KEY POINTS:
The future of the Central Pulse in the transtasman league is secure until the end of 2010, despite Netball New Zealand being forced to bail out the troubled franchise.
With the cash-short Pulse in danger of not making the startline next season, Netball NZ has taken over the running of the Wellington side.
The national body will prop up the Pulse financially, while also offering "operational support". The Pulse have been without a chief executive since August after Kristine Mayo resigned in the wake of a dismal opening season. With no immediate plans to appoint a new chief executive, it appears Netball NZ will be in the driver's seat next season.
There are also reports that the Pulse have dumped coach Kate Carpenter and are gearing up to replace her with New Zealand Under-21 coach Yvette McCausland-Durie. The rumours suggest the Pulse will be propped up by Under-21 players with the transtasman league to be used for their development ahead of next year's World Youth Cup in August.
Netball NZ chief executive Raelene Castle said the Pulse board approached the national body and asked for assistance after expressing concerns over their financial viability for next season.
The Pulse found themselves in financial difficulty after losing their major sponsor and are having trouble securing a new backer in the current economic climate.
"They could have left it to half way through the season and said 'we don't have a sponsor and we can't pay the bills'. But they've come to us early and asked for our help and we see that as a good thing and we're just making sure we can help them in the best possible way to make sure they can be viable and on the court in 2009," said Castle.
Yesterday's announcement is the latest in a string of setbacks in the short history of the Wellington franchise and has led to questions over how long the ailing club can survive in the league. There is no doubt Netball Australia would love to take over the Pulse's licence and have six franchises across the Tasman, but Castle said there was no chance of that happening in the near future.
"The five-five split is not up for debate until the end of the 2010 season.
"Netball New Zealand's committed to having five teams in the competition, we're contracted for that and it's very important to ensure that we continue to have five franchises."
Cutting the New Zealand teams back to four would require a complete overhaul in the competition structure.
The Pulse will retain off-season signings Jamaican defender Althea Byfield and Silver Ferns rookie Paula Griffin, with Wellington stalwarts Cushla Lichtwark and Jamilah Gupwell also likely to stay.
Castle refused to comment on Carpenter's future, but said Netball NZ would not be behind any new coaching appointments.
She was also noncommittal when asked about the likely influx of national Under-21 players in to the Pulse squad.
"The reality is with the unsigned players that are left, they are the young up-and-comers players in New Zealand and with that combination of youth and experience we think they'll be very competitive for 2009."
