Bench Boost: Heffernan and Horjus shine in Constellation Cup clash

In a thrilling display of talent and determination, Georgia Heffernan and Georgie Horjus emerged as the stars in the second Test of the Constellation Cup held in Sydney.

Both Goal Attacks, off the bench, made a significant impact for their respective teams.

For the Silver Ferns, Georgia Heffernan made her mark after coming on in the second quarter, while Georgie Horjus was equally influential in Australia’s commanding 68-51 victory on Wednesday.

Heffernan replaced Martina Salmon from the second quarter and immediately made her presence felt, finishing with an impressive 91 per cent shooting accuracy.

Despite struggling in the third quarter, where the Ferns failed to reach double digits, Heffernan’s work rate in both attack and defence injected much-needed energy after a rocky start.

While the Silver Ferns were unable to fully capitalise on the Heffernan twins’ defensive hustle, Georgia’s ability to create space in the circle and provide an alternative option to the ball was vital. With Goal Shoot Grace Nweke under immense defensive pressure from multiple Diamonds defenders, Heffernan’s front presentation was crucial.

Georgie Horjus of Australia controls the ball during the second test match of the Constellation Cup. Photo/Dan Himbrechts/Photosport

Ferns’ Interim head coach, Yvette McCausland-Durie, praised her young shooter’s impact off the bench.

“I was really pleased with her. She was asked to be really mobile and drive that front and look to try and pull a defender off.

“I thought she used both the in-and-out ball and some nice change of pace, worked hard again on centre passes to provide an option and she shot well… Additionally, I thought defensively she made a good effort to hold them up court,” McCausland-Durie says.

Georgia Heffernan of New Zealand during the warm up. Photo/Dan Himbrechts/Photosport

For the Diamonds, Horjus was just as valuable. Her speed, creativity, and game smarts proved too much for the Ferns’ defenders to contain.

The 23-year-old impressed with her ability to pick rebounds and regain possession against towering defenders Kelly Jackson and Parris Mason.

Standing at just 172cm, Horjus used her agility to her advantage, leaving Mason behind, creating space for shooting partner Sophie Garbin to hold strong on the baseline.

Even after Mason was replaced by Karin Burger during the third quarter, Horjus continued to shine, finishing with nine goal assists and 13 feeds in just 30 minutes of court time.

Her experience sliding between shooting and midcourt roles for the Adelaide Thunderbirds helped her performance on the international stage.

Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich used her entire squad, giving defender Matilda Garrett and midcourter Amy Parmenter valuable court time.

Despite the Ferns winning the second quarter by four goals, they struggled with consistency throughout the match. The Diamonds seemed to have an answer for every tactical adjustment, preventing New Zealand from sustaining momentum after half-time.

For now, the series mirrors 2023’s Constellation Cup, where Australia claimed the first two Tests before the Ferns fought back to win the remaining games.

The Ferns will be hoping for a similar turnaround as the series now shifts to Hamilton, where the third Test will be played at Globox Arena on Sunday, with the first centre pass at 4:10pm (NZT).