FOUR huge test matches between Australia and New Zealand are done and dusted, with plenty of players putting their hands up for regular selection in the respective starting sevens following excellent form.

GS: Maia Wilson (NZ)
GA: Kiera Austin (AUS)
WA: Liz Watson (AUS)
C: Kate Moloney (AUS)
WD: Sam Winders (NZ)
GD: Jane Watson (NZ)
GK: Sulu Fitzpatrick (NZ)

BENCH: Cara Koenen (AUS), Courtney Bruce (AUS), Gina Crampton (NZ)

When it comes to sure things in this team, it was Maia Wilson who was the overwhelming choice in goal shooter credit to her impressive form, ability to pile on the offensive pressure and consistency to be a formidable force at the goal post. Wilson dominated the scoring in each of the four games, holding down the fort and rarely shaken by the attention she received from Australia’s defensive unit, continuously plying her trade and putting up a wealth of shots at a high accuracy. Joining Wilson in the circle is Australian Kiera Austin, who may not have had the highest accuracy of the goaling units but was a real game changer when she was on. Unafraid to go for the long bombs and take on the contest, Austin proved how much of a threat she can be in her first four official test matches. With plenty to still develop, especially her accuracy, Austin is a real one to watch out for in the future given her excellent vision, timing and ability to step up when required.

Moving into the midcourt, and a Melbourne Vixens duo of acting captain Liz Watson and Kate Moloney take the wing attack and centre positions credit to their connection and all-round game smarts. The pair work well in tandem and on their own, providing excellent court coverage and spreading well to create forward forays, as well as providing backup around the circle. Both players tried their hand in centre, utilising their excellent vision and versatility to rotate to the backend and pick up the extra slack, and were tough to beat when they got going credit to their workhorse attitudes. The wing defence bib goes to Sam Winders, with the dogged midcourter realistically the only player who was able to limit Watson’s impact on the game in patches. Winders’ ability to block her opposition on the drive as well as impact on the zone defence was paramount to New Zealand’s victories, and she proved to be the smiling assassin again and again as she used her clever timing to create tips and deflections through the midcourt.

Down back, it was hard to go past the defensive combination of Silver Ferns Jane Watson and Sulu Fitzpatrick, with both players using their speed, footwork and overall high pressure defensive ability to block the vision of Australia’s goalers. The duo were light on their feet and creative in their pursuit for the turnover, forcing long-bombs from the Diamonds frontline and confusing space well to cause issues for the feeders putting the ball into their inexperienced attack. What Watson and Fitzpatrick also did well was render the Diamonds inaccurate to post, seeing the Ferns pick up an array of defensive rebounds which allowed the side to benefit off easy turnovers and continue ticking the scoreboard along.

The bench features two Australians, with goaling revelation Cara Koenen handed the shooting bench position and Courtney Bruce getting the defensive nod. Koenen proved she is more than capable of stepping up to the next level with her accuracy, baseline drive and ability to find the ball showcasing her excellent development. She was not phased under pressure, and while she did not quite have the endurance to keep up her workrate across all four games, she proved more than capable of holding up the Diamonds frontline. Bruce played out of position in goal defence for much of the series, and whilst she also did not quite have the legs to complete a clean sweep across all four games, her work ethic saw the Diamonds handed back turnover ball again and again. The remaining midcourt bench position goes to Gina Crampton, with the zippy wing attack providing pinpoint precision feeds into Wilson time and time again. Her ability to step up under pressure and adjust depending on her defender showcased her netball smarts, while her agility allowed her to continue to duck around the defence and ply her trade.