Double trouble for Horouta Gold as netball season starts

LET'S GO: YMP goal defence Bronya McMenamin and Whangara Old Girls wing attack Melissa Mackey-Huriwai contest the ball in the 2020 premier-grade netball final. YMP won 30-23. Both teams are in action tomorrow in the opening weekend of Gisborne senior, intermediate and primary netball. Gisborne Herald file picture

The Victoria Domain courts come fully alive again tomorrow with the start of senior, secondary and intermediate grade netball.

This year the Gisborne Netball board has reduced the number of teams in each of the senior grades and introduced a premier reserve grade.

“This will sit between premier and A grade and teams will play 40-minute games outside, as opposed to indoors in the YMCA, for the season,” said netball commentator Sherrill Beale.

“The top-seeded A grade teams, plus those who had given indication of wanting to push for premiers, have been included in this new grade.

‘All grades have then been filtered through based on a combination of 2020 final standings and new team registrations of interest,” she said.

Premier games tomorrow start at 10.10am with Horouta Gold taking on Whangara Old Girls 1.

“It is always hard to make predictions early in the season but you would have to think Horouta have a tough start because they have two games on the opening day,” Beale said.

“After Whangara tomorrow morning, who were last year's premier runners-up, they face last year's premier champions YMP Sunshine Brewery.

Whangara and YMP started their campaigns strongly, finishing second and first respectively in the pre-season Kathleen Henderson tournament.

YMP were dominant in the tournament, but there was only three goals in it when they played Whangara.

Horouta meet YMP in their second match at 12.20pm.

In the round before it (11.20am) Claydens Waikohu 1 play Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls' High Senior A.

“Waikohu and Girls' High had a close game in the Kathleen Henderson tournament, with Waikohu sneaking home by just a single goal,” said Beale.

“I expect another competitive contest between those two teams tomorrow.”

At 1.20pm, HSOG play Lytton High's Ritana Senior A.

“Both teams will want to start the season strongly,” Beale said.

“It's always interesting to see the start of netball and the make-up of teams — to see those players who have remained with their team from last year, players who have returned after a break, players who have moved teams and new players to the district.

“It all adds to the interesting, competitive nature of netball.

“With three grades in action tomorrow our courts will be busy from 9am through to 3pm.”

■ A “Rules Knowledge” session with Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty umpire lead Jan Teesdale is being held at the GNC pavilion from 3pm to 4pm tomorrow. All umpires, coaches and players are welcome.