The Football Ferns rushed on-field preparation for the first leg of the OFC Olympic Womens qualifier final on Saturday in Whangarei is a welcome novelty for coach Tony Readings. The last time the Football Ferns played at home FIFA Womens World Cup qualifiers in 2010 four players were playing professionally in Europe or the USA but post World Cup that number has swelled with over half the squad selected for this weeks home and away playoff against Papua New Guinea based overseas, including 10 at professional clubs. It means the Ferns now have limited time together before matches the squad assembled on Thursday morning minus captain Rebecca Smith who arrives Friday night but Readings sees more positives than negatives with the new global spread of personnel. I think the difference, even from a year ago, is that the players are coming from good environments and it doesnt take long for the players to get back in sync and hitting the gears we need them to reach to be ready for these matches, Readings said. Its been a nice fresh change. We have a group who train in Auckland but predominately the players come in from overseas and when they arrive they are happy to see each other and cant wait to get on the pitch and we get an energy from that straight away. And the fact that they are coming from some of the best in the world means that they are arriving in good shape and ready to train and play at intensity we need from the start. The fact that are training twice a day and playing with and against the best players in the world day in and day out has us noticing little things technically and tactically with their games which is hopefully going to bring a brand new aspect to our team come the Olympics. Lokomotive Leipzig fullback Anna Green, one of the more recent professionals in the Football Ferns and one of six Kiwis playing in Germanys Frauen Bundesliga, says the buzz of being back in camp is helping to shake the jet lag. Its new and its different, but its exciting to have so many players overseas now and makes it a little more special when you are back with the national team because you havent seen everyone in so long. Its also great to try and bring together wheat everyone has learned at their own clubs, Green said. You can tell everyone has made advances over at their clubs so its good to see it all come together and hopefully we can put on a good show for Whangarei. The winner of the two legged OFC Womens Olympic Qualifier final the return leg is in Port Moresby will claim Oceanias sole berth at the 12 nation football finals in London. The winner is determined by aggregate score over two legs with away goals counting double if aggregate scores are tied. New Zealand start as favourites to claim that spot having never lost to Papua New Guinea in 11 matches and putting 11 unanswered goals past them the last time the two sides met the final of the OFC Womens Nations Cup in 2010. New Zealand v Papua New Guinea Toll Stadium, Whangarei Saturday March 31 Kickoff 5pm Admission $5 Papua New Guinea v New Zealand PMRL Stadium, Port Moresby Wednesday April 4 Kickoff: 2pm (4pm NZT) New Zealand: (from) 1-Jenny BINDON (GK), 2-Ria PERCIVAL, 3-Anna GREEN, 4-Katie HOYLE, 5-Abby ERCEG, 6-Rebecca SMITH, 7-Ali RILEY, 8-Hayley MOORWOOD, 9-Amber HEARN, 10-Sarah GREGORIUS, 11-Kirsty YALLOP, 12-Betsy HASSETT, 13-Rosie WHITE, 14-Holly PATTERSON , 15-Sarah MCLAUGHLIN, 16-Annalie LONGO, 17-Hannah WILKINSON, 18-Katie BOWEN, 20-Rebecca ROLLS (GK), 21-Hannah BROMLEY. Coach: Tony READINGS Papua New Guinea: (from) 1-Fidelma WATPORE (GK), 2-Aida GEROTA, 3-Kathrina SALAIAU, 4-Linah HONEAKII, 5-Docas SESEVO, 6-Agai MAX, 7-Lavina HOLA, 8-Esther KENATSI, 9-Defney FRANCIS, 10-Barbra MUTA, 11-Esther MUTA, 12-Clare TSUGA, 13-Daisy WINAS, 14-Sandra BIRUM, 15-Deslyne SINIU, 16-Georgina KAIKAS, 17-Rumona MORRIS, 18-Zeen LIMBAI, 19-Fatima RAMA, 20-Linda BUNAGA (GK). Coach: Steven MUNE
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