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Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Game shooting in ‘right direction'
Southern Steel shooter Aliyah Dunn (left) puts up her shot as Central Pulse defender Parris Mason, Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan and Pulse defender Kelly Jackson watch on under the hoop in Invercargill. PHOTO: MICHAEL BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie believes things are heading in the right direction for the sport. She confirmed last week the ANZ Premiership, facing an uncertain future due to a new broadcast deal, would return next year with all six teams involved and was likely to be played during the same time frame as this season. The 2025 season has hit the ground running and Wyllie said broadcast ratings were up 40% and the community game was "thriving". "What we're seeing is Kiwis are loving it," Wyllie told the Otago Daily Times. "It's all pointing in the right direction for netball." The ANZ Premiership has been slashed from three rounds to two this season — which means teams get only 10 games before the playoffs — and there have been innovations including the two-point shot, timeouts and a coaches box. Wyllie said there had been some "heart-stopping moments" through the opening games, and while she conceded two rounds did not make a long season, she was pleased all teams hit the court strongly. Like many traditional netballers, Wyllie admitted she had reservations about introducing the two-point shot, but felt it had its place. "It's going down well. The players are enjoying it," she said. "Sometimes you could have been a minute to go, three goals down and thought the game was done — that is no longer the case. "I think those kind of things have been really interesting talking points and great to be able to see it come to life as we envisaged it when we were planning." The tactical nature of timeouts, and when coaches used their coaches box to deliver messages during the game, intrigued her the most. "What I've loved is the strategic nature of what I'm hearing from the coaches box, when they're using their timeouts and when they're talking with their players. "We've got three new coaches in the mix this year and it's brought a really different dynamic. "I'm really impressed with how they're all being quite strategic. "I think that for me as a netty is really exciting." Aside from their blip against the Central Pulse at the weekend, the Southern Steel have been tracking well this season. They recorded a massive win over the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and were pipped by one point against the defending champions, the Northern Mystics. Even Wyllie thought the Steel had secured a win over the Mystics — "I was screaming at the TV that there was time" — but she was proud to see how they were bouncing back after a tough couple of years. "I think it's amazing resilience and to see a team that have had a tough few years, injury plagues, with a fresh new coach in there, they've been formidable." The ANZ Premiership reaches the halfway point this weekend. The Mainland Tactix hold top spot with three wins and one loss. The Pulse and the Mystics, who are awaiting results on Australian Diamond Donnell Wallam's wrist injury, round out the top three. The Steel sit fourth with one win and three losses, followed by the Magic — who picked up their first win on Monday — and the Northern Stars. In round five, the Steel are home to the Tactix, the Pulse meet the Mystics and in a repeat of this week's game, the Stars play the Magic.
RNZ News
01-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Netball: Pulse defence on display in big win in Steel territory
Pulse's Parris Mason (R) and Kelly Jackson (L) with Steel's Georgia Heffernan. Photo: Marty Melville The Pulse have the best defensive record in the ANZ Premiership and that was highlighted big time when they suffocated the Southern Steel 70-45 in Invercargill on Sunday. Playing at home in Invercargill for the first time this season, the Steel have shown promising signs in returning to their form of old but were largely outclassed. In registering their highest winning score since 2018, the Pulse dominated across the court and rocked the Steel early on. The circle defensive pairing of Kelly Jackson and Parris Mason, supported by wing defence Fa'amu Ioane and centre Maddy Gordon, stifled the Steel attacking line early. Goal shoot Aliyah Dunn has been impressive for the Steel, and sits second in the competition for goals scored. But Dunn was restricted to just 24 goals at 70 percent accuracy. A ballooning scoreline prompted a rearranged midcourt for the home side who had plenty of work in front of them when trailing 19-7 at the first break. Things blew out even more for the Steel, and they went into the main break trailing 38-19. Dunn was forced into several Super Shot attempts in an effort to close the gap but was only able to convert two out of 10. Pulse captain Kelly Jackson said they knew how dangerous Dunn could be. "We wanted to keep her ball in hand to a minimum, we know that she can really put away some big numbers so really happy with that," Jackson said. For the Pulse, Amelia Walmsley converted 50 goals from 51 attempts, to crack her second half-century of the season. Tiana Metuarau. Photo: Photosport Gordon and Whitney Souness dominated the midcourt, while play-making goal attack Tiana Metuarau's vision provided on-point long-range ball into the hands of Walmsley. Metuarau shot 15 goals, including five super shots. A third quarter revival from the Steel made things interesting with the home side winning the period 21-14. Two super shots by Georgia Heffernan and one to Dunn galvanised the Steel but Metuarau settled the visitors with a two-pointer on the buzzer. The Pulse headed into the last break with a handy 52-40 lead and then went on a 18-5 fourth quarter blitz. Jackson was pleased with every part of the court. "Everyone went out there and really nailed their own jobs and it makes it easier for everyone across the court when our roles are clear and we're executing them. When we had ball in hand we were in control and we were able to suffocate them defensively. "I think Amelia had a great game she was a great target and Tiana, and the midcourt fed them really well," Jackson said. An on-going injury ruled Steel midcourter Kate Heffernan out for a fourth straight week. The Pulse now sit second on the ladder, just behind the Tactix who have a bonus point. The Magic and Stars meet tonight in the final game of the fourth round.
