END OF AN ERA

Moana Aupouri come into close contact in the YMP (2)-YMP Whānau game. Picture by Liam Clayton

SENIOR grade netball starts at Victoria Domain tomorrow without a High School Old Girls team in the premier grade.   
The four-time premier grade champions have lost players for this season and have not been able to put together a team to contest the top division.
They won the title in 2006, 2011, 2019 and 2021, and have been among the most consistent teams in the competition. 
However, three HSOG teams will compete in other grades. 
Netball commentator Sherrill Beale said that while several teams were not returning this year, new teams had come into senior netball.
“It’s a shame that High School Old Girls will not be in premiers,” she said. 
“That grade will have five teams in Round 1, while each of the other six grades will have six teams, which is the same as last year.”
In the first of the premier games tomorrow at 10am, Claydens Waikohu (1) take on Gisborne Girls’ High Senior A. At 11am, YMP Tūranga FM meet Whangara Old Girls (1).
Horouta Koura have the bye. 
“It is hard to make predictions early in the season but I am sure eyes will be on YMP, who won the Kathleen Henderson Memorial Tournament (last weekend) on goal differential,” Beale said. “They lost to Horouta Koura by one goal, but won most of their other games fairly convincingly.”
YMP start the season as defending champions.
“They have the luxury of the majority of their team returning, so they will be determined to start the season well on Saturday,” Beale said.
“Although Whangara finished fifth in last season’s competition and were well beaten by YMP in last weekend’s tournament, their strength should never be underestimated. 
“If they have retained the majority of their players they will be competitive in this 40-minute game, as opposed to the 16-minute games played in the Kathleen Henderson tournament.”
In the other match, Girls’ High will look to build on the improvement they showed last year, when they finished the season in third position.
“The students finished third in the Kathleen Henderson tournament, losing only to first and second-placed YMP and Horouta Koura.
“There was talk of them retaining most of their team from last year, so I am expecting them to start the season well against Waikohu tomorrow,” Beale said.
“Waikohu (1) did not enter last weekend’s tournament, but they had a very good 2022 season, finishing runners-up.
“If they have retained most of their team they will be contenders this year and will be keen to start the season strongly. 
“It is always interesting to see the start of netball and the make-up of teams — to see the players who have stayed with their team, or have returned after a break, or have changed teams, or are new to the district.
“It all adds to the interesting, competitive nature of netball.”
The seniors will be on the Victoria Domain courts in games running from 9am to around 2pm.
All senior matches, including the premiers, will be played outdoors at this stage.