NETBALL - Indoor venue tipped as likely to pep up pace

Forget Friday night football - Whangarei Netball's Friday night premier grade competition begins tonight, promising plenty of action.
It is a new-look competition with changes to the format, which allow for a higher level of netball to be played, Whangarei Netball's president Judy MacDonald said.
A major change is premier grade have switched their competition to Friday nights indoors at Kensington Stadium and Kamo High School gymnasium, instead of Saturday afternoons, outdoors at the Whangarei courts.
"The games will be faster because you don't have the elements to deal with," MacDonald said.
Last year, games were 40 minutes long except for 60-minute finals and promotion-relegation matches however, this season premier grade will only play 60-minute games.
"This year, all games are an hour from the start of the season - which is really telling in terms of teams' fitness," MacDonald said.
Eight teams, established after completing two Saturdays of grading games, will contest the premier grade over the 16-week season in place of the six-team competition.
Marist Old Girls are ranked No1, ahead of Bacchio Fideliter 1, Whangarei Old Boys, Marist 1, Manawanui, Whangarei High School 1, Fideliter Development and Takahiwai, who return to premier grade after they were dropped to reserve grade in 2008.
Kamo High School missed out on making the top division, but will be hot favourites in reserve grade, which will continue to be played on Saturdays.
It is an exciting new era for Whangarei netball with the changes adding to the intensity, speed and excitement of local competition games, MacDonald anticipated.
"We will see more goal scoring opportunities and therefore higher scores in games."
Teams are divided into two pools and for the first three weeks they will play pool games before cross-over matches commence.