Hotly anticipated netball season around the corner
Last year's champions, Prices Waimea Ahurei, will be eager to reclaim their title, but with a drastically different squad. Photo: Barry Whitnall/Shuttersport
It’s been a busy offseason for Nelson Netball as competitions swing back into action next week.
After the College and Senior Club Teams kicked off the season with the Geraldine Hodgson festival earlier this month, the premier grade gets underway in earnest on Thursday night before Saturday will see hundreds of teams take to the courts to open their season.
With over 220 teams signed up this year, the sport has seen growth in the region with a significant jump in the player base.
Five teams have been added to the already existing leagues, while the Future Ferns year one and two division has returned with 22 teams in the mix.
This season will also look slightly different as Nelson Netball makes changes to keep the competition fresh and exciting.
In the premier grade, this means an updated standalone competition for round two with rule tweaks such as two-point shot opportunities and rolling subs.
With Jacks B dropping down to the senior two grade and Nayland College starting in Senior One, premier action will see six teams fighting it out this season.
Competition favourites Prices Waimea Ahurei and Jacks OPD are back in action again, while Richmond F45, Prices Waimea Pango and Nelson Girls College Senior A will all be chasing their tails.
The FCL Nelson Men are also back for 2023, remaining in the premier grade but unable to play in the Finals.
There have been some shuffle ups in the offseason, with Prices Waimea Ahurei losing a large portion of their experienced contingent.
Only two of their starting lineup from last year’s final have been named in their 2023 team sheet.
Centre Kalyssa Rasmussen and WD Tui Kinita are back in the fight for another season, while GS Shar Lowe, GA Chelsea Reed, WA Lucy Ingham, GD Dayna Kerr and GK Holly Chandler have not been named in a premier grade team.
Meanwhile, Jacks OPD have kept a large part of their core. Only one player from last year’s final has not been named in WD Riley Smart.
It’s also a new look for Nelson Netball, who went under a brand refresh ahead of their 90th birthday celebrations later this year.
Their newly updated logo represents tūhononga (connection), taking the form of a fingerprint to acknowledge the individuals that make up the netball community.
It’s an exciting space to be in, says Nelson Netball Centre general manager Ani-Marie Waitai.
“We are proud that this logo reflects the new direction of the centre and aligns with celebrating our 90thanniversary of netball in Nelson this year.”
“With a new organisation structure in place, and an ambitious Board, the timing was perfect to connect our vision, to grow the lifelong love of netball, symbolically with the new logo”
All the action this season will be livescored on the My Netball Manager Game Day Scoring App for every game above the primary school grades, excluding premier.
Shakeups to competition structures have also been introduced, with a double-header weekend on June 24 and 25 for all senior and collegiate grades one to three, except premier, as well as including semi-finals in the collegiate grades four to ten.
Team lists:
Prices Waimea Ahurei
Head coach: Mandy Whiting, Manager: Karyn McKerrow.
Tali Uia, Kelsey Whiting, Harriet Ogilvie, Milly Thurlow, Kalyssa Rasmussen, Tui Kinita, Meagan Jeffrey, Kimberly Curry.
Prices Waimea Pango
Head coach: Sarah Rankin, Manager: TBC.
Ayla De Jong, Tamara Bannister, Teish Prescott, Paige Brazier, Megan Hendren, Jade Gower, Becky Green, Lauren Chaney, Aimee Berkett, Luseane Uia, Talia Grey.
Jacks OPD
Head coach: Robyn Leonard, Manager: Angie Scoble, Primary Care: Jan Lynch.
Jordan Webby, Holly MacGillivray, Chloe Webb, Ani-Marie Waitai, Jessie Matthews, Jess Drummond, Katie de Ruiter, Lilly Zwart, Kirsty Thompson, Jodi Hikuroa-Jeffrey, Rayna Olsen, Anna Miles.
NCG Senior A
Head coaches: Faye Eden and Lyn Olsen, Manager: Alison Sheppard.
Team list TBC
FCL Nelson Men:
Head coach: Kent Perry, Manager: Kelly Jenkins.
Ricky Fry, Rob Boomer, Jaxon Chadwick, Matt Davies, Simon Duncan, Wayne Hippolite, Jared Lock, Jared Smith, Jacob Astle, Declan McGlinchey, Jamie Brown, Luke Richardson.
Richmond F45
Head coach: Kathleen Thornalley, Assistant Coach: Marjolein Edwards, Manager: Deborah Lott, Primary care: Amanda Springer.
Belinda Koloamatangi, Courtney Lott, Maddison Springer, Eden Te Huki, Baylyl Conning, Amber Healey, Shardae Herring, Georgia Green, Chelsea Martin, Rachel George, Kimberly Keil.