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2024 Constellation Cup Netball Game 4: Aussie Diamonds finish off on a high in Melbourne 63-50 as Silver Ferns still get to collect the series trophy back home in NZ

by Sports Benches

The 2024 Constellation Cup series has just ended for another year at John Cain Arena in Melbourne with the Aussie Diamonds capping off a much better performance this time on a high note by 13 goals at home (63-50), but still a largely underwhelming run though as the Silver Ferns officially took home the series trophy back where it belongs in New Zealand for least the next 12 months with three straight wins (two at home in New Zealand) to one including that monumental 43-61 win the other day away (RAC Arena) in Perth.

It was a close 15 mins from the beginning by both teams with Ferns able to lead out a few times by a couple of goals. However, it was the Diamonds who began to turn the tide with a six goal lead (32-26) ahead of half-time while they kept their winning lead intact throughout the 2nd half. Yes, Ferns tried to play catch up that fast in the last 15 but Diamonds didn’t panic though by keeping their lead intact once more & never looked back since then – that’s all.

Great to see Courtney Bruce smiling with confidence, especially when her Diamonds team were winning while being the (goal) keeper of this back three. She’s been so good at nailing down by ripping the ball away off a different side of the Silver Ferns attack thanks to her brilliant running talent, even when Grace Nweke was there off the bench while the game went on who will be playing here more often for the NSW Swifts next year. Maybe she should be in the 100m dash (Athletics) but glad to hear that Bruce still has lots to offer though after all where playing v the world’s best will help her personally as a professional athlete & sure she’ll want to keep on going into 2025 beginning with the West Coast Fever in Super Netball.

Next up is fan favourite for the Melbourne Vixens is Kate Moloney who has been bossing the mid-court throughout the full hour tonight. She credits her Diamonds back three especially with Jamie-Lee Price being much better at Wing Defense, so she can do damage to link up her attackers towards the other end. They just keep on coming with goals under her watch as what could’ve happened if she did start from Game 1 of this series instead of Price or even Paige Hadley much like Sophie Dwyer for the Goal Attack role, although there’s still huge competition there off the back of Kiera Austin’s return to form tonight. For now, she’s flying high this year in a finalist Vixens outfit as more to come for 2025.

And Kate Heffernan rounds out the Top 3 once again. Yes, might not have heard much from her earlier on when the Silver Ferns would like to try out something different with their squad, having won the series already. But she is someone who always put on her A-game and she continues to do so consistently with a mix of good passes as well as marking/deflecting balls from up high. Also, there may be some complaints about Kate not being good at Centre where she done that before for the Southern Steel and she wasn’t that bad, particularly when trying to play catch up in the last 15. But surely if the Steel wants to be Top 3 again, then the safe option is for Kate to be at Wing Defense than at C. For now, she’s had an outstanding Trans-Tasman series – more to come from Kate Heffernan alongside her twin Georgia (in goal attack) for 2025.

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2024 Constellation Cup Netball Game 3: Silver Ferns has finally done it away from home with not just the huge win but also the series trophy at Perth’s RAC Arena

by Sports Benches

So there you have it, the Silver Ferns just won their third straight game in the 2024 Constellation Cup series v the Diamonds by a whopping 18 goals (43-61). Now they can take this Trans-Trophy back into New Zealand territory with nothing to lose going into the fourth & final match at John Cain Arena in Melbourne on Wednesday,

It was a close one between both teams from the start when the Diamonds were usually dominant likewise on home turf alongside the Ferns on their own home front like we saw over the last seven days. However it’s the Ferns who got away on the winning front this time in Australia from a two-goal buffet at half-time (26-28) to a massive full-time win while the Diamonds just couldn’t find a way to arrest them and shut the Ferns’ defense down in its tracks.

This is the second time Dame Nolene Taurua has done it as head coach since 2021 when that edition’s Constellation Cup series were all played in New Zealand due to COVID at the time. Before that, the Silver Ferns only won the won once a long time ago (2012) in between the Diamonds’ long-running dominance since its inception back in 2010.

