Contrasting tale of two teams
Stuff recaps the week of netball and looks at some of the talking points ahead of round six of the national premiership.
probably isn’t what Netball NZ had in mind when it floated possible rule changes this week, as it wrapped up it’s inquiries into the ordering off of Stars midcourter Fa’amu Ioane. Another loss to the Steel tomorrow could leave the Stars six points – or three wins – adrift of the playoffs.
SUPER SUNDAY LOOMS LARGE
We’re five rounds into the season, which means it must be time for another triple-header. Horncastle Arena in Christchurch becomes the fifth venue to hold one of these netball marathons, introduced last year in the inaugural season of the ANZ Premiership. All three matches are repeats of those just played in round five, which should mean a couple of close contests, if the first meetings between the Tactix and the Magic and the Steel and the Stars are anything to go by. It’s hard to see the Mystics turning things around in a week after losing heavily to the Pulse last Sunday, but that’s the final game of the day, so if it’s another blowout, at least it won’t set the tone for the afternoon.
ANZ Premiership, round six:
SILVER FERNS CLARITY NEARS
We’re now into June, which means the postCommonwealth Games review of Netball New Zealand’s high performance programme can’t be far away from being completed and, that in turn, will mean clarity around the future of Silver Ferns coach Janine Southby, who is contracted through to the end of next year’s World Cup in England. It will also mean clarity for all the hopefuls playing in the ANZ Premiership, who will be hoping to make the cut for the end-of-year internationals – a quad series with Australia, England, and South Africa, and four Constellation Cup tests. Whether Southby stays or goes, players will be glad to know who they’re supposed to be impressing.