RNZ News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
ANZ Premiership live updates: Steel v Mystics
Aliyah Dunn of the Steel during the ANZ Premiership Netball match, Tactix Vs Steel. Photo: Photosport The Mystics are looking for their third win in a row and a place at the top of the ANZ Premiership, tonight they face a Steel side coming off a dominant win over the Magic. Play starts ar 7:30pm. Follow all the action with RNZ's live blog:
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Netball: ANZ Premiership wrap
Carys Stythe (left) and Catherine Hall (right) Photo: Photosport Analysis - An out of sorts Magic were punished 69-41 thanks to a near flawless performance by the Steel in Hamilton on Monday. The Magic are a far better team than what they've shown in their two opening games of the ANZ Premiership season and they don't have much time to rectify it. The Magic scored eight super shots to the Steel's three but it was nowhere enough to limit the damage. Twenty seven turnovers cost the Magic dearly as they struggled to gain connections on attack. Silver Ferns wing attack Claire O'Brien, who is usually so assured, was benched at one point. The Magic struggled to get enough shooting volume out of goal shooter Saviour Tui but she was put under enormous pressure by Steel goal keep Carys Stythe. Aliyah Dunn for the Steel was magnificent, shooting 52 goals at 96 percent. The Steel have had to call on replacement players with Silver Fern Kate Heffernan dealing with an injury, along with defenders Abby Lawson and Dakota Thomas. Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan said it felt good to put out such a complete performance and said her twin sister Kate was glued to the TV. "She's got the biggest FOMO right now. I think that's what we're so proud of, losing Kate before the first round and then Abby this week and then not having Dakota, we've had to adjust a lot and really trust that we've done the work and we can still be really strong out there and we showed that tonight," Heffernan said. Catherine Hall and Carys Stythe are two of the most exciting young defenders in the country. The problem was, they also came from the same catchment area and started their elite careers with the Auckland-based Mystics. Last year the pair shared a lot of court time with Hall getting her first full contract. Stythe made a really smart decision to move to the Southern Steel where she was likely to get full games. Hall and Stythe, both 21, are too good to be on the bench and both are thriving as starting players for their franchises. Stythe has been sensational in her first two games for the Southern Steel, picking up back-to-back MVPs. Hall has been in terrific form for the Mystics too. It might not be long before the pair are in the Silver Ferns together. Maia Wilson Photo: PHOTOSPORT Since the birth of the Stars franchise in 2017, Maia Wilson has been the side's starting goal shooter. Now, with the 196cm tall Charlie Bell at the back, the side has an out-and-out tall target. The Australian import is the tallest-equal player in the competition and looks like a handy addition to the Stars, who upset the Tactix 57-52 in Auckland on Sunday after a challenging week. Wilson has finally been able to take on the goal attack position, which could help her Silver Ferns prospects. Not having to be responsible for the majority of the side's scoring has also taken some pressure off Wilson's shoulders. "It definitely has, I think it's nice to be able to have a strong, tall target and it shows that we have so many different options to be able to throw out there. I think tonight she was really able to muscle it out so really proud of her to be able to come out here with a 60 minute performance," Wilson said. It turns out that former Stars coach Kiri Wills, who is now in charge of the Queensland Firebirds, wanted to go down that track earlier. When the 201cm shooter Mary Cholhok signed with the Queensland Firebirds for 2025, it was revealed that the Ugandan previously turned down two offers from Wills to play for the Stars. Donnell Wallam Photo: Bradley Kanaris The Mystics did about as well as they possibly could when they had to fill the gaping hole left by Silver Fern Grace Nweke. The defending champions had to act fast when Nweke announced she would be playing across the Tasman in 2025 and pulled off a real coup when they signed Australian Diamonds shooter Donnell Wallam. Wallam had another commanding performance when the Mystics beat the Pulse 59-48 on Saturday. But it should not come as a surprise given Wallam was second in Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) for total goals in 2023 and 2024, just behind the most prolific shooter in the world - Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard. It came as a shock to fans in Australia when the Queensland Firebirds let go of the 31-year-old after three seasons, instead signing Mary Cholhok. Wallam is a late bloomer to netball and didn't make her Test debut until 2022. It's a little surprising that she has only played five tests for Australia since then. After two rounds of ANZ Premiership, Wallam is the top goal scorer. Nweke is also the top goal scorer after six rounds of SSN. But while Wallam is still able to represent Australia, Nweke is not eligible to play for the Ferns this year. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
