Southby challenges Silver Ferns to deliver

Sep 18, 2016 - 1:25 AM Forget about a rebuilding phase - New Zealand's Silver Ferns netball team have what it takes to start delivering now.

Just six games into her stint at the helm, coach Janine Southby has seen enough to believe her team can upset world champions Australia in next month's four-Test Constellation Cup series.

The Ferns wrapped up a clean sweep in their three-match series against world No.4 Jamaica with a 66-38 win in Rotorua on Saturday.

Despite an underwhelming first quarter, that the Kiwis levelled 13-13 with two goals in the last 40 seconds, the win was never in doubt.

It mirrored the earlier two Tests, won by 38 and 23 goals respectively, and follows big wins over South Africa and England - and a five-goal loss to Australia, earlier in the month.

Given that outside Laura Langman (137 Tests) and Katrina Grant (85), the rest of the 12-strong squad total 171 caps between them, the results are encouraging and bode well for the future.

Southby, however, has higher expectations.

"I believe in these girls," she said in Rotorua after Saturday's game.

"I think they've got a great potential, and we don't have to wait for two years to see that.

"I think we should start demanding to see that now."

Southby will find out early next week whether key players Maria Tutaia and Anna Harrison will be available for the series against Australia.

Tutaia, who has accumulated 102 caps for the Silver Ferns since her debut in 2005, missed the Quad Series against England, South Africa and Australia earlier this month.

She also missed the three-Test Jamaican series, with coaching and medical staff opting to rest the 29-year-old goal attack after a recurrence of the foot injury which hampered her during the trans-Tasman league season.

Harrison, 33, injured her calf just days before the first Quad Series Test against England as she looked to add to the 75 caps she has earned since 2002.

Source: AAP