Former Silver Ferns captain Belinda Colling has expressed concern about a lack of shooting depth in the wake of the Silver Ferns' 36-33 loss to Australia in Brisbane on Sunday.
The Silver Ferns stumbled to a second consecutive loss against the world champion Diamonds after the attack end failed to fire.
New Zealand sank just 73% of its attempts on goal and even the incomparable Irene van Dyk had an off night.
The world's best shooter was disappointing, making 16 of her 22 attempts.
It is a blip on what is an extraordinary international record but, nevertheless, the voices of dissent have been gathering volume, with some critics daring to suggest the unthinkable.
But is it really time for van Dyk to go? And who would replace her?Colling, who played more than 80 tests for the Silver Ferns, does not believe it is time to axe the 37-year-old sharpshooter.
But if that decision was made, Colling has reservations about the emerging talent.
"It wasn't a great day at the office, shooting-wise," Colling said, when asked to comment.
"But it is only one game and it is not until it becomes a pattern that you should start to worry a bit more.
"I don't think it is time to replace Irene at all.
"And if you replace her, those other players have to be sticking their hand up."
The next best shooters in the country were either unavailable or ineligible, she said.
The vastly experienced Donna Wilkins has retired from international netball and Jodi Brown has family commitments.
Cathrine Latu is not eligible because she played for Samoa at the last world championships, and Daneka Wipiiti is pregnant with her first child.
Take those four players out and the talent is spread pretty thinly, Colling said.
"New Zealand needs to have other options . . . but it is whether or not those players are coming on quick enough.
"It is really disappointing that there has not been the work put in to develop players.
"If you go through all the franchises there literally isn't the calibre of player coming through.
"I think the franchises, and also Netball New Zealand, have to look at why they haven't seen that this was going to be the case and done something about it."
The Steel called in former Silver Fern-turned-television presenter Tania Dalton in 2008 and former Australian shooter Megan Dehn this season when there was an injury to one of its shooters.
That cost the likes of promising shooter Julianna Naoupu an opportunity to develop at the next level.
Other franchises have been guilty of hoarding talent.
Mystics pair Grace Rasmussen and Jade Topia had limited opportunities, with England international Pamela Cookey and Latu preferred in the shooting circle.
Magic back-up shooters Jess Tuki and Halana Leith also barely got a look-in with Silver Ferns duo Maria Tutaia and van Dyk monopolising the court time.
But at least van Dyk and Tutaia are available for selection.
It has to be questioned whether, from Netball New Zealand's point of view, it is ideal to have so many ineligible players occupying crucial spots.
Colling has been doing some work with the Silver Ferns' attack end during the past two weeks and will link up with the squad in Invercargill ahead of the fourth test on Sunday.
While the Silver Ferns did not shoot well, neither did Australia and Colling warned against writing the New Zealanders off too soon.
However, she acknowledged it appeared Australian goal keep Susan Fuhrmann was getting the better of van Dyk.
"Irene does not often play against players who have quite a significant height advantage over her, so she is probably just taking time to adapt to that.
"I think Susan has blocked a couple of her shots and that might be affecting her.
Who knows?"Colling said van Dyk needed to move around in the circle more and use her dodge and fake to get the big 1.96m Fever defender moving.
"I don't think they are being smart enough about the way that they are playing when Susan is on court.
"There needs to be much more movement because her bread and butter is when she has a stationary shooter who she can just come around and take the ball off."
