Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken believes it would be a huge mistake to allow New Zealand teams to contract an extra overseas player.
It has been a tough few weeks for four of the five New Zealand ANZ Championship franchises, with lopsided and morale-damaging scorelines favouring our transtasman rivals.
But Aitken dismissed suggestions New Zealand Netball should relax its rules around imports and allow sides to contract an additional import to improve their competitiveness.
"Generally, it is a bit of a challenging time for our sides at the moment," she acknowledged.
"When the Australian teams have got on a run, some of the New Zealand teams have allowed that to happen and have not fought back as we would like to see them do.
"But it is only a snapshot at the moment," she added.
"And I think you have to be careful making blanket generalisations."
The Steel has been the victim of consecutive sound thrashings: a 53-36 hiding from the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia last week; and a comprehensive 15-goal drubbing by the Queensland Firebirds at Stadium Southland on Monday night.
The Steel is not alone.
The Northern Mystics, Central Pulse and Canterbury Tactix have all had netball lessons.
The Australian teams appear fitter, more skilful and have greater depth, while the New Zealand teams, with the exception of the Magic, could use a helping hand.
"Previously, when there were two separate competitions, it was easy to get into a bubble and think that we were doing very well," Aitken reflected.
"But we are challenged week-in week-out by the big sister across the ditch. It is challenging, but it can only mean good things for our game when the Silver Ferns come together."
"If we add more imports, the international side of our game will certainly fall away. It is already a challenge selecting the Silver Ferns from the eligible players we have currently playing in the ANZ Championship," she said, adding many of the elite players swelling the ranks were not available at international level.
"Anyone who thinks we should give away spots in this competition to develop overseas players is hugely misinformed."
Former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering was torn on the issue.
She wanted to see local players developing but does not believe the ANZ Championship is the right place to develop talent.
"Maybe, at the moment, we don't have enough top players for five [ANZ Championship] teams and we should have a look at it," Willering conceded.
"The provincial championships used to be a real event in the past. It is a stepping stone for players leading into this league. The ANZ Championships is not a development league, it is our top competition.
"So any development work that needs to be done, needs to happen at the provincial championships and age group championships."
