The New Zealand netball coach Wai Taumaunu says her players need to harden up when the heats on following last night's 51-44 loss to Australia in Adelaide.
The hosts levelled the trans-Tasman series at two games all despite trailing the Silver Ferns for much of the match.
Former Samoa international Cathrine Latu played the full 60 minutes at goal shoot, finishing with 27 goals from 31 attempts.
Taumaunu says she doesn't regret not sending Irene van Dyk on for the decisive final quarter, which Australia won 15-8, and says the team needs to improve ahead of Sunday's series decider.
"Disappointing outcome but we got Catherine out there for the whole hour. We probabaly didn't see her as well as we should have. I'm disappointed myself - we probably need to make more time to practice those links into her and we'll just help her out a bit more. I thought she did very credibly for three quarters and we need to look to ourselves to give her better shooting possession."
