Steel head coach Reinga Bloxham confirmed to the Otago Daily Times yesterday she is not planning to apply to coach the national team.
The role became available when Janine Southby resigned on Friday night following a three-month review after the failed Commonwealth Games campaign.
After three years as the Steel's assistant coach, Bloxham has been the most successful of the ANZ Premiership coaches since taking the lead role last year.
If last year's unbeaten season was to be put down to the quality of the squad, it is hard not to acknowledge this year's work.
After losing the league's most dominant player, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, and its MVP, Jane Watson, the side has remained competitive.
While it has had some shaky moments, the team has improved and is tracking well heading into the playoffs.
Continuing those improvements will be where her attention is directed as she looks to keep building success in the South.
''My focus is firmly with the Southern Steel at this stage in my career and continuing to build on what we are achieving as a team and franchise in the ANZ Premiership,'' Bloxham said.
She did acknowledge the part the premiership's coaches played in helping the national team.
''I do believe as franchise coaches we have an important role to play in terms of supporting the Silver Ferns while the players are in our environment.
''Also ensuring we work with a collaborative approach to enable those players to achieve to the highest standard when they are representing both their region and their country.''
The head coach in Bloxham's final year as an assistant would appear to be a shoo-in for the national job - if she wants it.
Noeline Taurua was controversially passed over by Netball New Zealand in 2015 and now has the reins at the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia's Super Netball.
She delivered a championship with the side last year, while previously winning New Zealand's only transtasman league title with the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in 2012.
However, she is contracted to the Lightning until the end of next year.
The Silver Ferns have their next campaign in September.
It has been reported she is unlikely to apply for the job, the Super Netball season not finishing until the last weekend of August.
A caretaker coach option has also been put forward, allowing a temporary coach to look after the team and provide more time to find the right head coach for 2019.
