Silver Ferns’ midcourters in the spotlight on Northern tour as Commonwealth Games inch closer

Sunday, 9 November 2025

Kimiora Poi, pictured against South Africa, will be desperate to impress on the Silver Ferns’ Northern tour.

ANALYSIS: Kimiora Poi and Peta Toeava face a make-or-break Northern tour as the Silver Ferns’ midcourt battle heats up ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

With this possibly the last international opportunity for aspiring Ferns to state their selection case for next year’s pinnacle event in Glasgow, time is ticking.

Reinstated Silver Ferns head coach Dame Noeline Taurua will be closely scrutinising the players from her Pukehina Beach home in Bay of Plenty. Despite being restored to the role after an ugly 45-day stand-off with Netball New Zealand, Taurua is not in the United Kingdom for the five-match tour, starting against Scotland in Glasgow on Monday (5am start NZ time).

Yvette McCausland-Durie will continue as coach for the series to minimise disruption for the playing group before Taurua officially takes the reins next year.

The Ferns open with two tests against World No 10, Scotland, which they will be expected to win convincingly. Three tests against England follow, which will provide a valuable gauge of where the Ferns are at eight months out from the Commonwealth Games.

Mila Reuelu-Buchanan started at wing attack in all four Constellation Cup tests against Australia, but faces fierce competition for the role.

Matches between the Roses and New Zealand have been tight in recent years. England have held the slight upper hand, winning five of the nine contests since the start of 2023.

The battle for the Silver Ferns’ starting wing attack and goal attack positions shapes as a major storyline of the tour.

New Zealand, who have named the same 14-player squad from the Constellation Cup, will take plenty of confidence from the way they fought back in the series.

Thumped by 17 goals in both of the first two tests in Australia, the Ferns were a different side back in New Zealand. They won both matches in Hamilton and Christchurch and only a last gasp Sophie Garbin goal in ‘series decider time’ clinched the Cup for the Diamonds.

Maddy Gordon was one of the Silver Ferns’ best against Australia and is a strong option in all three midcourt positions.

Mila Reuelu-Buchanan started at wing attack in all four tests against Australia and played well in the final two games having found it tough against Diamonds wing defence Jamie-Lee Price early in the series.

Poi and Toeava (only selected in the first two matches) saw limited court time at wing attack off the bench against Australia, but neither hammered the selection door down. The duo could potentially be battling for one midcourt berth for the Commonwealth Games with Poi appearing to have the inside running.

Maddy Gordon is arguably the Ferns’ best wing attack, but is also outstanding at centre, where she mainly plays internationally, and wing defence.

Georgia Heffernan started at goal attack in the final two Constellation Cup tests, but the position remains wide open.

McCausland-Durie might be tempted to roll out a first-choice midcourt of Gordon, Kate Heffernan (who is excellent at centre and wing defence) and skipper Karin Burger at wing defence – especially when it comes to the England matches.

Rising defensive talent Catherine Hall, who only debuted in September’s Taini Jamison Trophy, is pushing for increased minutes. Hall was a revelation off the bench in the final two tests against Australia, shining in the second half and ‘series decider time’ in Christchurch.

Hall has earned the right for greater court-time on this tour alongside standout goal keep Kelly Jackson, allowing Burger to slide to wing defence more regularly.

With former captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio again unavailable for this series and her international future in doubt, the starting goal attack bib is wide open.

Martina Salmon, Georgia Heffernan, and Amelia Walmsley all saw time in the position in the Constellation Cup and had moments where they impressed. Their shooting volume was low though with Grace Nweke carrying the scoring load.

Heffernan was probably the pick of the bunch, starting in the two matches in New Zealand and shooting 22 from 24 (92%) across the series, but is a work in progress internationally.

Defensively, Parris Mason will be desperate to grasp any court time she gets after barely being spotted in the Constellation Cup and falling behind Hall in the goal defence pecking order. Mason played just 21 minutes in the Constellation Cup and was not selected for the first match in Melbourne.

Silver Ferns squad:

Karin Burger (capt), Maddy Gordon, Catherine Hall, Georgia Heffernan, Kate Heffernan, Kelly Jackson, Parris Mason, Grace Nweke, Kimiora Poi, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Martina Salmon, Carys Stythe, Peta Toeava, Amelia Walmsley.

Northern tour schedule (NZ time):

Monday, 5am: v Scotland at Playsport Arena, Glasgow

Wednesday, 8.30am: v Scotland at Playsport Arena, Glasgow

November 16, 6am: v England at Copper Box Arena, London

November 17: 4am: v England at Copper Box Arena, London

November 20: 8am: v England at AO Arena, Manchester