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Temepara George - Source: Photosport -
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Temepara George could be back in Silver Ferns netball colours this year as long as she reaches her own high benchmark in the trans-Tasman competition.
George will lead the Northern Mystics into the second edition of the 10-team ANZ Championship starting this weekend.
The inspirational 56-Test midcourter's international career was in limbo last year as she sat out the season which saw the Silver Ferns share the home and away series 2-2 with Australia.
After resisting coach Ruth Aitken's overtures last year, she admitted she was "50-50" to make herself available again.
"I'm going to see how my season goes with the Mystics and see if I've still got it.
"I think there's something like eight Tests this year which looks really intense and it's definitely enticing."
The Ferns will take on Australia for the world No.1 ranking in five Tests in September, two home and three away, preceded by three home Tests against a World Invitation team.
George, who debuted for the Ferns in 1996, admitted it was difficult watching last year's trans-Tasman series on television.
She played for the Mystics but focused on other areas of her life, including winning the Dancing With The Stars television series and starting a new job as a development officer with Counties-Manukau Netball.
"I kind of miss the (Silver Ferns) girls, especially when I watched them play last year and you see things you might be able to help with."
Now 33, George was confident of maintaining her high standards this season.
She was excited about the Mystics' chances under the new coaching team of Te Aroha Keenan and Debbie Matoe, after they finished a disappointing seventh last year.
A stint of pre-season training with sevens rugby guru Gordon Tietjens and an unbeaten start to the first pre-season tournament in Queenstown suggested they were one of the better prepared sides.
"I think we can go in with a bit of confidence. We're a much fitter team this year. Our aim is to make the semifinals and there's no reason why we can't."
The Mystics signed English shooter Pamela Cookey while former Silver Ferns squad member Debbie White is another key arrival from the Southern Steel to bolster an imposing defensive end of Vilimaina Davu and Stephanie Bond.
The biggest hurdle for the New Zealand sides is winning in Australia, which none managed last year.
George joked the New Zealand captains had already been sledged about that by victorious New South Wales Swifts captain Catherine Cox at the cup hand-around today.
"She said `don't bother giving it to the Kiwis, they won't win it'," George said.
"I just think we (New Zealand teams) shouldn't worry about it and make it a big issue (winning in Australia). If we prepare well it shouldn't be a problem."
George and her team will get an early gauge on their prospects when they take on the Silver Ferns-laden Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in Auckland on Monday.
The Magic, rated $2.50 competition favourites ahead of the Melbourne Vixens ($3), lost to the Swifts in last year's final in Sydney. They beat the Mystics 53-37 in the most recent pre-season tournament in Waipa.
"It's great we've got them first-up, it's been such a long pre-season and everyone's just looking forward to playing."
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