Potential for more premier thrillers

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE Pak’nSave premier grade netball competition has already thrown up some enthralling outcomes and that could continue tomorrow night at the YMCA.

Based on recent results there is an air of unpredictability to both games tomorrow night.

YMP Sunshine Brewery and Gisborne Girls High School Senior A face off in the first clash at 6pm.

Defending champions YMP must go in as firm favourites to win it but Girls’ High showed last week against Claydens Waikohu they can foot it with higher-seeded opposition.

The students led for three-quarters of that match and only the greater experience of Waikohu got them home.

YMP, on the other hand, got a fright on Saturday when the bottom-ranked Horouta Gold went close to an upset before going down by two goals.

YMP were understrength but the result points to how exciting the top grade has already become.

“This could be another close game,” said netball commentator Sherrill Beale.

“Gisborne Girls’ High School will have taken more confidence in their play from their close loss to Waikohu.

“YMP’s two-goal win against Horouta will add the thought that YMP can be beaten,” Beale said.

“It will depend on the team who works together and eliminates those basic errors.”

The 7.30pm game tomorrow pits Waikohu against Whangara Old Girls.

“Waikohu won by seven goals in grading and I think it will be a similarly close, game tomorrow night,” said Beale.

“Both teams are coming off a close win so they will be ready for the pressure.”

Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said they had gone back to the drawing board to a degree after last week.

“Hopefully we will be back to our normal ways. We intend to start a lot better than we did against Girls’ High.

“Every game will be hard as far as we are concerned, and we start each match with a clean slate.”

Beale said both teams had players returning to the court.

“Those players are still working at fitting back in,” she said.

“Again the winners will be the team who work together on attack and defence for the whole hour.

“Certainly the YMCA will be the place to be on Wednesday night”