Pearce has high hopes for squad next year

Western coach Annette Pearce is confident of reassembling a similar squad for next year's NPC after they kept their tier-one status on Saturday.

They beat Bay of Plenty 58-42 in their final game at Invercargill on the back of a star shooting performance from Chantelle Ngaia, who drained 39 from 41 attempts.

Pearce said she wanted to be retained as coach next year too, as her contract was for only a year.

"The indication from the girls is that they'll still be in the region. That's a huge asset as well," she said.

"For some of them it was the first time they played first-division netball ...

"It was good for them to experience that."

Western were the only team in division not to have an ANZ Championship player on their books.

Pearce said they could still be competitive in the future without one but needed to make sure the players were working to the same intensity the franchise players did in training.

Next year players' availability to Western will depend on who the Central Pulse sign.

Western are known for developing young players.

Many ANZ Championship level players have played for Western rep teams or the Flyers in the old national league.

Western finished fifth overall on Saturday, while Auckland-Waitakere beat Southland 47-33 in the final.

North were relegated from division one after they lost to Wellington by 65-44.

A New Zealand under-21 squad was announced and Western goal keep Jodi Beaumont was included along with Feilding shooter Alanah Cassidy.

Cassidy didn't play in the NPC after Netball New Zealand said her workload needed to be managed after a busy season which included the World Youth Cup, club commitments, Lois Muir Challenge games and the national under-21 tournament.

Taranaki's Ngaia was the only Western player included in the tournament team from the NPC.

Manawatu's Sheridan Bignall was also named in the Emerging Talent Accelerant Group, a new initiative from Netball New Zealand for players who they are looking at as a future under-21 rep.

Western 58 (Chantelle Ngaia 39-41 Amber Bellringer 19-24) BOP 42 HT 31-17.

- © Fairfax NZ News