Netball: Swifts complain about league format

Magic's Laura Langman intercepts a pass to Swifts' Vanessa Ware. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Dissatisfaction with the format of the transtasman league has resurfaced, with New South Wales Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald saying the competition's structure is unfair to Australian teams.

The 10-team ANZ Championship involves 14 round robin matches before the finals, with the five New Zealand teams playing each other twice on a home and away basis while the Australian sides do the same thing. However, there is only one match between each of the Australian and New Zealand sides.

It is a situation Fitzgerald described as unfair because, generally speaking, the Australian teams are stronger than their New Zealand counterparts.

Defending champions the Swifts were went down 45-63 to Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in Hamilton, a complete reversal of the last three times the two teams have met in Australia, including the 2008 final, won 65-56 by the Australians.

While taking nothing away from the Magic Fitzgerald said a fairer indication of where the two teams stood would be revealed under a home and away format.

"I can understand the reasons we haven't got it, but I'm a great believer that it's not a true competition until we have a home and away, two-round competition," Fitzgerald said. "At the moment, where you play has a great influence on the result."

She said Monday's result gave the competition an uneven look, a fact that was acknowledged by most franchises.

"I realise it's a financial consideration, but I think it's one of the first things we should address as soon as we can. I feel it's so much more fair and equitable if everyone gets a home and away opportunity within the one season."

Lending weight to Fitzgerald's case is the fact that no New Zealand team have registered a win across the Tasman since the competition began.

Not even the Magic, with six Silver Ferns in their roster, have managed a win on Australian soil.

Things look little better this year. After three rounds, the Magic top the table with the Southern Steel fourth. The Northern Mystics, Canterbury Tactix and Central Pulse are eighth, ninth and 10th respectively.

Last year, New Zealand teams filled four of the bottom five positions.

ANZ Championship general manager Anthony Everard said when this year's draw was released that the competition was committed to its current format for at least its initial two years.

"In an ideal world, we'd have a full home-and-away season where each team played each other twice, but we're not in that position yet," he said.

- NZPA