KEY POINTS:
The Northern Mystics plan to continue their fight to have Vilimaina Davu play in the ANZ Championship after the former Silver Fern star was given the red card by Netball New Zealand.
The national body have turned down the Mystics application to sign Davu as an import player
as they believe there is enough local talent to fill the remaining spot in the Auckland franchise's roster.
The move has angered Mystics chief executive Mark Cameron, who believes double standards are operating in the league. He said the franchise would appeal the decision.
"We're extremely disappointed with the decision and we will be fighting this until the end."
The crux of the appeal will centre around the fact that although Netball NZ claim local defenders are available, they have allowed the Central Pulse and Canterbury Tactix to sign import defenders.
The Pulse have secured English star Sonia Mkoloma, and former Australian international Demelza Fellowes has been picked up by the Tactix.
The Mystics' bid to sign Davu has raised questions on whether the former Silver Fern star's form is up to scratch to play in the league. With her poor conditioning at last year's World Champs, she struggled to make an impact in her limited minutes for the Fijian side, whom she was also coaching.
Netball New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle admitted "from the evidence that we saw at World Netball Champs we don't believe Davu is up to the level required".
But Davu is believed to be back in the country after signing a deal with a weight loss company, which would suggest she is motivated to get back in to shape.
With commitment and the right physical conditioning, Mystics coach Yvonne Willering believes the intimidating defender can become the "Vilimaina Davu of old".
"If we didn't think Vilimaina would add value to our team, why would we be going through this process?" she said. "The comparison has been made on her performances at the World Championship and you've got to appreciate Vilimaina was a coach there first - she actually didn't want to play.
"She may not have been as sharp and all the rest of it but the whole conditioning and everything is totally different when you're in a purely playing environment."
Willering said Netball NZ are trying to play selector when it is not their place to. Netball NZ's decision is even harder for Willering to swallow given there seems to be a lot more leniency with imports across the Tasman.
The Queensland Firebirds and the Perth-based West Coast Fever franchises have been given special permission to sign two imports instead of the one allowable. The Firebirds, coached by former Australian shooter Vicki Wilson, will boast two top international shooters - 1.95m Jamaican star Romelda Aiken and England's Tamsin Greenway. The Fever have snatched up England internationals Karen Atkinson and Ama Agbeze.
The Mystics have signed young shooter Catherine Latu, who represented Samoa at the last World Champs, as their one allowable import and Willering said she found it frustrating as both imports she hoped to have on her roster had a long association with New Zealand netball.
The competition rules allow for franchises in both countries to sign one import player and may apply to their respective national bodies for a second.
Netball NZ's criteria is different from Australia's as their one allowable import must be a New Zealand citizen but ineligible to play for the Silver Ferns.
"I find interesting that the eligibility differs from country to country. To me it would make sense that the same rule applied to both countries," Willering said.
Castle said they had taken a harder line than their Australian counterparts on allowing imports to protect the development pathways for the Ferns. Last season three of the four shooters in the National Bank Cup final were either ineligible or unavailable to play for the Silver Ferns and she doesn't want that trend to continue.
A three-person eligibility panel will be appointed to settle the Mystics dispute.
