Bugger Again!

My post rugby world cup blog was entitled 'bugger!' This one is due to the netball world cup. It was terribly disappointing to watch in one sense, Aussie won. On the other hand, they gave it their all so... well done the Silver Ferns. You could not back up, but you went close.

My analysis suggests we lost for several reasons:
1. Jodie Te Huna was off her game. She was reticent to shoot and it placed too much pressure on Irene van Dyk. Too many short passes in the circle, which the Aussies touched away.
2. The mid-court was outplayed. It seemed to me that the Aussies had more pace and were able to exert more defensive pressure. It was noticeable that Langman struggled to get free and this stifled the flow. Oh that she could have played WD and Temapara was there at her best. But you can't go back (I wish Tana had been in France too).
3. The fouling of the Australians esp. in defence. The Aussies without doubt played to disrupt in the circle, going to the edge of the law and beyond to disrupt NZ. I have written before on this blog of the problem we have in netball. Vilimainu Davu used to do it and Liz Ellis and her mates really push the boundaries. Intentional hits, knocking the balls out of the hand. Without a foul system, or a yellow card system, netball will continue to be ruined. I am not blaming the refs, but the Aussies know how to slow us down, and disrupt Irene van Dyk.

Generally, the Aussies were slightly better. But in Cassie Williams, we have a superstar.

Way to go Ruth A and the team, you did us proud. Time to rebuild the Silver Ferns though, a few are now hitting the ends of their careers. Bring on the young stars to complement the mature, and we will turn it around.