2018 Team Preview: Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse
With two schoolgirls among the four talented up-and-coming teens in their ranks, Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse will front as the youngest line-up in 2018.
Tiana Metuarau, 17, in her final year at school, burst on to the scene in style last season after being called up as a replacement. She is joined this year by fellow multi-talented Wellington schoolgirl defender Renee Savai’inaea, 17, willowy shooter Aliyah Dunn, 18, who has made the move north from Invercargill and fleet-footed Wellington midcourter Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, 19.
Metuarau, Dunn and Reuelu-Buchanan were all members of last year’s World Youth Cup-winning NZU21 team.
``We’ve seen them over a number of campaigns through their age-group reps and then through Beko (Netball League), have worked closely with them and I have real confidence in their ability,’’ Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie said.
``To be honest, I think they’re a pretty special and unique group. They’ve had a significant presence at NZU21 level, so it’s not that they’re not known. This is the next step in that transition for them and it’s going to be an interesting one. The ability to get them out there and play them early is really key.
``We saw Tiana take her opportunities last year and make her way into the starting line-up and I have the confidence that these others will do the same.’’
The Pulse made the post-season play-offs for the first time in their history last season and while a new season with new players beckons, a belief has been instilled which will play an important role in 2018.
With a core group of six remaining from last year, the inclusion of experienced defender Sulu Fitzpatrick, intent on resurrecting her career, and the injection of high-achieving young talent, the Pulse are focussed on building on the back of the success created in 2017.
The key learning for McCausland-Durie from the inaugural season has been making the right decisions when having to compete on a Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
``That makes for a really busy week, so in terms of looking across your training week, you have to be really clear about what you need to get covered, getting that balance between recovery, skill work and tactical team pieces,’’ she said.
``We became better at that in the back end and certainly entering this season, I’m just so much more aware of the dynamics that are required to make sure a team is tracking. It’s still a netball competition but how you maximise your weeks is pretty critical.’’
The ultimate goal for the Pulse this season is to make back-to-back Grand Finals, in the process pushing individual players to their highest levels of achievement.
``We are hoping to ensure our individuals have at least two positions that they can play well, at ANZ Premiership level,’’ McCausland-Durie said. ``We believe that will lead into team success and, hopefully, individuals being seen for further opportunity. Our job is about growing potential to be selected at international level.’’
2017 Placing: 2nd
Pulse 2018: Karin Burger, Aliyah Dunn, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Katrina Grant, Claire Kersten, Tiana Metuarau, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Renee Savai’inaea, Whitney Souness.
Gains: Aliyah Dunn, Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Sulu Fitzpatrick, Mila Reuelu-Buchanan, Renee Savai’inaea
Losses: Te Amo Amaru-Tibble, Sara Bayman, Sheridan Bignall, Phoenix Karaka (Mystics),Cathrine Tuivaiti