Tactix pass on second import

The Tactix have opted out of applying for a second import for next year's trans-Tasman league despite questions lingering over how level the playing field is in the competition.

New chief executive Anthony Dawson, who has been in the job since September, believes the import rule across the two countries, Australia and New Zealand, still needs to be looked at.

There seems to be more flexibility across the ditch, with some Australian teams fielding two imports during the first two seasons of the ANZ Championship.

It is believed the Adelaide Thunderbirds are also on the verge of naming a second import for their 2010 squad, to join English defender Geva Mentor.

Kiwi teams can apply for two imports – players ineligible to play for the national team – if one of them is a New Zealand resident.

But there have been only two or three players who regularly fall into that category – Cathrine Latu and Frances Solia.

Dawson said it was "too early" for him to comment on some of the eligibility rules.

"My first impressions are that I would question some of them," he said. "My only concerns would be the fact that the league should have a level playing field and that the franchises have a set of [eligibility] rules that are the same."

The Tactix have still to confirm the final player in their squad of 12 – believed to be a midcourter – which must be submitted to championship officials by Monday.

Dawson said the Tactix franchise had a number of overseas options it had looked at but opted out of lodging an application for a second "true" import. "We were always hopeful of getting our one true import in [Australian] Peta Stephens, but knew that the prospect of trying to get two foreign players was going to be a bridge too far."

The other franchises have all been granted one import, the Northern Mystics gaining the services of Althea Byfield, Peta Scholz heading to the Waikato-BOP Magic and fellow Australian Megan Dehn returning to the Southern Steel.

The Central Pulse have signed on Australian Jane Altschwager and have an application for a second import awaiting the rubber stamp from Netball New Zealand.

The Tactix go into a week-long camp next month and reassemble in January. They have two major pre-season events including the February tournament in Queenstown which will have all five Kiwi teams and two Australian outfits, while the New South Wales state team heads to Christchurch in early February to play the Tactix and Southern Steel.

The Tactix play their season opener in Christchurch against the Central Pulse on March 22.

- © Fairfax NZ News