Australian domination of the trans-Tasman netball league since its beginning remains a source of arrogance to make up for the Silver Ferns' stunning defence of their Common wealth Games title in Delhi last year, though the blessing is also a curse. Success, it seems, is fleeting - once crowned the resignation is swift, and dramatic. Inaugural champions the New South Wales Swifts plummeted to ninth in 2009; the Melbourne Vixens decline was almost as disturbing as they drooping to seventh last year.
Now the Adelaide Thunderbirds are challenged to buck the trend, an ominous task which starts this weekend without a basis of their championship-winning roster. The transfer of internationally famous defenders Geva Mentor - to the Vixens and Mo'onia Gerrard (Swifts) are the most significant departures and force coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson to groom the promising, though inexperienced, combination of Sharni Layton and Kara Richards in the goal circle.
Layton, 22, is so highly regarded she has been added to the Thunderbirds leadership group while her former Victorian age-group teammate Richards has effectively traded places with English basis Mentor. Australian shooter Kate Beveridge, another Vixens gaining, might also be missed in the goal circle where Jamaica's Carla Borrego must ensure Natalie von Bertouch's industry in midcourt is rewarded under the hoop.
Naturally Woodlands-Thompson was as hopeful as possible about her side's prospects."It will be good to develop that end we have the culture and style to meld these young players in," she insisted."Kara is an athletic defender with a incredible training background and a high aerobic capacity."Swifts counterpart Julie Fitzgerald also exuded positivity - and not without justification.
Now the Adelaide Thunderbirds are challenged to buck the trend, an ominous task which starts this weekend without a basis of their championship-winning roster. The transfer of internationally famous defenders Geva Mentor - to the Vixens and Mo'onia Gerrard (Swifts) are the most significant departures and force coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson to groom the promising, though inexperienced, combination of Sharni Layton and Kara Richards in the goal circle.
Layton, 22, is so highly regarded she has been added to the Thunderbirds leadership group while her former Victorian age-group teammate Richards has effectively traded places with English basis Mentor. Australian shooter Kate Beveridge, another Vixens gaining, might also be missed in the goal circle where Jamaica's Carla Borrego must ensure Natalie von Bertouch's industry in midcourt is rewarded under the hoop.
Naturally Woodlands-Thompson was as hopeful as possible about her side's prospects."It will be good to develop that end we have the culture and style to meld these young players in," she insisted."Kara is an athletic defender with a incredible training background and a high aerobic capacity."Swifts counterpart Julie Fitzgerald also exuded positivity - and not without justification.
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