Willing them to succeed, but holding little faith at times, is a fine line to tread.
Perhaps that is what makes this series so satisfying — seeing them finally reach their potential.
Snatching the Constellation Cup for only the third time and obliterating the Australian Diamonds — by margins of 14, 11 and 18 goals — to win the series 3-1 was a monumental step for this generation.
The Silver Ferns’ consecutive double-digit victories were the first in 171 games against the Diamonds. They also posted three consecutive wins over the Diamonds for the first time since 2005-06, and grabbed their first victory in Australia since 2019.
There was the slip-up in the final test, the Diamonds winning 63-50, but an Australian fightback — especially as the Silver Ferns made so many changes — was expected.
After the English Roses series — apart from the final game — the Silver Ferns looks disconnected, stagnant and far from their best.
But there was a notable shift during the Diamonds series.
The Silver Ferns bench players spent all game on their feet, waving their towels, and cheering.
That energy transferred on court, where players were animated in seeing the changes they forced the Diamonds into.
Southern Steel captain Kate Heffernan played some of her best netball in the black dress back at wing defence.
Forcing Diamonds captain Liz Watson to be benched in two tests is no mean feat and that came down to Heffernan’s pressure.
Grace Nweke was utterly dominant, showing how much she has improved, and again forced the Diamonds to trial at least three different defenders.
Coach Noeline Taurua said they needed to celebrate the small wins — and that is what fans are finally seeing.
So where did the shift come from?
Karin Burger told RNZ when the Silver Ferns returned to camp, they had one of the worst training sessions in recent years.
It led to some honest and vulnerable conversations among the squad, which helped them connect on and off the court.
That paid dividends with the Silver Ferns appearing far more connected than ever to produce the best netball this generation have played.
Captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio played a big role with Australian media calling the Queensland-born shooter the "one that got away" after her stand-out performances.
The dominant victories will instil confidence in the Silver Ferns and a mental shift knowing that they can beat the Diamonds — and convincingly.
The Diamonds, until the final test, looked far from the clinical and demanding world champions fans have come to know.
They looked frazzled and undisciplined, and losing back-to-back tests — by double digits — is uncharted territory.
For the first time the difference between playing with the two-point shot domestically was palpable.
When the Silver Ferns led by 10, the Diamonds did not appear urgent to secure ball and turn the score around.
Australian players looked like they knew they could rely on the two-point shot to pull the score back, but international netball is a different game.
It was another mini-win for the Silver Ferns, knowing that they can maintain a lead when it counts.
Silver Ferns fans have been soaking up this series — and rightly so — but there is still room to go if they want to
return to the top two world rankings.
This must be a turning point for the Silver Ferns, and if they can maintain this form, who knows what the future holds?
Three key points moving forward
■What will the Silver Ferns do without Grace Nweke? The superstar is heading to Australia, ruling her out of contention, and has played her last game in the black dress for a while. There really is no comparison to Nweke’s prowess on the world stage at the moment. She shot 169 goals across the four tests and begs the question how they will go without her.
■Noeline Taurua spoke about how Kiwis are humble, preferring not to celebrate their achievements. But it is clear to see how much celebrating their wins throughout the court impacted their connections. Confidence is key for moving forward and that attitude must remain.
■What’s next? The Nations Cup, and Quad Series, have been ruled out at the start of 2025. Netball New Zealand is in discussions about hosting a series in Fiji in January, which will hopefully involve Australia.
