Introduction
In this instalment I will cast my eye over the World seven teams that have been named . I will also give my thoughts on the concept .
The Teams
There are two teams with some of the players being in both . The idea is that the Australian team and the Silver Ferns don’t come up against players from there respective countries .
The Team to Face the Silver Ferns
Coach
Julie Fitzgerald
Assistant Coach
Lisa Alexander
Defenders
Delmeza McCloud
Althea Byfield
Geva Mentor
Sonia Mkoloma
Mid Court
Tamsin Greenway
Natasha Chokljat
Peta Scholz
Frances Solia
Shooters
Megan Dehn
Simone Forbes
The Team to Face Australia
Future announcements concerning the make up of the squad to face Australia are expected .
Coach
Robyn Broughton
The team is the same as listed expect for the addition of Donna Wilkins and the removal of Chokljat and McCloud .
My Thoughts
Well the World Seven or World Selection team as it is also known is hardly as representative as its name suggests . So maybe ” All Stars ” would have been a better team . The concept of such a side is great . But switching players and coach’s as is planned will destroy any team cohesion that has been gained .
I tend to liken the World Selection team to the Barbarians team in Rugby . The Barbarians are an invitational side which by tradition includes an uncapped player . While the Barbarians squad and coach does of course change they are not worried about players of the same nationality facing off against each other . Nor do the changes made to the squad between matches differ so much .
Now I love the concept of a invitational side in Netball and I would rather see it developed then the half baked World Series which is also due to take place this year . Now for my thoughts on the team selections . One thing I cant fault is the quality of the Coach’s who will be at the helm of the team .
The selection of Peta Scholz a player who has been retired for about two years is just plain bizarre .
Maybe Peta is looking at making a come back to elite level Netball ?
Why not just bring Victoria Edwards on board if she is willing as well ?
Donna Wilkins selection makes sense from a player or rather form point of view . What is strange is that Donna is willing to play for the World Seven and not the Silver Ferns . Natasha Chokljat is an excellent choice for the teams mid court . I cant think of an oblivious Captain for the World Seven .
Only Solia springs to mind because she is in both squads . As for side to take on Australian Debbie White and pending possible Silver Ferns selection Charlotte Kight would make good additions to the squad . Kight would benefit from the time spend with the three other world class defenders . Stephanie Bond is also another name that springs to mind to take the place of McCloud.
Finally in the side to tackle the Silver Ferns there is a death of speciality shooters . From what I have been able to work out they can all double as mid courters . Versatility isnt a bad thing but to much of anything is bad . Presumable Romelda Aiken is unavailable due to taking part in the World Youth Netball Championships . Come to think of it the same would also apply to kight .
13 Comments
June 27, 2009 at 11:50 pm
So the World 7 is made up of players who aren’t in their own national teams for whatever reason? Since they take NZ players out of the W7 team when the Ferns play them, wouldn’t it be more representative of ‘world netball’ if they used current national reps?
Also, I am confused. Why are McCloud (the spelling of her surname really bugs me! I know it’s right but it looks so wrong) and Chokljat not in the team to face Australia, but Dehn is?
I’m guessing that Donna is willing to put herself forward for this and not the Ferns because this is a much smaller commitment in terms of time, etc. It’s not like she’ll be training for the next two years or putting herself in line for the World Cup.
Is the World 7 where they’re trying out all the weird new rules they want to implement? I don’t like the new rules, I like the game the way it is.
June 28, 2009 at 3:18 am
So I always just kind of skim these posts, because I barely even follow American Basketball – I’ve always assumed that Netball = Basketball and that’s my reason for posting today – is Netball the Australian/New Zealander word for Basketball????
