Three key members of the Black Jacks are taking time out from bowls and will not be playing at the national championships in Dunedin.
The promising Genevieve Baildon, one of the few members of the New Zealand team to enhance her reputation at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, has work commitments.
''She had a lot of time off work before the Commonwealth Games and gave a commitment to work during the Christmas holiday period,'' national selector Dave Edwards said.
Experienced international Richard Girvan had to choose between the Hong Kong Classic and the nationals in Dunedin and he opted for the overseas event.
''We have to realise that we are an amateur sport and the players still have to earn a living,'' Edwards said.
''There was a huge commitment in our preparation for the Commonwealth Games and most of the team had to take time off work.
''If they are not able to make it to the nationals, I can understand that. I have had that discussion with each of them.''
Andrew Todd is the only member of the Commonwealth Games team not available for international bowls next year.
''He wants to take a year off international bowls,'' Edwards said. ''He will leave a big hole.''
Todd will reassess his position with the New Zealand selection panel in 12 months.
The good news is that 2008 World Bowls pairs champion Jo Edwards has returned from her year off.
''She notified Bowls New Zealand chief executive Kerry Clark and the selectors that she is available for all levels of the game,'' Dave Edwards said.
The development programmes adopted by Bowls New Zealand over the past few years has brought greater depth at the top level of New Zealand bowls.
''We have got promising younger players who are pushing the Black Jacks for places in the national side,'' Edwards said.
''They are starting to put pressure on the Black Jacks.
''The players are aware of that because of their performances at the Commonwealth Games. They expected to play better than that.''
The team for next year's transtasman international in Invercargill in early March will be named straight after the New Zealand championships, which start on Tuesday and run until January 9.
But the main international focus next year is the Asia and Pacific championships in Adelaide.
''It is exactly 12 months out from World Bowls at Adelaide,'' Edwards said. ''It will give us a chance to test our players on the same greens that will be used for World Bowls.''
Edwards sees the New Zealand secondary schools championship as a useful breeding ground for future international bowlers.
''We have a sprinkling of players from this tournament in Dunedin who are already in our talent development squads,'' Edwards said.
Players at the championships would form the bulk of the New Zealand under-18 team selected for the transtasman test series.
''We are also identifying brand new talent for the sport,'' Edwards said.
Commonwealth Games representatives Baildon and Shannon McIlroy emerged from the secondary schools championships.
The Commonwealth Games was a big disappointment for New Zealand bowls.
''We are mystified as to why we didn't play well,'' Edwards said. ''We have not been able to out our finger on one particular thing that led to the poor form.''
Edwards said form shown at the training camps before the event indicated that the team was on track.
He did not put the blame on the standard of the greens in Delhi.
''We knew what they would be like and we trained accordingly,'' he said. ''Other teams had to play on the same greens.''
