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THE Opals and Tall Ferns both have named their teams for Saturday and Monday’s Oceania Series for Rio Olympic qualification and you know New Zealand will have a red hot go.

But Australia’s depth is so vast and genuine, it is hard to see anything but a sweep for the current World Championship Bronze Medallists and FIBA’s second-ranked women’s nation.

New Zealand coach Kennedy Kereama has brought WNBL championship coach Chris Lucas (Townsville Fire) into his program as an assistant well-versed in the Australian programs.

Lucas was an Olympic assistant to then-Opals coach and FIBA Hall of Fame inductee Jan Stirling and involved with several Australian junior teams, including the Sapphires.

New Zealand lost 73-81 to Japan last week. Australia brushed the Japanese aside in two Tests before losing the third by a point.

“You could call it an honourable loss, much happier with the effort and clearly shows steps forward,” Kereama said.

“We've always been about improvement and I think the Japanese beating Australia by one point and us getting within eight points of them definitely gives us a boost of confidence moving forward.

“We still have a week of preparation to get ourselves that eight or nine points better.”

Australia returns London Olympians Laura Hodges, Belinda Snell, Suzy Batkovic and Rachel Jarry, and additionally has Tessa Lavey and Nat Burton back from last year’s Worlds’ Bronze Medallist.

SAYONARA: Suzy Batkovic, hypnotising the ball against Japan.

Tess Madgen and Kelly Wilson – who narrowly missed selection last year – are in, alongside Sara Blicavs, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Alice Kunek and Stephanie Talbot.

It’s a good team, for sure. But if available – and/or healthy – would probably take a hell of a beating from Erin Phillips, Penny Taylor, Jenna O’Hea, Lauren Jackson, Liz Cambage, Leilani Mitchell, Rebecca Allen, Abby Bishop, Cayla Francis, Marianna Tolo…

Again, it goes to show how deep the Opals’ talent pool goes and the Tall Ferns can count their blessings they’re not really going up against “Australia A”.

Can they win?

Well, in any two-horse race, either can win – unless one is a thoroughbred and the other a draught horse.

The Kiwis have selected Micaela Cocks (Townsville Fire), Jordan Hunter (Auckland Counties Manukau Lady HawksNZ), Stella Beck (Saint Mary's College, US), Samara Gallaher (Hume City Broncos), Natalie Taylor (Gladstone Power), Kalani Purcell (Brigham Young University, US), Chevannah Paalvast (Southern Peninsular Sharks), Lisa Wallbutton (Willeton Tigers), Jess Bygate (Adelaide Lightning), Megan Craig (Lakeside Lightning), Penina Davidson( University of California, US), Tessa Boagni (California State University, US).

Game 1 is on Saturday at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Game 2 is in Tauranga in New Zealand on Monday.

Online: 

http://bit.ly/1N2sbHL