Silver Fern Squad naming

I have been sitting on my laptop all day, having a glance at the latest headlines, waiting ever so patiently for the Silver Ferns squad to be announced for the Constellation Cup against Australia in September.

Like any team naming questions are always passed around amongst supporters as to who they would choose for the team.

The Silver Ferns starting 7 has been for a few years pretty much confirmed but it is always the bolters and new faces that brings the most excitement and this years squad as not failed to deliver.

Silver Fern Squad

Jodi Brown

Anna Thompson

Katarina Cooper

Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit

Katrina Grant

Courtney Tairi

Irene Van Dyk

Joline Henry

Leana de Bruin

Casey Kopua

Laura Langman

Maria Tutaia

Cat Latu

Millie Lees

Kayla Cullen

Accelerant Squad 

Grace Rasmussen

Shannon Francois

Ellen Halpenny

Jane Watson

Te Paea Selby-Rickit

Zoe Walker

Malia Paseka

Katarina Cooper has found herself a spot in the squad after impressing Waimarama Taumaunu with her performance at the trials and with the Central Pulse last season before a knee injury ended her campaign. She has previously represented New Zealand in the U21 team in 2005 as a young 16 year old with fellow Silver Fern superstars Casey Kopua, Maria Tutaia, Laura Langman and Katrina Grant. 

Southern Steel midcourter Courtney Tairi has also found herself selected in a midcourt position. Courtney is another who has had previous experience at the U21 level but in Australian colours in 2009.  After last year jumping over to the 'Land of the Long White Cloud', as a member of the Southern Steel, she put her hand up for place in the Silver Ferns through her Kiwi parents. Unfortunately an ACL injury robbed her of a full ANZ Championship season early last year, but she has worked hard and found form in this years competition. 

The inclusion of both Tairi and Cooper has indicated the need to produce some midcourt depth as the squad builds not only for the Constellation cup series, but also the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2014 and World Championships in 2015.

As mentioned earlier, its unlikely we will see wholesale changes for the Constellation series, until possibly game 3 as last season when the series was already decided. The series against Malawi will be a good opportunity to give the newbies some further experience and then we lead into Fast5 with possibly an end of year series against England.

With just over a month till the series kicks off, time for the girls to get training!

What do you think of the squad lists?