Netball: Auckland Waitakere face battle to stay in top flight

Coach Te Aroha Keenan. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Auckland Waitakere will have to fight to remain in provincial netball's first division heading in to finals week of the national championships.

The Auckland side are still without a win in the Lion Foundation competition after suffering another heavy loss over the weekend, this time to a well-drilled Bay of Plenty unit, putting them on track for a promotion-relegation play-off next week.

Te Aroha Keenan's side will meet Southland in their remaining round robin game in Porirua on Wednesday, before play-offs begin on Thursday.

But even if Auckland beat the Southerners they will still finish at the bottom of the first division after the round robin phase and will play off for fifth and sixth place.

The loser of that match will play a promotion-relegation match against the winner of the second division.

Keenan admits her side are dangerously close to the relegation zone.

"The desperation from those teams at the bottom is huge and we have to match that desperation. It's about players committing to do what they are supposed to do out on court," she said.

Auckland Waitakere's ailing fortunes have been the talking point of the competition so far. The Auckland side have made the championship final every year for the past five years, winning on two of those occasions.

Last season their title defence fell just short, when they were pipped by Canterbury by one-goal in the final.

Keenan said her side had struggled to cope with the loss of star shooter Cathrine Latu, and defenders Kayla Cullen and Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick, who withdrew from their provincial side after receiving a Silver Ferns call-up.

"It happens when you have a depleted senior group. We had to bite the bullet and start blooding young players."

The steep decline of Auckland's fortunes contrasted markedly with those of their opponents yesterday.

Bay of Plenty, who are in their first season in the top flight, have easily adjusted to the step-up and are well-placed for a semifinal spot after their 60-43 demolition of Auckland Waitakere.

The unexpected dominance of the Bay capped off a weekend of surprise results in the first division action.

The young Otago side held title favourites Canterbury to a 58-all draw on Saturday, while Southland pulled off a 45-40 upset win over the previously unbeaten Wellington side.