Remember when the Aussies were laughing at us?
The ANZ Premiership returned after a threemonth Covid-19 break last weekend with the Central Pulse not skipping a beat. We look at netball’s big talking points from the last week.
Credit where credit’s due
Netball New Zealand was the butt of many jokes in 2016 following the dissolution of the former trans-Tasman netball league. It was widely feared a watered down domestic competition would only exacerbate the gap between the Silver Ferns and Australia, but the premiership has mostly proved a success.
Australia’s glitzy Super Netball copped plenty of flak this week, introducing a two-goal shot for the final five minutes of every quarter – a move clearly introduced to attract more eyeballs on television, and which caught unaware players and coaches on the hop.
Super Netball has been its own worst enemy with the unlimited import rule hurting the Diamonds internationally. This was another tacky move from the Super Netball Commission, which has infuriated players, coaches and fans.
To its credit, NNZ’s domestic competition has helped, not hindered, the Ferns. They’ve also stuck to netball’s traditional rules, a sensible call, which should benefit them internationally in the long run.
Monday blockbuster
Get the apple crumble ready and clear your schedule on Monday night for the clash of the premiership’s only two unbeaten teams, the defending champion Pulse, and the Mystics. Neutral observers would love nothing better than a Mystics’ victory to set the competition alight.
The Pulse resembled a welldrilled machine in their 63-39 pummelling of the Stars last Sunday. If the Mystics are to cause an upset, ensuring possession gets safely through to the hands of teenage shooting sensation Grace Nweke will be paramount.
To beat the Pulse, you need to unsettle their attack in the midcourt and capitalise by scoring off any rare turnovers.
Sloppy Steel
The Southern Steel find themselves in unchartered territory, sitting 0-2 and bottom of the table through two rounds. Having been awarded the premiership finals on August 23 at Invercargill’s Stadium Southland, the perennial title contenders face the prospect of playing for the minor spots that day, rather than the one versus two straight final, unless they
start winning soon.
Drop both games to the Mystics and Stars this weekend and the Steel can forget about the final. The Steel haven’t been horrible in their first two games, but if they’re to turn things around they need more from goal shoot Jennifer O’Connell, who was quiet against the Tactix, and the experienced Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit to lead the way defensively, alongside promising youngster Taneisha Fifita.
Meritorious Maddy
Pulse wing attack Maddy Gordon might have been the round two MVP. The 20-year-old did it all in her side’s lopsided win over the Stars, sending fine ball through to her shooters, and demonstrating why she’s one of the country’s most exciting
young netball talents.
Gordon is in only her second full season in the premiership and must develop her week-toweek consistency, but the future looks incredibly bright. The Pulse lost Silver Ferns wing attack Whitney Souness to the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic over the offseason, but in Gordon they had a ready-made replacement.
The Silver Ferns have no shortage of depth at wing attack, but it wouldn’t be a shock if
Gordon was New Zealand’s starting WA come the 2023 World Cup in Cape Town.
Pulse’s title to lose?
Watching the Pulse dismantle the Stars by 24 goals it was hard not to think whether anyone can realistically prevent them from making it back-to-back titles.
The Pulse racked up the goals at will, putting 63 on the Stars in 48 minutes of netball. In the second and third quarters alone, they torched their opponent 38-16. The Pulse showed last season they can be beaten, dropping two, but with a healthy Kelly Jury bolstering the defence, having joined from the Magic, they look even stronger . There’s a real possibility the Pulse could have a perfect season and emulate men’s basketball brothers the Wellington Saints.