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Netball

Canterbury Tactix get back that winning feeling

MATT RICHENS - © Fairfax NZ News

The 2012 Canterbury Tactix are the best-balanced side in the franchise's five-year history.

New-look Southern Steel ready for court time

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel will swap the weights and exercycles for the netball court this weekend when they compete in their first preseason games for 2012.

Little rest for Tactix players this season

The Canterbury Tactix players will be flat out on and off the court this season.

Canterbury ready to climb off bottom rung

MATT RICHENS - © Fairfax NZ News

Every marathon starts with a single step and the Canterbury Tactix take their first of many today as they strive to get back to netballing competitiveness.

Frew going from Steel to motherhood

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel will be missing a familiar face this season, with born-and-bred Southlander Wendy Frew pulling out of the squad to become a mother.

Southern Steel cutting costs in bid to stem loss

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel have slashed over $100,000 in costs for the trans-Tasman season.

Rough going for Tactix's English imports

MATT RICHENS - © Fairfax NZ News

Getting roughed up by their team-mates was hardly the sort of welcome new Canterbury Tactix netball imports Stacey Francis and Jo Harten were expecting.

Buildup gets more serious for Southern Steel

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel co-coach Natalie Avellino wants to see her new-look squad make the most of their opportunities when they take to the court for the first time in 2012 at a pre-season tournament this weekend.

Sharelle McMahon announces pregnancy

The netball career of former Australian captain Sharelle McMahon is again on hold indefinitely, but this time she is ecstatic.

De Bruin hoping for year of Magic results

AARON GOILE - © Fairfax NZ News

This domestic netball season will be a far more comfortable ride for Leana de Bruin.

Newcomer keen to learn from Magic legends

KASHKA TUNSTALL - © Fairfax NZ News

Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic newcomer Jess Waitapu thought her opportunity to play in the ANZ Netball Championship would never arrive.

Silver Ferns face tough test at Taumanu's camps

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

It's hard to suppress a chuckle when Waimarama Taumaunu explains what she has in store for the Silver Ferns at training camp over the next fortnight.

Casey Williams retains captaincy of Silver Ferns

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Casey Williams will pick up her netball career where she left it – as Silver Ferns captain.

Promising Francois keen to impress with Steel

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Shannon Francois' name might not be too familiar to many netball fans outside the Steel region right now but come the end of the season it could be a different story.

Southern Steel boss rules out franchise shift

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

New Southern Steel chief executive David Bannister wants to make one thing perfectly clear – the franchise isn't moving its home base.

Thwaites looking for winning form with Pulse

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

There was everyone thinking that it was commitment to the Central Pulse cause that prompted Caitlin Thwaites to forego celebrating Christmas back home.

Robyn Broughton ringing the changes at Pulse

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

The Central Pulse's Robyn Broughton era began with a victory yesterday.

Steel coach Avellino counts on youth and fitness

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel co-coach Natalie Avellino wants her side to be the fittest team in this year's trans-Tasman netball league.

Castle says speculation on Steel shift premature

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Netball New Zealand boss Raelene Castle has eased fears over the possibility of the Southern Steel netball franchise shifting away from Invercargill to Dunedin.

Killer instinct evades Silver Ferns in 2011

2011 netball yearender

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

The Silver Ferns will need to develop a greater killer instinct and learn how to close out games if they are to become the best team in world netball again in 2012.

Andrew Crook gets trans-Tasman netball job

FRED WOODCOCK - © Fairfax NZ News

Experienced sports executive Andrew Crook is the new general manager of the trans-Tasman netball championship.

Silver Ferns' nemesis courts Australian return

One of Australia's finest sportswomen has not finished tormenting the Silver Ferns.

Southern Steel vacancy attracts 'good mix'

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

The search for Southern Steel's new chief executive has attracted strong interest, with candidates from as far afield as Australia throwing their names in the ring.

Fully focused Joline Henry won't muck around

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

She's a good talker, Joline Henry. But it's through her actions that the Central Pulse vice-captain aims to have the greatest impact with her new trans-Tasman netball league franchise.

Late father an inspiration for Hayley Saunders

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Whenever Southern Steel midcourter Hayley Saunders is doing it tough in a training session or out on court, she doesn't have to look far for inspiration.

