Silver Ferns legend Yvonne Willering on how to fix netball in New Zealand

Yvonne Willering's history with the Silver Ferns gives her a unique perspective on netball in New Zealand. Photo / Photosport

Silver Ferns legend Yvonne Willering is worried about the future of netball in Aotearoa.

As a group of the sport’s leading figures unveiled a new exhibition at the Auckland War Memorial Museum last week to celebrate 100 years of the sport in this country, Willering expressed her concerns about the health of the game.

“I’m worrying where it’s at,” Willering told the Herald.

“It’s all very well just focusing on the elite, but we can’t do that because we’ve got to look at the structures that sit underneath it.”

As 74-year-old Willering walked through the museum, she put those concerns aside, explaining how the exhibition brought back “wonderful memories” from being on the court and the sidelines.

The long-limbed defender made her Silver Ferns debut in 1974, going on to play a prominent role for the side for a decade. Willering then took on the role as head coach between 1997 and 2001, where she became one of New Zealand’s most successful coaches. In 51 tests at the helm, she won 39, lost 11 and drew one.

Yvonne Willering during the 1999 World Netball Championships in Christchurch. Photo / Photosport

“It’s like almost reminiscing, and it shows you how long you’ve been involved in the game because I look around and go ‘Oh, yes, I remember that’,” she told the Herald.

“It’s neat that they obviously have taken it further back to the start of netball in the country.”

She hopes museumgoers too will relish the experience and can reflect on where the game was and where it is now.

Silver Ferns great Irene van Dyk speaks at Auckland War Memorial Museum. Photo / Auckland War Memorial Museum

Today, questions hang over the ANZ Premiership beyond 2025, with the reduced broadcast deal only extended by Sky for one year. In addition, Netball New Zealand (NNZ) has entered into a further 12-month partnership with TVNZ for free-to-air coverage of ANZ Premiership Saturday matches.

In attempts to make the competition a more entertaining product, the format will also receive a revamp from next season, in response to teams’ and audience feedback. It remains to be seen what 2026 and beyond will look like, however, there have been reports NNZ has moved to acquire three franchise licences in Australia’s Super Netball competition.

Willering said the format change of the ANZ Premiership was crucial.

“[The ANZ players] are almost getting into what I call ‘comfort zone’, playing within our own structures and playing each other three times.

“[This year] the Mystics had six losses and could still win the competition.”

Willering suggests a crossover between New Zealand and Australian franchise winners could help boost the Kiwi league.

“If we bring two Australian teams at the end and match them against our two top teams, everyone will want to be in those top two and in a situation to play that.

”It gives us an opportunity to see how we match ourselves both in intensity and player strength and just to see whether we’re still competitive. The only way we’re doing that at the moment is through an international game between New Zealand and Australia, and that – to me – is very limited.”

As the governing body focuses on getting elite structures right Willering also fears there is not enough attention on the tiers below. She said Netball NZ should employ similar structures to those they had in the past, which focused on growing the game from the ground up.

“Back 10-20 years ago we used to have a very strong competitive club league – the Bendon League – and that was massive throughout the whole of New Zealand,” Willering said.

“Now if you have a look at it, there is a huge step between the clubs, the National Netball League competition and the ANZ, and we need to really start addressing the aspect that sits way below that elite competition.”

Netball is still on top

Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie says the game is in a better place than it was pre-Covid.

“Netball is being able to grow significantly, however, other codes are not to the same extent,” Wyllie told the Herald. “I think that that’s a really important piece to understand.

Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wyllie: 'Netball is being able to grow significantly.' Photo / Photosport

“As a system, we’ve got to keep the message really crystal clear: There are more opportunities for girls and women to participate in sport than ever before, but we need to be able to open the door and let them through.

“Our secondary schools’ product is growing, and netball is the largest sport for secondary schools: it is bigger than rugby, both male and female combined.”

In 2024, there has been a 6% increase in female participation among secondary school compared with last year, which bucks the trend for decreasing female youth participation in sport.

The School Sport New Zealand census reported that in 2023, netball had the highest participation rate for college-aged females, with 26,950 students involved. It’s followed by basketball (26,572), volleyball (24,970), rugby (24,930), and football (22,350).

Wyllie attributes the successful intake to netball’s relentless focus on ensuring they get the basics right so that everyone involved has a great experience.

“We are absolutely focused on ensuring that sideline behaviour is not a detraction from the game. What you get at our facilities is a really nurturing type of environment

“We have changed the way we deliver the game so our seasons are shorter; we’re not expecting kids to sign up and play a season outside in the rain from early April until the end of the year.

“The rules are more relaxed for uniforms, with a real focus on that whole family approach. We’re really affordable – you just need a set-up and a pair of shoes to take the court.

“That’s certainly paying dividends in that space,” Wyllie said.

Acknowledging the lack of competitiveness in New Zealand’s top competition – and the gap between the elite and club level – Wyllie said NNZ is actively trying to find ways to improve.

Stars' Amorangi Malesala, left, with Pulse's captain Kelly Jackson during an ANZ Premiership match. Photo / Photosport

“[From 2025] we are moving to two rounds – and that is based on feedback from the athletes, the coaches, the franchise environment about how do you make more jeopardy?

“That in itself will raise the intensity, but what we are looking at currently is a review of what do we do 2026 and beyond. How do we ensure that those athletes get the exposure and the intensity and the behavioural aspects of elite winning teams in their environment?

“The step up between performance programmes is an ongoing area of focus – I remember back in my day playing and that next step was massive. But what we’ve been able to do with a lot of our programmes is provide those development opportunities for both athletes and also for coaches.”

However, Wyllie would not confirm whether a return to competition with Australia, in the Super Netball competition was on the cards.

“First and foremost, we’ve got to make sure there are opportunities for New Zealand athletes and what that might look like is a piece of ongoing work. All options are being considered in that way, including innovations in the game.”

Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist.