Netball: Another final looks set for the deep south

Southern Sting are looking powerful enough to score a remarkable fourth consecutive netball title this season.

With three Coca-Cola Cups, a winning percentage of 83 over the last four years and with Lesley Nicol, Ardine Harper, Benice Mene and Donna Loffhagen still in their roster, the new National Bank Cup looks set to be fought out in the deep south.

This season, starting this weekend, the Sting have added former Silver Ferns shooter Tania Dalton to the mix that still includes Reinga Bloxham, Megan Hutton, Kate Newson and Kylie Young.

However, they are likely to face their stiffest challenge in the cup yet.

The Flames, finalists in the past two seasons, have an equally impressive line-up, even though strong defender Vilimaina Davu is still recovering from a stress fracture to her shin.

Led by Silver Ferns captain Julie Seymour, Belinda Colling, Belinda Charteris and Anna Veronese, the Flames are undoubtedly the team the Sting have to beat to regain a home advantage in the final in June.

North Shore-based Force appeal as contenders for a top-two finish, but they have delivered little after promising much in recent seasons.

"We have always had a strong core of players, but our opposition have always been able to work out our line-up. This time they will be second-guessing," coach Maria Lynch said.

"We have a very strong defensive end, but we'll have a lot of different combinations on court."

Star goal-shoot Daneka Wipiiti has finally left the Western Flyers and could earn a trip to the Commonwealth Games later this year

The Force have some big names -- Lorna Suafoa, Linda Vagana, Temepara Clark and Teresa Tairi.

Lynch said her strongest opposition would come from the Sting.

"They always have a lot of name players, they have a lot of money and they encourage players to go down there. Not many of their players are homegrown.

"In Auckland we have three teams. If we could have one team in the area I would think it would be quite a dominant team."

Otago's Georgina Salter is back as coach for a second season with the Auckland Diamonds and will be keen to improve on last year's seventh placing.

They now have 1.89m tall defender Katie Fay, a former New Zealand academy squad member, 1.88m national basketball representative Sally Farmer and former Silver Fern goal shoot Leonie Leaver.

Add former Silver Fern centre Anna Rowberry and promising young defender Rachel Rasmussen into the mix and the Diamonds look promising.

The Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, once the easybeats, shot up to third place last year and again shape up as possible semifinalists.

Noeline Taurua has replaced Ruth Aitken as coach, while star players Jenny-May Coffin, Vic Edward and Amigene Metcalfe have been retained.

The Counties-Manukau Cometz finished last for two years but should be a much-improved team.

Former Sting players Janine Topia (goalshoot) and Maria O'Neill (wing defence), rising star Nicolette Ropati and former Force shooter Elizabeth Dean are newcomers to the side.

Capital Shakers coach Tanya Dearns is blessed with a world-class shooter in Irene van Dyk, a useful deputy in Jodi Te Huna and a strong captain in Debbie Matoe.

It will be interesting to see what former Silver Fern Waimarama Taumaunu can instill among the players while she is helping guide the team.

The Western Flyers have lost two of their best players, Janine Brown and Wipiiti, and are expected to struggle in the competition.

The Otago Rebels are young and talented but may need a season or two to seriously challenge Sting's domination.

The addition of veteran Janine Brown and talented Canterbury goal-shoot Katie Ritchie has strengthened the team.

Ritchie, 1.88m tall, could emerge as a star in the cup this season.

Coach Lois Muir has such players as Angelina Yates (captain), Alison Shanks. Debbie White, Megan Parke, Jo Andrew and Camille O'Connor to build her unit.

The Rebels claimed the first cup title in 1998, beating the Sting in the final.

The Sting got their hands on the cup a year later and haven't let go since -- beating the Rebels in 1999 and the Canterbury Flames in 2000 and 2001.

"I guess it is just professionalism. We get the job done," Sting coach Robyn Broughton said of her team's success.

"We are probably a lot more confident now and know we can compete with the bigger centres.

"I think unity is a big part of it. The whole team has to adapt to everyone else's strengths and weaknesses."

- NZPA