Netball: Team swappers leave fans with that sinking feeling

By JULIE ASH

Netball's national provincial championships start in Palmerston North today and trying to figure out who's playing for whom is as difficult as trying to pick the winner.

Unlike rugby, where players tend to play for a provincial team within their Super 12 franchise, in netball loyalty went out the window a long time ago.

For example, Silver Fern Anna Rowberry starred for the Auckland Diamonds in the National Bank-sponsored franchise competition, but has played for Canterbury in the national provincial championships for the past two years. Although Rowberry now resides in Canterbury, last year she travelled from Auckland to Canterbury each week for training.

In other examples, Adine Harper and Lesley Nicol played for the Southern Sting in the franchise competition but will line up for Otago in the nationals.

Temepara Clark played for the Force in the franchise competition, but will represent Counties and Manukau in Palmerston North while her Force team-mate Sheryl Clarke will play for Waikato.

North Harbour's Tania Dalton travelled to Southland to play for the Sting in the franchise competition but has stayed loyal to the region, opting to play for Southland in the nationals.

Surely rules are needed to stop players from flitting around wherever they like.

Netball New Zealand says the regions voted to give the players the freedom to play wherever they liked because they didn't want to be seen as restricting them.

However, it seems players have abused the system and some rules may be put in place when the regions meet next week.

Most would agree that if a player doesn't make a team in their area they should be free to go elsewhere, but how can supporters possibly get behind their team when some players don't even live in the area they represent?

While you wouldn't want to see exactly the same team turn out for, say, Auckland in the franchise and national champs, surely some continuity among the players would make the regions stronger.

The last time a team from the Auckland area won the national title was 1997, thanks to an almighty effort from North Harbour.

This year just Counties and Manukau hold the region's hopes after Netball North and Auckland Waitakere missed out on making the top six.

But imagine the team the region could have if the likes of Rowberry, Clarke, Clark and Dalton all got together. Now that would be a team worth watching.