2020 Beko Netball League draw confirmed

The only two teams to have lifted the Beko Netball League spoils will go head-to-head in the opening round of the 2020 New Zealand domestic competition.

Three-time defending champions, Central Manawa, take on inaugural Beko Netball League winners, Southern Blast, on March 22 in Wellington in the first televised game of this year’s league.

The NZ Strong Northern Marvels also suit up for the first round when they host Waikato-BOP at the Auckland Netball Centre on March 21.

The Beko Netball League (BNL), which is now entering its fifth year, sits directly below the ANZ Premiership with six teams representing the Zones, and is an important pathway for players and coaches to the elite level.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie said the BNL continued to demonstrate its value in developing the next tier of young athletes.

“The Beko Netball League goes from strength to strength every year and we are continuing to see the development of athletes, coaches and officials who go on to make an impact at the elite level,” she said.

Wyllie said watching athletes the likes of Karin Burger and Kimiora Poi, who were both part of the Silver Ferns team to win last month’s Netball Nations Cup in England, progress from the Beko Netball League to wearing the black dress was inspiring for those with similar dreams.

“We’re very excited to watch the next generation of netballers take that step and see what they can bring to this very important competition, and also beyond,” she said.

Twenty-five games will be contested this season including 16 to be televised live on Sky Sport, culminating in the grand final which will be played at the TSB Arena in Wellington on Sunday, June 21.

CLICK HERE to view the full 2020 Beko Netball League draw

2020 Beko Netball League
Regular season: March 21-June 14, 2020
Grand final: June 21 at TSB Arena in Wellington
The competition: 25 games run over 12 weekends, culminating in a Grand Final
Broadcast partner: Sky TV – 16 matches to be televised on Sky Sport

Excitement for new National Netball League

Southern Blast coach Jo Morrison hopes her charges can channel their excitement for the National Netball League (NNL) and put it to good use after such a lengthy wait to showcase their skills.

Mainland impress in Synergy Hair Netball League opener

Mainland have been the first team to bag maximum points in the Synergy Hair Netball League with a strong all-round performance against the Southern Blast.

Beko Netball League cancelled for 2020

Netball New Zealand has announced that the revised 2020 Beko Netball League has been cancelled due to the shift in COVID-19 alert levels.

Beko Netball League contenders target Central Manawa

Knocking Central Manawa off its Beko Netball League perch will be high on the agenda of the chasing pack as the season opener looms large.

The three-time defending champions are the most successful team in the league which was first unveiled in 2016 in a bid to strengthen the pathways of elite Netball in New Zealand.

Just who stands in their way from a fourth-straight title remains to be seen but there is a generous sprinkling of experience and new talent emerging from the 2020 Beko Netball League to suggest that Central Manawa will remain wary of the challengers.

They themselves have changes to the squad which beat Waikato-BOP in last year’s Grand Final, particularly in the shooting circle with Saviour Tui elevated to the ANZ Premiership and Monalisa Groom unavailable due to injury.

The return of shooter Jermaine Howard-Vallance will provide new coach Anna Andrews-Tasola with some experience on attack while last year’s Tania Dalton Scholarship winner, Paris Lokotui, gives Manawa a strong option on defence.

Their season opener sees them take on the only other team to have lifted the spoils, the Southern Blast, with the inaugural league winners now under the watchful eye of former Silver Fern Jo Morrison.

She is without both Heffernan twins this season with Kate and Georgia earning Premiership contracts, but she will have one half of another southern set of twins, with Sophie Erwood, sister to the Southern Steel’s Abby Erwood, back in Blast colours.

Morrison is not the only former Silver Fern to guide a BNL team this season with Mary-Jane Araroa back with last year’s finalists, Waikato-BOP, and Temepara Bailey taking on the head coach role with the Northern Comets.

Waikato-BOP will again be spearheaded by dynamic midcourter, Ali Wilshier, who was named the 2019 Beko Netball League Player of the Year, while promising young shooter Khiarna Williams will anchor the shooting circle.

Meanwhile, Bailey will tackle a dual coaching role this season as she continues to act as assistant coach to the Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership while also picking up the head coach role for the Comets for the first time.

Stars training partners Nanise Waqaira (formerly with the Northern Mystics) and Oceane Maihi along with Kolose sisters, Jaymie and Tori, will feature for the northern side in the BNL.

Their neighbours, the Northern Marvels, are again coached by Ripeka Pirie and will turn to the experience of attacking playmaker Filda Vui who has played since the league started.

Mainland will also turn to the experienced head of Nicola Mackle through the middle with Lily Marshall and Lily Fletcher two players to watch on defence.

They have a new coach in Andrea Cousins who has stepped up from her role as assistant last year.

The 12-week round-robin competition concludes at the TSB Arena in Wellington where the Grand Final will be played on June 21.

