The Silver Ferns open their World Cup campaign against Barbados this afternoon. With coach Waimarama Taumaunu opting to take a youthful team to Sydney, netball writer Robert van Royen asks three big questions ahead of the tournament.
Will Bailey Mes prove herself against the big guns?
It is perhaps barely good enough to shoot 84% against Fiji, as Bailey Mes did in Porirua last month.
But as the Silver Ferns' starting goal shoot, she is going to have to manage at least that against the big guns - Australia, England and Jamaica - if the Ferns are to compete.
The thing is, her past performances against Australia and England were dreadful. She shot just 39 from 65 (60%) in the Constellation Cup series last October, which Australia won 4-0, and 25 from 35 (71%) in the Silver Ferns' loss to England - just the fourth loss for New Zealand in 83 tests against the English - the same month.
Her season with the Mainland Tactix in the past ANZ Championship was not much better - she landed 208 from 278 (74.8%).
There were signs of improvement in the recent series against Fiji and South Africa, when she connected on 109 of her 132 attempts (82.5%), but Fiji and South Africa are no Australia or England.
There is no denying she is athletic and has the ability to lose opposing defenders, but she has a habit of wilting under pressure against quality defenders.
We will find out on Sunday, when the Ferns play Australia, if she really has improved.
Will captain Casey Kopua's knee handle the heavy load?
Provided the Silver Ferns make the semifinals, they will play eight games in 10 days.
Captain Casey Kopua dislocated her kneecap against Australia last October and is still not 100% fit. She missed the majority of the ANZ Championship, but returned in time to help the Magic win the New Zealand conference.
She saw plenty of court time in the recent series against Fiji and South Africa and appears to be getting back to somewhere near her best.
But eight games in 10 days could be too much for her knee.
There is a chance coach Waimarama Taumaunu will opt to limit her captain's minutes against lesser opponents such as Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, meaning Katrina Grant and Phoenix Karaka could get an opportunity.
One thing is for sure: the Ferns are a better team with a healthy Kopua.
Will the decision to opt for youth over experience pay off?
The naming of the Silver Ferns squad last month sparked much debate.
The omission of holding shooter Cathrine Latu and veteran midcourters Liana Leota and Joline Henry were the big talking points.
Coach Waimarama Taumaunu opted to replace them with shooter Malia Paseka and midcourters Shannon Francois and Grace Rasmussen.
While the decision to leave out Latu, the most accurate shooter in the country, is debatable, the decision to freshen up the midcourt was long overdue.
Rasmussen appears to be the team's first choice at wing attack,
providing speed, attacking flair and an accurate feed into the circle.
Whether Taumaunu opts to start Laura Langman or Kayla Cullen at wing defence in her first-choice side remains to be seen, but it is refreshing to see someone other than Henry there.
