They have been here before.
Chances are they will be here again.
But that does not make the anguish for players, coaches, staff and fans any easier.
The Silver Ferns failed to win a medal for the first time at the World Cup, settling for fourth after losing 52-45 to Jamaica.
It was a campaign of ebbs and flows.
Shooter Grace Nweke suffered a partial tear in her patella tendon in the third game, Gina Crampton had to be helped from the court early in Monday’s game, and mediocre results included a draw against South Africa, losing to England in the semifinal and falling twice to Jamaica.
In many ways, the campaign echoed the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where the Silver Ferns also finished fourth.
People threw then-coach Janine Southby under the bus — many still believe her treatment was extremely harsh — but it is doubtful the same will happen to Noeline Taurua.
Coaches tend to fall on their sword after a dismal campaign. They do need to take accountability for leading the team, but so do senior players, something that was lacking with the Silver Ferns in 2018.
Crampton has already put her hand up after the semifinal loss, tearful about personal mistakes, and captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio stood by her team’s effort.
But some senior players — the spine of the team — failed to fire a shot at this World Cup, barely standing up when their team needed them most.
Some things went right, but many went wrong. Mistakes were made at crucial times. Players were out of position and some barely used — Te Paea Selby-Rickit hardly touched the court in the big games. There were too many changes in some games, and not enough at other times.
Taurua has already said her side lacked the discipline and experience needed to beat the top three at this World Cup.
She knows her side did not perform to her expectations, admitting to being grumpy after the 80-19 win over Singapore, with her players not at the level she demands.
Losing Nweke clearly affected the team, but it served as a good reminder that netball, like all team sports, cannot be about just one player.
It has been a learning curve, but it is always a tough pill to swallow when that comes in a pinnacle year.
While this campaign was below what was expected of the Silver Ferns, it was not all doom and gloom.
Nweke, Maddy Gordon, Whitney Souness, Kate Heffernan — named midcourter of the tournament — Maia Wilson, Kelly Jury and Tiana Metuarau (replacement player) were blooded for their first World Cup, and most will still be around in four years.
Defender Phoenix Karaka, playing in her third World Cup, was a standout at goal defence, and Jury, who earned her 50th cap in Cape Town, showed how much her game has developed at goal keep.
But a World Cup is not the place to trial new positions, and Taurua’s decision to switch Jury, a 192cm defender, to wing defence was questionable. If that had been on the cards, why not ask for her to play there for the Central Pulse or at the Quad Series?
Perhaps it is time to accept how far world netball has come in the past 10 years. Should we even be celebrating fourth instead of ridiculing it?
England won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, beat Australia for the first time at a World Cup this year and claimed silver this year.
Jamaica beat New Zealand and Australia at last year’s Commonwealth Games before picking up silver.
Eight England squad members and seven from Jamaica play club netball in Australia or New Zealand, which has grown their game — and their countries’ — no end.
It is no longer guaranteed only Australia and New Zealand are in the hunt for the top two, and that can only be good for the sport overall.
But where does that leave the Silver Ferns?
Granted, some players will retire in the next cycle, but there is still more to play for under Taurua, whose contract expires at the end of the year.
The Silver Ferns host England next month for the Taini Jamison Trophy series, and the following month is the Constellation Cup series against Australia.
Time to shrug off the disappointment of this campaign.
They have been here before. And they came back better than ever.
