The dominance of Harcourts in Netball Wairarapa's premier one competition in recent years could be under threat this season.
Results from the first two series of the premier one-premier reserve grading round matches suggest Celtic will give Harcourts a decent run for their money in 2013.
They beat agood Carterton New World Vipers team 37-28 a fortnight back and followed that with a 68-41 victory over Carterton New World Legends.
The depth of talent in the Celtic line-up is evidenced by the fact no fewer than eight of their players have been included in the Wairarapa team to contest the Wellington super league competition .
Elleshia Clarkson, Katarina Matapuku, Bailey Peterson, Rennie Hemara, Anna Garrett, Perri Tatana-Williams, Kerewai Tatana and Stevie Paine are all in the squad.
Harcourts, who have started with big wins over Carterton New World Legends (75-19) and Baywide Gladstone (69-34), have just two players in the Wairarapa squad in Carlene Karaitiana and Evie Langlands. But the likelihood is their representation was not greater simply because several of their players were not available.
Tomorrow will perhaps give a better indication of Celtic's worth as they will be up against a Wairarapa College A side who looked in good touch when they accounted for St Matthew's Collegiate A by eight goals last weekend.
The same goes for Harcourts as they take on Carterton New World Vipers, a team who followed their loss to Celtic with an encouraging 42-42 draw with premier one regulars Pioneer Blue.
The draw for other grading round matches at the Colombo Road courts tomorrow is: Carterton New World Red v Wairarapa College B, St Matthew's B v Greytown Red, Baywide Gladstone v Carterton New World Legends, Eketahuna v St Matthew's A, Trevs v Hot Shots and Makoura A v Pioneer Blue.
