Commentator’s Call – the #QuadSeries decider
September 2, 2016
SKY Sport NZ commentator Jenny Woods is looking forward to Sunday’s final round of Netball Quad Series matches. She casts her eye over both games ahead of the finale…
They haven’t won a game yet, but the Netball Quad Series team everyone’s talking about is South Africa’s SPAR Proteas. The numbers from their 25 goal loss to the Australian Diamonds, and then 19 goal loss to the Silver Ferns, don’t quite tell the whole story.
These Proteas play with a lot of heart and are grabbing with two hands the opportunity this Netball Quad Series throws up. It’s exactly what the Series is designed for.
The England Roses on the other hand have big problems. They’re struggling to fill the WA and GA positions, with Jo Harten having three different partners in the shooting circle in both games already played.
The Proteas will give themselves a real chance of beating the Roses on Sunday, something they haven’t done since 2013.
The big match should be a beauty and is the first real test of Janine Southby’s new-look team.
The Silver Ferns have won their last two matches against Diamonds, after cleaning up the final two games of last year’s New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup. Making it three in a row in Melbourne on Sunday will be tough. The Australians have put up similar margins over England and South Africa to those posted by the Silver Ferns, so it’s difficult to gauge where the two teams sit.
Most interesting will be who Southby chooses to partner Katrina Grant in the defensive circle. Phoenix Karaka got the nod to start the match, but Jane Watson – again – made a big impact when she came on in that incredibly busy style of play we’ve come to expect from her.
The slow first quarter would have helped Southby clarify her mind on her midcourt as the shifting of Laura Langman to C and addition of Kayla Cullen at WD added punch. Cullen is starting to bolt around the court and regain some of the irrepressible form she had in Sydney at Netball World Cup. She’ll need it if she’s to contain Madi Robinson.
The Silver Ferns have every chance of taking this game and thereby claiming the inaugural Netball Quad Series title. But they’ll need to come out firing as they did against England, rather than the poor start they had in Hamilton.
Bailey Mes and Ameliaranne Ekenasio have looked promising in their combination, but haven’t come under the same sort of scrutiny they will against Layton and Clare McMeniman.
One thing’s for sure … the Silver Ferns will have to improve their defensive effort from Wednesday night and cut out the number of simple errors.
Caitlin Bassett is in fine form shooting 46/51 against England. But the Diamonds too have things to work on, with both of their games against South Africa and England, far from perfect.
A lovely appetiser to October’s New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup!
Don’t forget – fans in New Zealand can catch all the action from Sunday’s Netball Quad Series doubleheader LIVE on SKY Sport 4 from 3.30pm (NZT). The action starts with the England Roses v South Africa’s SPAR Proteas, followed by the Silver Ferns and Australian Diamonds.
They haven’t won a game yet, but the Netball Quad Series team everyone’s talking about is South Africa’s SPAR Proteas. The numbers from their 25 goal loss to the Australian Diamonds, and then 19 goal loss to the Silver Ferns, don’t quite tell the whole story.
These Proteas play with a lot of heart and are grabbing with two hands the opportunity this Netball Quad Series throws up. It’s exactly what the Series is designed for.
The England Roses on the other hand have big problems. They’re struggling to fill the WA and GA positions, with Jo Harten having three different partners in the shooting circle in both games already played.
The Proteas will give themselves a real chance of beating the Roses on Sunday, something they haven’t done since 2013.
The big match should be a beauty and is the first real test of Janine Southby’s new-look team.
The Silver Ferns have won their last two matches against Diamonds, after cleaning up the final two games of last year’s New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup. Making it three in a row in Melbourne on Sunday will be tough. The Australians have put up similar margins over England and South Africa to those posted by the Silver Ferns, so it’s difficult to gauge where the two teams sit.
Most interesting will be who Southby chooses to partner Katrina Grant in the defensive circle. Phoenix Karaka got the nod to start the match, but Jane Watson – again – made a big impact when she came on in that incredibly busy style of play we’ve come to expect from her.
The slow first quarter would have helped Southby clarify her mind on her midcourt as the shifting of Laura Langman to C and addition of Kayla Cullen at WD added punch. Cullen is starting to bolt around the court and regain some of the irrepressible form she had in Sydney at Netball World Cup. She’ll need it if she’s to contain Madi Robinson.
The Silver Ferns have every chance of taking this game and thereby claiming the inaugural Netball Quad Series title. But they’ll need to come out firing as they did against England, rather than the poor start they had in Hamilton.
Bailey Mes and Ameliaranne Ekenasio have looked promising in their combination, but haven’t come under the same sort of scrutiny they will against Layton and Clare McMeniman.
One thing’s for sure … the Silver Ferns will have to improve their defensive effort from Wednesday night and cut out the number of simple errors.
Caitlin Bassett is in fine form shooting 46/51 against England. But the Diamonds too have things to work on, with both of their games against South Africa and England, far from perfect.
A lovely appetiser to October’s New World Netball Series for the Constellation Cup!
Don’t forget – fans in New Zealand can catch all the action from Sunday’s Netball Quad Series doubleheader LIVE on SKY Sport 4 from 3.30pm (NZT). The action starts with the England Roses v South Africa’s SPAR Proteas, followed by the Silver Ferns and Australian Diamonds.