KEY POINTS:
Skirts and all? Definitely not. But a men's team are poised to don bibs and play in the Dunedin premier netball competition next year.
Kathy Stewart of the Dunedin Netball Centre said clubs were considering letting a men's team play on a trial basis.
"We are going through the consultation process with the clubs ... but the feeling is positive."
"One or two" clubs had not had a chance to consider the proposal, but including a men's team could be a welcome addition, Ms Stewart said.
"We'll monitor [the competition] and see what happens in the first couple of grading games. If it got to the stage where teams are being beaten by 60 or 70 [goals] then there wouldn't be any point in it."
Under Netball New Zealand rules, the men would not be allowed to win the competition.
Regarding the increased injury risk, Ms Stewart said men's netball had become more skilful and less prone to being overly physical.
The idea of men playing in the women's competition is not exclusive to Dunedin. A men's team play in the Southland contest and Ms Stewart said the number of males interested in playing the sport was growing.
Bayfield High School sports co-ordinator Alf Saunders agreed.
"In the last two years, we've had three boys play netball ... in the girls' teams in Saturday netball."
- Otago Daily Times
