Brown keeps eye on goal | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

In-form Tactix shooter JODI BROWN, who's fitted in becoming a mother between the ANZ seasons, talks to Nick Tolerton...

Does five-month-old Kiana commute with you from Dunedin for training and games? Yes, I'm still breastfeeding so she comes with me, and we're really lucky that we've got a nanny here that looks after her when I come to training and stuff, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do it. I'm living with Anna Thompson when I'm here, and her mother comes and looks after Kiana, and I'm very lucky to have someone I know.

Has it been hard to come back after the maternity break? Very, very hard. I still don't think I'm in the best shape I could be in, but I think I've done well to get where I have. It's not an easy task at all, and I probably didn't realise the massive task it was to try and get back into the competition.

I guess having a few other mums in the team helps? Yes. Angela Mitchell has a nine-month-old and she's doing the same as me, commuting from Oamaru. And the likes of Jules, who's had three kids and come back. It's becoming more common now. For some it's going to be easier than for others, and I'm the "others!"

You must be doing something right - shooting 88% and fourth in the league's shooting stats before Monday's match? I think I've had consistency in my shooting game but not in my court play. I've done a fair bit of work myself to get there but obviously the team is at my kind of play, and they know I'm not jumping quite as high as I was last year or moving quite as fast as I did last year. So I think a lot actually is credit to the team, because they've adapted to my game play, and that's allowed me to turn and shoot and have that freedom to score the goals.

Talking of shooters, Irene van Dyk's now shot 100% twice. Even elite shooters like you must be in awe. What makes her so good? I think even Irene has said it, that her team supply her good ball and put her in good places so she's able to shoot 100%. But Irene has that confidence to turn and shoot and it's something I do take from Irene, that confidence, and I think I'm getting better this year. Having a little bit of arrogance and the fact that's your job and you're good at it, otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Hungry to get back into the Silver Ferns? Yes and no. Before when I was pregnant and I did not play netball, I said I did want to do Commonwealth Games after my disappointing last games when I got ruled out the day before. So I do have a burning desire to do Commonwealth Games, but at the moment there is just so much going on and I didn't realise how hard it was going to be to come back - and I don't even know if I'm good enough, when you have a look at the likes of Irene and Maria playing so beautifully, and Daneka had a great game last week.

This week the Tactix started a sequence of four home games in a row. Are they make or break? I think so. Every game's crucial and especially these four. We've got the home crowd, we're in our home city, it's our turf, so we've got everything going for us - so we've just got to make sure we put all that's going onto the court.

Some likes and dislikes. Favourite movie? Remember the Titans.

TV? Grey's Anatomy.

Music? Anything that's on the radio, as long as I can sing along, I don't mind. But something upbeat.

Last book? Victoria Beckham's autobiography.

Favourite holiday destination? I love going home to Wanganui, where I was born and bred and spent my first 16 years.

Favourite meal? Chicken fettuccini with lots of vegetables.

Favourite item of clothing? My kick-around track pants. Love them. Always go for them when I'm at home.

Drop some teammates in it. Who spends most time in front of the mirror? Victoria Smith.

Who's the fashionista? Victoria. And Charlotte Kight.

Most time on the cellphone and texting? Ellen Halpenny, our baby. She'd have three cellphones on the go and I love how she walks around and she's not even looking at her phone and she's texting away. I don't know how she does it.

Team stirrer? Sonia Mkoloma. She's a good stirrer but she's easily stirred as well. You can easily get her going. And, Julie Seymour can be a quiet stirrer.

Interests away from netball? I love the outdoors. In Dunedin we live right on the beach. And hanging out with the kids - we've got four nieces and nephews in Dunedin, and they love spending time with Kiana.

Are you into surfing, then? Husband Markham Brown is; he's a crazy surfer. But I tell you, Dunedin water is too cold, far too cold for me.