Gotta say she used Game 3 of the Taini Jamison Trophy as a practice game when they’ve lost that series already to England with the win, and her starting 7 never stopped working hard since then only while winning & still winning not once, twice but three times in a row now. Great to see Noelene and her players celebrate with joy post-game on a moment they will never forget – mark that down on the NZ netball & also NZ sporting history books.

Let’s start by Southern Steel’s Kate Heffernan with no introduction following her outstanding Constellation Cup performance once again including Game 3 tonight for the Ferns at Wing Defense. Speaking of defense, the credit is there from her Ferns back two in Kelly Jackson and Karin Burger who has that high jump with these intercepts, deflection & high ball catches – must’ve been a great cricketer back then. Plus, she also worked well together with her Netty Notes business partner & international team-mate Maddy Gordon through the mid-court that got the best out of the Ferns’ starring goal scorers Ameliaranne Ekenasio & Grace Nweke up front — particularly when the Diamonds weren’t that good at the back & they scored well each time with both hands. Mind you she also deserves to take out the player of the series as well with Kate always on top at her A-game through each and every match at all levels, more to come both club and country going into 2025!!

Then there’s her new Southern Steel team-mate Kimiora Poi at the other wing attacking end of the Ferns court. As said, the poor Diamonds’ defense and their goal scoring struggles allowed Gordon and Heffernan to link up with Poi on what has been a dangerous Ferns mid-court where Ekenasio and Nweke just never stopped scoring – that’s all. She had a really good last few years from when she played a bit of Australian netball with the then Collingwood team to making a name for herself with the Mainland Tactix where her side only lost the Elimination Final this year & now there’s still unfinished business ahead, and that will be helping her new club go back into winning ways for the Steel with Steel legend Wendy Frew onboard as the new coach.

And GWS Giants goal attacker Sophie Dwyer did the best she can for the Diamonds tonight this time starting in Perth, having shot most of the goals like he did all along in this Constellation Cup series. She should’ve been starting there no doubt instead of Kiera Austin from Game 1 as can’t guarantee any success based on just picking the Diamonds’ best front two from one particular top club which is the Melbourne Vixens. But then there’s deeper issues than that like her team’s really poor selections particularly at the back & even their mid-court that made it even worse sadly. That’s all I can say as they need to know what the Diamonds are really doing and if their starting 7 does well v Ferns, then stick to it while they can with the lead.

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2024 Constellation Cup Game 2: Silver Ferns still unbeaten on the home front with a 11 goal win over the Diamonds in Auckland

by Sports Benches

Another home game, another home win by the Silver Ferns in Game 2 of the 2024 Constellation Cup series at Spark Arena in Auckland. Not only they continued to fire off well but they also extended their winning share as the game goes on with a 10 goal lead at half-time (33-23) followed by a 11 goal win (63-52). Now the Ferns will be going Down Under this weekend with a 2-0 advantage with two to go as the 2024 Constellation Cup trophy is still up for grabs as we’re at the halfway mark now.

All they have to do now is at least win one of the next two matches or shock them away from home if the series decider does end up at extra time. For the Diamonds, they were really not on the same page for the most other than the 3rd quarter when the Ferns slowed down a bit through a ring of changes. Again, winning the last two would help considering their also strong home front but a deciding win though would be enough when they have lost one match last month in Game 2/3 v England. 

The Top 2 Ferns players you’re looking at right now is their front two strikeforce of Grace Nweke and Ameliaranne Ekenasio following their unbelievable performance tonight where they just kept on adding and adding more goals while barely having to miss a few along the way. You can’t just can’t get enough of Ekenasio’s basketball- like shots with Nweke’s high flying catches & close range shots as if she’s competing in Biathlon. Not only it was more than good enough to help extend the Ferns lead but it also safeguarded that Game 2 win also on home soil – all eyes on the Ferns to try & knick at least one more win within the next seven days away from home in Australia. If they can do that, Constellation Cup is theirs to take home.

