Exciting start predicted for netball premiership

Fingertip control: High School Old Girls defender Arna Majstrovic (left) and Whangara Old Girls wing attack Taley-Jade Kemp contest possession in premier grade netball at Victoria Domain. They will be playing at the YMCA tonight. Picture by Paul Rickard

The netball premiership race gets under way tonight with the opening games at the YMCA. The two matches promise a vibrant and exciting start.

YMP (1) and Gillies Electrical Gisborne Girls' High School will step out on to the court for a 6pm start to their game.

YMP go into the match on the back of a strong performance in Round 1 of the Pak'nSave competition.

“They have been in dominant form, so it will be a tough start to the round for the students tonight,” Gisborne Netball Centre manager Allisa Hall said.

“But the students played well during the challenge round so it will be interesting to see how they go against the in-form YMP.”

YMP were clear winners of Round 1, scoring 193 goals and conceding 121. Their goal differential was much better than anyone else's.

Girls' High produced some big scores in the challenge matches. They were clear winners against YMP Masters and JT Contractors Horouta Taimana.

The challenge results showed the big gap between prem and prem reserve.

Tonight the links the students demonstrated in those two challenge matches will be sorely tested.

The second match, at 7.30pm, promises to be the game of the night. Whangara Old Girls take on F45 High School Old Girls.

“Those two teams always produce a good game,” Hall said.

“It is a rematch of last year's grand final, but they come into the second round of the competition as third and fourth seeds from Round 1.

“There's not been a lot between them so far this season, and both had two wins in Round 1.

“Whoever is hungrier for the win tonight should take it out.”