Netball: Axed franchise livid at decision

By JULIE ASH

Counties Manukau officials are livid at the short notice Netball New Zealand gave the Cometz of their axing from the national league.

The Cometz were told they had been cut just an hour and a half before it was made public yesterday morning.

"We are absolutely gutted," said Cometz board member Maree Bernasconi.

"Some of us have had a gut feeling this was coming but it is not until you get the phone call ... well I guess you just wait in hope."

After a 12-month review NNZ chairwoman Kereyn Smith and chief executive Shelley McMeeken yesterday announced the new structure of the national league.

The revamp, valid for three years, reduces the number of teams from nine to eight in order to "strengthen the competition and help create a truly elite showcase for domestic netball".

There will be no byes, no double headers, a seeded draw and an extended semifinals format.

The review included an independent report from consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers but the NNZ board made the final decision.

Bernasconi conceded the Cometz hadn't had the best run, finishing last in 2000, 2001 and 2002 - but she pointed out they finished higher than the Capital Shakers and Western Flyers this year.

"To be kicked out when we are on our way up is a bit tough. We had moved up this year, we are financially sound and we have always had good crowds."

She said the reasons for their axing were vague but she understood that the Cometz' performance over the last four years was taken into consideration, as was the lack of elite players in the team and the fact that the franchise was close geographically to the Auckland Diamonds and North Harbour's Force.

"We have been perceived as an Auckland team but Counties Manukau has its own sporting identity. We have our own teams in most sports but now not in netball, the leading women's sport. This is a step backwards, " Bernasconi said.

Cometz coach Ana Noovao said she could understand NNZ's thinking but wondered how eliminating just one team would strengthen the competition.

"Although the Western Flyers have a larger area I would say we have the stronger player base," she said.

Noovao said it would have been nice if NNZ had met with franchise before making its decision.

"They could have sat down with me and the board and we could have asked them what we could do to stay in the competition. We could have talked through with them what plans we had for the future."

Counties Manukau will still compete as a region in the national provincial championships but now that they are out of the franchise competition Bernasconi sees no way back in.

"I asked whether we could appeal or meet with the board but they said the decision had been made."

McMeeken, said the decision to drop the Cometz was part of a wide-ranging review of the competition.

"We understand the Cometz players and supporters will be very disappointed to see their team go from the competition ... the players from that area can be consolidated into one of three franchises that are close by," McMeeken said.

Under the new structure, the remaining eight franchises will be invited to sign-up to for three years.

In another change the franchises will be formally aligned to regions, similar to the Super 12 rugby competition. McMeeken said reducing the competition to six and introducing teams from Australia, England and South Africa was discussed but was not an option at this stage.

The restructure

* The national league is reduced from nine to eight teams.

* The eight-team format will be in place at least three years.

* The Cometz are the only franchise dumped, despite two others finishing lower than them this year.