quarters against Australia. (She) went walkabouts a wee bit and (wasn’t) attacking circle edge, so that’s an area she needs to work on. But when she’s on … she’s on fire.”
It’s a fire the Diamonds must douse in the second Test in Tauranga on Sunday to have any hope of levelling the series.
Diamonds Bueta solve how to replace Gretel
The Gretel Bueta-shaped hole in the Diamonds line-up was always going to be one of coach Stacey Marinkovich’s biggest problems this Constellation Cup.
Bueta – arguably the best player in the world, who brings height, accuracy and aerial dominance – withdrew from the side last week after announcing her pregnancy. And without her in Auckland last night, the attack end simply failed to launch, looking unsettled and unconfident without her.
Starting shooters Steph Wood and Cara Koenen and then Kiera Austin, as well as the midcourt of Kate Moloney and captain Liz Watson all struggled, especially in the first, which saw the Ferns go on a game-defining 11-goal run.
The Diamonds couldn’t find a way to break through the Ferns’ zone defence or make space in the circle. Defenders Phoenix Karaka, named best-on, and Kelly Jury, had 13 gains, including six intercepts and six deflections between them.
Watson, who was one of just three Diamonds, along with Amy Parmenter and Courtney Bruce who played the full 60 minutes, was frank about Bueta’s absence post-game but highlighted the efforts of Sophie Garbin, who played 10 minutes in the last and finished with 7/9, a rebound and no turnovers.
“We’re never going to be able to replace Gretel; she’s an amazing netballer. When Soph came on, she was such a great target for us down that shooting end. We are trying all the different goalers out there, so they’re getting opportunities, they’re performing when they need to,” she said.
“But we’re going to have to figure out a different style of play. We can’t play exactly how (we do) with Gretel.”
Diamonds eager to win back Cup | 04:53
Men create history with curtain-raiser
A new chapter in netball’s story was written in Auckland last night, with men’s teams representing Australia and New Zealand playing in a televised curtain-raiser for the first time.
The landmark game, the result of an agreement between the women’s and men’s governing bodies on both sides of the Tasman, was won by Australia 64-48 in a powerful display.
Aussie goal attack Brodie Roberts was named best-on. He shot 27/30 at 90% and had plenty of support from Jerome Gillbard at shooter, who shot 15/16 at 94% accuracy.
The winners led almost every metric, with more gains and intercepts and fewer turnovers. And such was the margin, Australian coach Nerida Stewart was able to get all 12 on the court by choice, rather than necessity, as was the case for the Kiwis.
Australian captain Dylan Nexhip, who dominated at wing defence, said post-game it was “hard to put into words” what the match meant for the visibility of men’s netball.
“I never dreamt that we’d be on this stage … as a young boy playing netball when I was 10. To be here means the absolute world,” he said.
“We are just hopeful we are doing netball proud and putting a product out there that’s amazing … hoping we inspire other young boys that want to play netball,” Nexhip, who grew up in the small regional Victorian town of Tongala but is now based in Sydney, added.
The sides will meet again in New Zealand on Friday before another televised curtain-raiser, ahead of the third Constellation Cup Test at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena next Wednesday.
The Aussie men will also play a one-off game against the England men’s team at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena later this month as part of another Diamonds series.
Passionate Parmenter makes her debut
Fan favourite Amy Parmenter became the 185th player to wear the green and gold dress last night in what was a serviceable, but not spectacular debut.
The wing defence, who welled up with tears listening to the national anthem pre-match, recorded one intercept and 13 centre pass receives, second to only captain Liz Watson.
Her direct opponent Peta Toeava had the better of her for the most part, starring in just her fourth Test, with the most goal assists of any player on the court.
Parmenter admitted to feeling “very nervous” ahead of the clash and taking some time to settle. “It was really just a dream come true to play with those girls and in this dress,” she said post-match.
The Giants’ wing defence, who had teammate Jamie-Lee Price at centre for most of the game, said adapting to the New Zealand style of play was a challenge.
“(With) New Zealand playing a lot more off the body, you really have to be careful. You think someone’s free and someone will come flying out of nowhere. So it’s just re-adjusting.”
With the nerves dispensed with, Parmenter hopes to take lessons into Sunday’s second Test.
“I’m ready to give it a crack. I (know now) it’s not just the first move you have to cover. There’s lots of moves, they do lots of dodges and they’re super quick, they’ll give and go. I’ve got to stay on them as close as I can now.”
Price is right: Maligned midcourter stars
The performance of Jamie-Lee Price, who replaced starting centre Kate Moloney halfway through the second quarter and finished the match there, was a bright spot for the Diamonds.
The 26-year-old proved a better foil for Ferns’ centre Whitney Souness in attack and defence. She recorded five goal assists and seven feeds in her first seven minutes, compared to Moloney’s one goal assist and eight feeds in the opening 22.
Price had 10 goal assists, 20 feeds, 13 with an attempt, as well as an intercept. A player often criticised for attracting whistle and having “brain fades”, she stayed clean, picking up just three contacts across 37 minutes of a high penalty count affair.
Fox Netball pundit Kim Green, who played with Price at the Giants in Super Netball for several seasons, said she looked to be turning bitter disappointment about missing out on the Commonwealth Games into fuel to perform.
“(She has said) ‘I know I need to put my foot down now and actually have a crack and not care about what else is happening outside. I need to play the same way I do domestically’ and today, I thought that she was fantastic … a great start for her,” Green said.
Green called for Diamonds boss Stacey Marinkovich to start Price in the second Test in Tauranga on Sunday.
