Netball: Magic likely to retain players for next season

Irene van Dyk. Herald file picture

ROTORUA - The champion Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic franchise looks set to retain the winning combination that blew Sting apart to become the country's top netball side this year.

Shooters Irene van Dyk and Anna Senio, star defender Casey Williams and midcourt dynamo Laura Langman, have all pledged their allegiance to the franchise for the 2006 National Bank Cup.

The only question is over co-captain Amigene Metcalfe.

She has yet to decide whether she will play netball another season.

"I'm staying with Magic," van Dyk said, also confirming she'll be back in Waikato colours for this year's National Provincial Championships.

"I'm not going anywhere."

The only thing that's not possible is a move north from her Wellington base, given husband Christie's success with Wellington Cricket.

"I'm used to the travelling, it's not too strenuous," she said.

Van Dyk said she was just coming back down to earth after last Friday's final thriller in Invercargill.

"It was fantastic, I don't think I've ever enjoyed a game that much, everything leading up to the final, the fact we couldn't play a home final, everything was turned against us and that just made us fight even harder and realise how desperately we wanted this, everything just came together on the night."

Langman said she was born in the Waikato and would remain with the Magic.

"There's a great feeling in the team and I think we're all still on cloud nine after such an amazing achievement, so rapt we probably haven't thought about next year," she said.

"But fingers crossed, it would be absolutely awesome if everybody came back.

"All we can do is hope they will all want come back so we can start where we left off this year, but you never know what's around the corner. At the end of the day everybody's got to do what's best for them."

Williams said she had been approached by Canterbury Flames, Southern Sting and Force but was keen to stay close to family, friends and her boyfriend in the Waikato.

There was also a sense of loyalty to the Magic franchise, she said.

"I've been asked to go to other places but I was born in Waikato and if I can be what I want to be in the Waikato and do them proud, I'm keen to do that."

All of that will be music to Magic coach Noeline Taurua's ears although she said she was confident of retaining all of this year's players for the 2006 competition.

Taurua has another year to go on her own contract with the franchise.

"I've spoken informally to the players, we want to keep everybody, I'm pretty confident we'll get the players back. It will be a priority over the next couple of weeks."

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)