Finals fever hits again

Netball in Whangarei has entered its most chaotic 24 hours of the season as finals fever hits ASB Stadium tonight.

The day's action culminates in the premier final at 7.30pm between Active Refrigeration Fideliter 1 and Manawanui White as the sides vie for the title of Educare North's top netball team.

Whangarei Netball Centre president Carol McClintock said the finals were a chance for a number of netballers to put their best foot forward in what could be the biggest games of their careers so far.

"For Fideliter 1, it'll be their third time in the final," McClintock explained. "However, the team make-up is different with a lot of new players [coming through each year]. Teams change, some people stay there [in one team] for their whole life or they move around. Getting to a final in a big centre, because Whangarei is considered the biggest in the north, it is a real achievement."

While the premier match-up is the climax of the day, finals action started last night and continued this morning as teenage netballers hit the courts from 9am.

"There's netball all day. From 9am we are at the centre with intermediate sections play-offs and placings. We finish at about 3.45pm, clean up and then we're over to ASB Stadium to set up for the premier reserve and premiers.

"I don't know why we do it to ourselves. [I suppose] it's for the love of the game for all the volunteers."

McClintock said she hoped there would a similar turnout to last year's finals, expecting about 400 to cheer on the sides.

The premier final is preceded by the premier reserve final between Hot Printz Wahine Toa 1 and Takahiwai 1 at 5.30pm.

Next week a number of Whangarei's top netballers, and umpires, will take part in the Upper North Island School Tournament.