NZ Strong Northern Marvels | Coach: Ripeka Pirie

Christie Anderson

Danielle Binks

Emily Burgess

Asher Grapes

Courtney Katterns

Holly Mather

Grace McCarthy

Seroya Nankivell

Nirah Nathan

Anania Piri

Alyssa-Jean Savelio

Jessie Taylor

Emma Thompson

Halaevalu Toutaiolepo

Jazmin Tufuga

Filda Vui

Northern Comets | Coach:Temepara Bailey

Izzy Chan

Patricia Furival

Chonaire Huriwai

Jaymie Kolose

Tori Kolose

Vika Koloto

Tamara Leoni

Oceane Maihi

Christina Oscar

Lisa Putt

Ivana Rowland

Nanise Waqaira

Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty | Coach: Mary-Jane Araroa

Dannielle Dephoff

Georgie Edgecombe

Quantelle Hira-Kapua

Manaia Hutana

Emma Johnson

Ellie McManaway

Brooke Neilson

Anahia Noble

Jade Poi

Hannah Ridling

Greer Sinclair

Katie Te Ao

Emily Ussher

Khiarna Williams

Aaria Williams

Ali Wilshier

Central Manawa | Coach:Anna Andrews-Tasola

Allie Dunn

Colleen Faleafaga

Jermaine Howard-Vallance

Paris Lokotui

Parris Mason

Grace McLean

Emma-May Murray-Fifita

Bianca Nagaiya

Caitlin O'Sullivan

Parris Petera

Charity Polu

Leehava Saverio

Danielle Tafili

Api Taufa

Salote Taufa

Ofa Vatikani

Netball Mainland | Coach:Andrea Cousins

Tiuana-Marie Aiono

Rachel Albiston

Jess Allan

Jenna Barrett

Manaia Feather

Lily Fletcher

Zoey Flockton

Hannah Glen

Emma Hartnell

Charlotte Knight

Nicola Mackle

Laura Mann

Lily Marshall

Lina Pale

Tiana Placid

Natasha Ryan

Southern Blast | Coach:Jo Morrison

Annabel Angland

Ella Brown

Sophie Erwood

Maddie Feaunati

Kate Hartley

Sara McCarthy

Mara McCurdy

Holly Munro

Grace Namana

Kiana Pelasio

Lauren Pickett

Meg Sycamore

Meleitia Tatupu

Taylor Thorne

Della-May Vining

Georgia White

Blast defender relishing her return to the netball court

Resurgent with a new-found love of the game, Southern Blast co-captain Abby Erwood hopes her side can finish the Synergy Hair Netball League with a flourish and turn the points table on its head.

Central Manawa add to rich legacy with SHNL crown

Central Manawa have added another chapter to their legacy after coming from behind to win the Synergy Hair Netball League crown, their fifth national title.

Central Manawa claim Synergy Hair Netball League title

A timely wake-up call just two weeks earlier, helped set Central Manawa up for their fourth national title with victory over Mainland in the Synergy Hair Netball League Grand Final.

Two weeks prior it was Mainland who came out 17-goal victors, but Manawa did their homework to turn the tables for a 49-41 win in the season decider at Pulman Arena in Papakura on Saturday.

The height of Pulse shooter Amelia Walmsley along with the pinpoint ball delivery in the circle was one of the key differences this time round while the relentless defensive pressure, set up by an MVP performance from goal defence Parris Mason, disabled Mainland’s attacking prowess.

Mason said the loss a fortnight ago had been “a low” for her side but it was enough to ensure they worked hard leading into the re-match.

“I’m so stoked for the girls,” she said.

“We’ve been fighting all season – we were out there gunning for the win, I’m super proud.”

Mason said there had been plenty of learnings this season especially after their sole loss, to Mainland, which had been timely heading into the final.

“We went into that game too easy and it’s always great when you have a loss and go back to the drawing board and reflect on what’s been. That’s exactly what we did, and we went out there and executed all of our structures for the win.”

Early game jitters were scarce – neither team afraid to put in some long well-weighted passes into their shooters with both Mainland’s Hannah Glen and Walmsley sinking their attempts.

The early arm-wrestle continued well into the opening quarter but it was Manawa to make the most of a missed Mainland goal to edge ahead by three – the height of Walmsley a strong target at the back coupled with the quick ball delivered from Renee Matoe spearheading the attack.

The strong defensive efforts from both sides – Mainland’s Lily Marshall picking up one clean intercept and Manawa’s Danielle Tafili hunting for ball – saw play swing from end to end but it was Manawa which went into the first break with a 12-10 lead.

Mainland made one change heading into the second quarter with Lose Faingaanuku coming on to replace Julia Wynands at goal keeper in a bid to shut down Walmsley.

The red-and-blacks showed good speed with the ball through the court but the final pass into the shooting circle was often their undoing as Manawa again grabbed the advantage early in the spell, leading 17-13.

It prompted another change with Ashleigh Poi replacing Jenna Barrett at centre as Manawa’s defensive unit continued to tighten the screws – Mason getting her hand to plenty of ball.

And with the connection at the other end of the court into Walmsley only getting stronger it was Manawa with jumped out to a telling buffer, leading 26-20 at halftime.

Mainland coach Julie Seymour asked for some “belief” from her charges as play resumed with attacker Vika Koloto joining her Tactix team-mate Glen in the shooting circle.

Hesitation from Mainland’s frontline continued into the third stanza as Manawa’s defensive unit confused the space to turn the ball over.

Manawa coach Anna Andrews-Tasola also went to her bench with Matoe returning to the court but in place of Grace Namana at goal attack.

By now Manawa had well and truly found its groove as the lead ballooned out to 41-29 with one quarter to play.

Mainland gave one final push in the fourth quarter with Gemma Etheredge moving back to goal attack and Jess Allan coming on at shooter in an attempt for more options up front – the score closing to eight – but the relentless defensive pressure ensured Manawa maintained it’s healthy lead.