Netball: Auckland win national champs

Auckland-Waitakere exacted revenge over defending champions Southland in winning this year's national netball championship final 47-33 in Invercargill yesterday.

Auckland-Waitakere came out firing, determined to reverse the 45-56 loss at Southland's hands in last year's final.

Their task was made somewhat easier by the absence of inspirational Southland player-coach Natalie Avellino, who missed the match due to a suspected broken elbow after falling heavily in Friday's 46-45 semifinal win over Otago.

She was replaced by 17-year-old Ashleigh Smith, whose combination with goal attack Julianna Naoupu lacked fluency early on.

The pair was up against a superb Auckland-Waitakere circle defensive combination in former Silver Fern Anna Scarlett and promising youngster Rachel Rasmussen and as a consequence the Southland midcourt really struggled to find their shooters.

Ahead 9-4 midway through the first quarter, the Aucklanders fell off the pace towards the end of the spell and went into the break with an unconvincing 12-9 lead as the Southland defensive zone finally started to generate turnovers.

The gap narrowed immediately in the second quarter as Southland scored the first two goals to trail 11-12, but the Auckland-Waitakere attack - well marshalled by Brooke Williams and Amanda Payne - regrouped and started to dominate the midcourt.

Goal shoot Cathrine Latu was in outstanding form, missing just one shot on goal in the first half, and goal attack Jade Topia also impressed with her court work and accuracy as Auckland-Waitakere stretched out to a 26-16 halftime lead.

Southland's defensive duo of Dana Bond and New Zealand under-21 representative Te Huinga Selby-Rickett kept up an impressive work rate, which was not matched in the midcourt as the Aucklanders' drive to the circle edge went largely unchecked.

A more cohesive third quarter effort saw Southland shut down Auckland-Waitakere's midcourt dominance somewhat, but at 36-24 ahead with 15 minutes remaining, the northerners never looked like relinquishing the lead.

The win reflected Auckland-Waitakere's dominance over finals week, after they beat Southland 52-42 in pool play two days ago.

Earlier, a determined Wellington powered back into the first division of the first grade with an impressive display of fast-moving, straight-line netball to account for North 65-44 in the promotion-relegation playoff.

Ahead 19-11 at the end of the first quarter, Wellington went into halftime with an unassailable 36-19 lead, showing too much strength right through the court for North.

Shooters Jamilah Gupwell and Te Amo Amaru-Tibble were in outstanding form, and kept busy with a constant supply of turnover ball.

North, coached by former Silver Fern Rita Fatialofa-Patolo, could find no answer to Wellington's pace and allround defensive strength.

Wellington's circle defenders Bessie Manu and Gerardine Solia led the way, but midcourters Cushla Lichtwark, Daya Pritchard and Ngarama Milner-Olsen did a huge amount of working in keeping the pressure on as they cruised to a surprisingly comprehensive win.

In the playoff for third and fourth in the first division, Canterbury proved far too strong for Otago, racking up a 66-39 victory.

- NZPA