Netball Wairarapa have decided the eight teams to contest this season's premier one competition and Carterton New World Legends have failed to make the cut.
With Harcourts, Carterton New World Vipers, Wairarapa College, Celtic, Eketahuna, Pioneer Blue and Baywide Gladstone all justifying their places in the top grade throughresults achieved in the grading round for premier one and premier reserve sides, the battle for the remaining spot came down to St Matthew's Collegiate and Carterton New World Legends and the students who got the nod.
Netball Wairarapa president Sandy Biel said it was a "close go" but the fact college teams were apt to improve more than most club sides as a season progressed had worked in St Matthew's favour.
Carterton New World Legends will join Hot Shots, Trevs, Carterton New World Red and Makoura College in the premier reserve grade.
Makoura College's demotion from premier one after making last year's final, where they were beaten by Harcourts, was the college's own call.
"They are very much in a rebuilding phase again and felt they would be better suited in premier reserve," Biel said.
The random draw for the opening premier one round at the Colombo Rd courts on Saturday sees the two unbeaten sides in the grading round, Harcourts and Eketahuna, clash in what will clearly be the toughest assignment yet for an Eketahuna side making their debut at this level. Baywide Gladstone play Wairarapa College, Carterton New World Vipers (formerly Lynx) face Pioneer Blue and Celtic play St Matthew's Collegiate.
