KEY POINTS:
After months of hype surrounding the arrival of the ANZ Championship, the netball out on court in week one did not match the polish of the glossy advertising campaigns.
The opening round was punctuated by messy, high-turnover netball as the new-look franchises made a jittery start to the new competition.
Even Monday night's glamour clash between the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic and the Adelaide Thunderbirds, which promised to deliver so much, was an often ugly affair. Though there were tantalising match-ups all over the court - Irene van Dyk and Geva Mentor, Maria Tutaia and Mo'onia Gerrard, Laura Langman and Natalie von Bertouch, Joline Henry and Natalie Medhurst - both teams lost their structure and fluidity throughout the match.
For me, no team really stood out in the opening round. While on the surface the Melbourne Vixens' 17-goal win over the Central Pulse may seem impressive, it would have hardly set off alarm bells for the other competition heavyweights.
With the opening game dubbed a mismatch of epic proportions, one would question the wisdom of the organisers for not having a more competitive match-up to start the new era of semi-professional netball.
But for the Vixens it was an opportunity to make an emphatic statement to other title contenders by blitzing the Pulse, who, with the exception of English international Sonia Mkoloma and midcourt veteran Frances Solia, are a largely young and inexperienced team. Instead, the Melbourne side turned in an error-ridden display, allowing the Pulse to be right in the match in the late stages of the third quarter.
It perhaps optimistic to expect the opening round of the competition to deliver world-class netball, particularly given the limited pre-season for the New Zealand franchises.
The much-publicised hold-ups in the player contracting process meant some teams were unable to get their full squads together until February, and in the Northern Mystics case, mid-March.
With combinations and links through the court still developing, it may take at least a couple more weeks before these teams start hitting their straps.
Magic coach Noeline Taurua has even hinted her all-star side have gone into the season deliberately underdone to ensure they will be at their peak come the business end of the extended competition.
Though the standard was a little ropey, what the opening round has taught us is that this is going to be a very competitive league.
All the round-one winners were forced to fight hard for their two points, while the Canterbury Tactix pulled off the first upset of the competition by running down the Northern Mystics in their opener.
There were some intense battles and these matches are only set to get more cutthroat as the days go by.
