Optimism over defence of netball title

BARRY HARCOURT/Southland Times

UP TO THE CHALLENGE: Kendall McMinn will be looking to lead by example for the Southland Lois Muir Challenge side as it aims to defend its title from a year ago. Southland begin play this weekend against North, Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau in Auckland.

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Southland may have lost three influential figures from last year's championship-winning Lois Muir Challenge side, but rising talent Kendall McMinn remains buoyant about the team's chances this season.

The maroons begin their championship defence this weekend in Auckland with matches against North, Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau.

They will then play the other sides in the competition during three more weekends, with the winner being crowned on April 18 after the final round of matches in Palmerston North.

Southland face a difficult task if they are to back up their effort from last season, with veteran defender Dana Bond not returning and young guns Ashleigh Smith and Hayley Crofts now playing in the ANZ Championship with Canterbury Tactix.

McMinn said the trio would be a big loss, but she was optimistic about Southland's chances of doing well again in the competition.

"We've got heaps of new players, who haven't really been up at that level, but it's pretty exciting for those younger ones ...

I'm hoping we can do it again and I think we can."

Southland still have some handy names in their squad with Kerry McKenzie, Gemma Roberts, Whitney Areaiiti, Erin Aston, Stacey Peeters and McMinn all back from last year.

McMinn could well be the fittest player in this year's Lois Muir Challenge, with the ex-Verdon College student a training partner with Southern Steel this season. The 17-year-old is viewed as a future Steel prospect and has spent the summer training with Steel's contracted players.

She will continue to work with the team during the ANZ Championship and said the step up to the world of semi-professional sport was a huge jump from what she was used to.

"...I'm getting used to it now and am pretty much on top of it."

McMinn spent the latter part of her high school netballing career at Verdon College at goal defence, but her long-term future appears to lie in the midcourt, because of her lack of height. She will line up at goal defence for Southland in the Lois Muir competition, though, with the side a little light on defenders.

This year shapes as a big one for McMinn, with the charismatic youngster also in the New Zealand under-21 netball squad.

New Zealand play Australia in July and, with the squad being trimmed down for those games, McMinn is doing everything she can to make sure she is in the coaches' plans.

THE TEAM

The Southland Lois Muir Challenge team for this weekend:Kerry McKenzie (c), Sarah Anderson, Gemma Roberts, Morgan Hunter, Erin Aston, Whitney Areaiiti, Lucy Bath, Suzanne Black, Kelly Henderson, Kendall McMinn, Jenna Blair Edie, Alana Hill. Coach: Dion Te Whetu.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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