Paseka is ours for good, NZ tell Aussies

Young Silver Ferns shooter Malia Paseka was once seen as a potential future Diamond, but the Kiwis say they won't be letting go of their rising star.

New Zealand have got a message for Australia: you'll never get Malia Paseka on your netball team.

Twenty-year-old Paseka is the youngest of the Silver Ferns' Netball World Cup squad and a fresh face of change in their rebuilt attacking structure.

She also could have been a Diamond.

The Auckland-born shooter lived in Sydney for more than 10 years, and appeared to be heading towards a national career in green and gold.

Netball Australia had identified Paseka as a top young talent, naming her in the Australian under-17 team.

But the 1.83m shooter unwittingly caught the attention of Kiwi netball scouts by saying she dreamed of one day playing for the Silver Ferns.

It didn't take long.

Three years ago Paseka moved back across the Tasman without her family.

At 18 she was plucked straight out of high school by trans-Tasman side the Northern Mystics before Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic snapped her up the following season.

Those two ANZ Championship seasons must have honed Paseka's slab of raw talent to the liking of Silver Ferns coach Waimarama Taumaunu, who picked the uncapped youngster on her World Cup team ahead of veteran shooter Cathrine Latu.

Her only two international caps came a couple of weeks ago when she was subbed on for fellow World Cup newcomer Bailey Mes in warm-up Test matches against Fiji and South Africa.

With Mes in the mix Paseka may get limited court time this world championships, but Kiwi captain Casey Kopua said the rising star still has "three or four to go in her".

And she's adamant the old enemy won't get their hands on their brightest young talent.

"Australia can't have her," she said.

"Playing with Malia for Magic, I've seen her grow from a 19-year-old, and as she gets older just how strong and dynamic she is becoming a part in the game.

"I'm glad she came over to New Zealand. She's a good girl too, really easy-going and loves to have a good time as well.

Kopua said Paseka adds valuable aerial skills and athleticism to her side's new riskier and faster-moving style of attack, but admitted was also still yet to grow into her own talent.

"It's a work in progress because the young ones still don't know how good they are and how good they can be.

"We're a little bit unknown for everybody else and for ourselves, so that's quite exciting.


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Source: AAP


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