June 28, 2009 at 12:48 pm
@ Rebecca: Nope. It’s similar in some ways, but really different in others. It used to be called ‘women’s basketball’ until the 1970s but even then it was a different ball game (pun intended, sorry
). Netball is mainly only played by women (the odd boys’ team is around but it’s female-dominated), there are 7 players on a team, you can’t dribble the ball, you can only shoot inside the shooting circle, you can’t step with the ball at all (I think they give you a bit of grace in basketball? I’m not overly familiar with it), and you’re only allowed to have the ball for 3 seconds before you pass or shoot. Also, certain players are only allowed in certain areas of the court, you have to be 3 feet away from a player who is holding the ball, and you’re not allowed to contact the player with the ball (it’s officially a non-contact sport, but there’s more and more contact happening these days). They’re the main differences I think, this page: might help. Rules linked at the right.
June 28, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Sorry html FAIL. I tried to make the thing link but apparently I just made it disappear. Here’s the web address, anyway: http://www.netballnz.co.nz/default.aspx?s=about_the_game
June 28, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Hmm apparently it actually originated in the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netball. Funny that almost no one there has heard of it.
June 28, 2009 at 1:56 pm
@ Cone Head it appears that is case players outside of there national squads may take part in the World Seven . Hmm good question .
If they used members of the Silver Ferns and Australian squad members in the World seven then who would they play against ?
In other words no opposition would stand a chance against the best players from Australia and New Zealand out on court . It is extremely unfortunate that Aiken will be unavailable due to U-21 commitments .
Your thinking of country of residence rather then eligibility . Dehn is living in New Zealand while she turns out for the Steel but she isn’t eligible for Silver Ferns selection . Good point about Donna. No the new experimental rules will be tried out at the World Series which will be held in Manchester .
@ Rebecca Cone Head has hit the nail on the head nicely .
June 28, 2009 at 2:18 pm
@ Cone Head what part of the spelling of McCloud bugs you ?
June 28, 2009 at 4:36 pm
@ Luke: The name pronounced ‘mccloud’ is more properly spelt ‘McLeod’. I assume that when Demelza’s hubby’s ancestors arrived in Aussie, they didn’t know how to write and the immigration bloke who wrote down their particulars had never come across the name ‘McLeod’ and so guessed at the spelling. ‘McLeod’ means ’son of Leod’ http://surnames.behindthename.com/php/search.php?type=n&terms=mcleod&submit=Go, McCloud doesn’t have a ‘proper’ meaning, but it would translate to ’son of a cloud’. Which makes no sense lol.
June 28, 2009 at 6:54 pm
My thought would have been that McCloud is the American spelling of McLeod because Americans tend to spell words as they sound .
June 29, 2009 at 2:52 am
@Brooke –
Thanks so much, I’m off to follow your links now, and I sure am glad I asked!!!
June 29, 2009 at 3:32 pm
You can add English Super Shooter Louisa Brownfield to the World Team for the tests in NZ and the one in Australia. Big coup for the W7 and her linking with Forbes will be interesting to watch.
Still think the mid-court may lack in speed and depth. Would have liked to have seen high calibre players such as Karen Atkinson (England) and Jamaican’s Nadine Bryan and Nicola Gibson, as this would add flair and great experience to the mid court.
If Scholz is able to play could we see players such as Nat Avellino and Sonya Hardcastle in for the NZ tests?? Both of whom played in the NZ Perry Championships last season. As far as I know Scholz still plays in State League for the Contax in Adelaide, who currently are undefeated.
June 29, 2009 at 4:58 pm
@ Bran would you say that if she was given the chance Louisa Brownfield would do well at ANZ Championship level if she was given the chance ?
Why don’t they just put Lois Muir out there ? haha
On a series note I could see Nat Avellino taking to the court if she wanted to make a come back to elite level Netball . Julianna Naoupu is a name that sprung to mind after I posted the entry . Naoupu doesnt have U-21 commitments and is a promising up and coming player who could turn out against the Aussies .
June 30, 2009 at 1:13 am
@ Luke:
Well last season Dunn from England came over and did well with Tactix, and I feel Brownfield is a lot more versatile and accurate than Dunn, and I for one would like to Louisa over in the ANZ Championships at some time.
Louisa is a very tall, strong athlete and underrated I feel….even Liz Ellis is a fan on her’s. At the Comm games and World Champs I think Aus and NZ look out because she will be damaging with Cookey!!!