Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio (right) wins possession ahead of Australia's Courtney Bruce, during the first Constellation Cup Test in Wellington. Photo: photosport
Analysis - The Silver Ferns can walk away from their 3-1 Constellation Cup series win feeling optimistic about the future, but aware of how quickly the script can flip now at the top of international netball.
The Silver Ferns were beaten 2-1 in a series against England three weeks ago, which saw them drop to third in the world rankings, and the Roses climb to second.
New Zealand then beat the world number one ranked Australian Diamonds by double digits in the first three Tests of the annual trans-Tasman series, which no one saw coming.
The Diamonds were able to avoid an embarrassing 4-nil series loss on Thursday night, when they beat the Ferns by 13 goals in Melbourne.
In September the England Roses upset the Diamonds in Test two of their three game series, before Australia thumped them by 13 goals in game three.
In that series Australian goal attack Kiera Austin was named player of the series.
Austin then struggled in the first two Tests against the Silver Ferns and was not even named in the game, on day 12 for the third Test in Perth.
Yet Austin was tremendous for the Diamonds in the final Test of the Constellation Cup, shooting 27 from 30.
After their disappointing series against England, New Zealand made significant improvements across the court when they met the Diamonds.
Probably the most telling was that they were able to take advantage of the fact that they have one of the best goal shooters in the world in Grace Nweke.
That was reflected in the Silver Ferns' 64, 63, and 61 goal hauls in the first three Tests - the three highest 60 minute scores they have ever recorded against the Diamonds in 171 previous meetings.
The midcourt was able to connect far better with the shooting end, and let the ball go fast into Nweke, who they will be without her next year as she's heading over to play in Australia's domestic competition, the SSN.
Netball New Zealand's policy means she won't be eligible to play for the Ferns until she's back playing for an ANZ Premiership side.
Ameliaranne Ekenasio showed her class yet again and Coach Dame Noeline Taurua will be crossing everything that her captain has the desire to play through to the World Cup in 2027 - when she will be 36 years old.
The Australian Diamonds were uncharacteristically poor across the first three Tests. They looked fatigued, while the Ferns seemed more driven than they have been since their 2019 World Cup triumph.
Silver Fern Grace Nweke during this year's Constellation Cup. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
A few of the Australian players were out of form, while the New Zealand players were at the peak of their form during the first three wins.
Australia hold all the netball trophies available to them bar one, so no one should be foolhardy enough to think that the first three Tests of the series were a good reflection of the capabilities of the Diamonds.
Perhaps the most promising sign for the Silver Ferns is that they seem to be the only side right now who have been able to win back to back games against Australia.
Remarkably, the Silver Ferns have won five of the past seven meetings against the Diamonds.
It's hard to know where the fourth ranked Jamaicans are at, because they don't play enough international Tests, but they will always be dangerous so long as the majority of their players compete in the SSN.
Nweke's 50 from 53 at 94 percent accuracy in the first Test of the series was her fifth Silver Ferns 50+ goal haul in just 36 tests.
In contrast, Silver Ferns great Irene van Dyk shot 50+ goals on 11 occasions in 145 tests in the Silver Ferns dress.
With no pinnacle event in 2025, Nweke's absence from the black dress probably won't do the Silver Ferns any harm in the long run. It will be a chance for Amelia Walmsley to get some mileage at goal shoot and development squad member Martina Salmon could be a strong option too.
But the heat would well and truly go on Netball New Zealand if Nweke wants to stay in the SSN beyond 2025.
Would the Netball New Zealand board continue to hold the line if the Silver Ferns were faced with the prospect of not having Nweke for the 2026 Commonwealth Games or World Cup in 2027?
It would seem almost unfathomable that they would deny the Silver Ferns the key to them being successful at those pinnacle events.