Central Pulse chairman Kirkpatrick moves on

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Nigel Kirkpatrick has resigned as Central Pulse chairman after three years at the helm.

Favour for Thunderbirds raises anger in ranks

LIAM NAPIER - © Fairfax NZ News

New Zealand and Australian netball franchises are riled by the special treatment given to the Adelaide Thunderbirds, which could allow the inclusion of another Jamaican star on their books next year.

Family first, the Silver Ferns can wait - Fuller

Candidates for the rotating Silver Ferns assistant coach are fast diminishing, with frontrunner Debbie Fuller indicating she is unlikely to be available next year.

'Early days' in hunt for Southern Steel supremo

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

No obvious candidates have emerged for the vacant Southern Steel chief executive position.

Southern TeamCo loss linked to financial model

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern TeamCo chairwoman Janet Copeland has expressed concerns about the trans-Tasman netball league's financial model.

Demelza McCloud itching to make mark for Steel

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Southern Steel's Australian import, Demelza McCloud, is known for her extroverted personality.

Help needed for Steel to match big city teams

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Julie Paterson believes the organisers of the trans-Tasman netball league must provide greater assistance to small-market teams if they want an even playing field, where anyone can beat anyone.

Departing boss optimistic for Southern Steel

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

It might look like she is jumping from a sinking ship, but outgoing Southern Steel boss Julie Paterson remains optimistic about the future of the Invercargill-based netball franchise.

Marianne Delaney to assist Broughton with Pulse

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Marianne Delaney has begun carving out a tidy little niche for herself as a specialist assistant coach in the past few months.

Steel netball boss Paterson signs with Mystics

BRENDON EGAN - © Fairfax NZ News

Julie Paterson has resigned as chief executive of Netball Southland and the Southern Steel franchise to head the Northern Mystics.

FastNet seen as 'Wellington Sevens of netball'

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

It looks a shambles on television but Netball NZ boss Raelene Castle believes the World Netball Series will prove a roaring success in person.

Noeline Taurua rules out Silver Ferns audition

HAMISH BIDWELL - © Fairfax NZ News

Noeline Taurua will not be part of the rolling auditions Netball New Zealand plans for the Silver Ferns' assistant coaching job.

Silver Ferns lose FastNet final 33-26 to England

New Zealand won't get the chance to defend the FastNet netball title on home soil next year after they fell to England in the final.

Silver Ferns assistant coaches will be rotated

The Silver Ferns are not appointing a full-time assistant coach. Instead, a radical plan to rotate prospects through the role to give "learning and development" opportunities is being launched.

Fastnet Ferns face Jamaica in semifinal

The Fastnet Ferns face Jamaica in the semifinals of the World Netball Series in Liverpool.

Loss of Liana Leota rocks Silver Ferns

Call it her intermission, not retirement.

Silver Ferns rotate in radical back-up role

The Silver Ferns Ferns are not appointing a fulltime assistant coach, and will instead rotate prospects through the role in a radical plan to provide "learning and development" opportunities.

Fastnet series coming to New Zealand

New Zealand has secured the exclusive hosting rights for next year's FastNet World Netball Series but may be forced to share the following two events with Australia.

Fastnet Ferns start title defence with two wins

The Fastnet Ferns have beaten South Africa 33-14 as they begin the defence of their World Netball Series crown in Liverpool.

I will play to my strengths: Irene van Dyk

New Zealand coach Waimarama Taumaunu admitted a week ago that the rest of the netball world has little admiration for the way her team goes about playing Fastnet.

'Dr' Lees keen to compete in Fastnet series

She remains just Millie Lees for now, but the long-awaited honorific is getting closer by the day.

Katrina Grant finding her feet again for Ferns

Katrina Grant has learnt her lesson. She won't be wearing jandals on her return to England with the defending champion FastNet Ferns.

Surf's up for Southern Steel players

Southern Steel's 2012 campaign got off to a gnarly start with the team embarking on a surfing safari at Curio Bay at the weekend.

Geitz wins Australian netball's top honour

Australian defender Laura Geitz has capped off a remarkable 12 months, winning the coveted Liz Ellis Diamond and ANZ Championship Player of the Year honours at the 2011 Australian Netball Awards in Melbourne.