For now, it’s been a joy watching this duo thrive with confidence off the back of the Ferns good start from their mid-court players. It won’t be the same though going into next year when Nweke will ply her trade for the NSW Swifts in Super Netball as she needs more A-Games from them regardless of the result that will benefit her game as one of the world’s best shooters in her time – very important when getting tested at the highest level jn Australia in every round.

And also NSW Swifts star Paige Hadley did the best she could to push her Diamonds team over the line who is very experienced & can play all of the mid-court positions including the one at wing attack tonight. She’s been great slowing down that dangerous Ferns back three with a good eye to cross-pass from long range, particularly when they won the 3rd quarter alone with Giants player Sophie Dwyer being the star show at reserve goal attack – maybe Dwyer should be starting next time instead of her former Giants team-mate and now Melbourne Vixens player Kiera Austin for a try.

But again when it comes to another poor result, it’s just the players around her were simply too isolated in areas like up front as well as in defense. It would also be even better if Hadley plays Centre with Liz Watson back to start at Wing Attack, but then it’s up to them to match that high standard v Ferns as they don’t know what they’re doing. Diamonds better get their selections & tactics right if they do want to bounce back in the hope of retaining the Constellation Cup, especially when going into the last two matches on home soil beginning this Sunday in Perth & also next Wednesday to finish off in Melbourne.

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2024 Constellation Cup Game 1: Silver Ferns too good to begin the four-game series by 14 goals over the Aussie Diamonds in Wellington

by Sports Benches

So there you have it, the Silver Ferns are on a roll to kickstart the 2024 Constellation Cup Series with a win on home soil at TSB Arena in Wellington. Not only the Ferns got away with a tight first quarter but they too were so dominant in the 2nd 15 going into half-time by nine goals over the Aussie Diamonds at half-time (34-25). 

Yes, the Diamonds did play catch-up having won the third quarter alone as they were only seven goals behind (47-40) at three quarter time. But at the end of the day, it was barely even enough to steer the ship for the Diamonds as the Ferns kept on extending their lead thanks to a formula that was simply just fine like it was in the dead rubber 3rd Test win v England. 

Although Head Coach Dame Noelene Taurua was happy enough to make these late changes off the bench when she had nothing left to lose as the clock ticks down. She couldn’t be more prouder than that to see her Ferns side win by a comfortable 14-goal win (60-54) with 1-0 up in the series as there’s three more games to go in this Trans-Tasman contest.

First things first, let’s start with Kate Heffernan who was brought back into the Silver Ferns starting line up tonight at Wing Defense. Not only she was outstanding mainly in defense but also restarted well in attack every time she has the ball. That’s all you need to know about Kate as this has been her best game tonight and also coming from her best position too, especially when you got her new Steel (and also current Ferns) team-mate Kimiora Poi coming over next season – another plus too for Southland. Yes, we wished Kate would put in the exact same shift when the Ferns recently played v England. But class is permanent & she wants to keep on going until Kate is happy what she wants such as the series trophy.

Next up is Maddy Gordon in the middle of the Ferns engine as she never disappoints every time on-court like imagine if she gets to play Super Netball but still allowed to play for her country? She would’ve helped them retain the Taini Jamison Trophy. But still long way to go though at present with the Constellation Cup & what Maddy wants to do now is keep that good form up for Game 2 on Wednesday (Auckland) before all in & hope she can help bring home that Trans-Tasman series trophy. For now, she worked really well like the read/communication that got the best out of the Ferns front two in Ameliaranne Ekenasio (Goal Attack) & Grace Nweke (Goal Shooter) – even from long range like a rocket as seen with the Central Pulse.

And Sarah Klau did the best she can in a Diamonds shirt when she came on for Jo Weston at goal defense. She’s so important when needed in both crucial defensive positions as seen with the NSW Swifts, having denied the Ferns some attacking opportunities along the way while winning that 3rd quarter win alone. If she started this match then that might have added some more confidence considering she’s has a plethora of experience in a championship-winning side before. It’s a shame that the Diamonds attack looked bereft unfortunately tonight, particularly with their mid-court & front two. Still more time to turn things around as they’re not panicking just yet with three games to go.

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