Top netball league to play in FNQ
Cairns and Townsville among sites to host Super Netball as officials bring competition to Queensland
SUPER Netball is coming to Queensland – and Cairns will host at least one game of Australia’s elite competition.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Tourism Minister Kate Jones and Super Netball chief executive Chris Symington on Sunday announced the coup, which will bring all six interstate teams to Queensland to play up to 60 games, including finals, throughout the Sunshine State.
Chief health officer Jeanette Young has ticked off the Super Netball relocation plans.
Cairns, Brisbane, Townsville and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts are expected to host teams and games in coming weeks.
The Cairns Post has been told Cairns will host at least one game in the condensed season, but a venue is yet to be determined or confirmed.
Super Netball is yet to announce a fixture, which will be released in two phases. The first phase is expected to be released this week.
Netball Queensland CEO Catherine Clark said that while the bulk of the games would be played in the southeast corner, it was important to showcase the “best netball league in the world” in north Queensland.
“Games in Cairns and Townsville will be wonderful,” said Ms Clark, who acknowledged details surrounding a fixture were yet to be finalised.
“It will look different to other games that have been broadcast, but that’s 2020.
“What we’ve learned is that this year, things are going to be different.”
Ms Clark could not confirm where games would be played.
Cairns Netball’s Martyn St courts are outdoors and unlikely to be up to standard, and work on the $176m upgrade of the convention centre rules out that venue.
But Ms Clark said any games, and whether spectators would be given access, would be subject to discussions with the local public health unit.
Cairns Netball operations manager Tanya Dearns said the Premier’s announcement was the first she’d heard of the plan, but she would welcome the country’s elite netballers to set up camp in the Far North.
She said Super Netball teams would likely not use the Martyn St courts – the professional outfits play and train at indoor venues – and with the convention centre out of action, it left the region short of options up to international standards and with broadcastquality lighting.
Venue aside, MsDearns said the opportunity for young netballers to see their heroes in action was too good to pass.
“It would be amazing to have the teams here in Cairns,” she said. “Even if it’s only for training, we’d love the opportunity to host a team. It’s an excellent opportunity for our juniors and to see how professional athletes prepare and train.”
Marlin Coast Netball’s Heather McLaren echoed the sentiment, saying it would be fantastic for the town to host the elite sportswomen.
The Super Netball season will start on August 1.