KEY POINTS:
Rebels
Home: Edgar Centre, Dunedin
Coach: Janine Southby
Titles: One, 1998
Last year: 7th
Captain: Jodi Te Huna
New: Jodi Te Huna, Anna Thompson, Demelza Fellowes, Danielle Calnan, Emily Close, Megan Graamans, Hanna Broederlow
Back: Angela Mitchell, Debbie White, Anna Molineaux, Katrina Grant, Phillipa Finch.
Out: Jessica Tuki (unavailable), Kahurangi Waititi
(Magic), Lizzie Sandom, Frances Jackways, Debbie Hill, Meagan Grey, Dana Bond
Player report: Dark horses the Rebels have made a big haul of new talent this season - Ferns shooter Te Huna makes her much-awaited return from knee reconstruction, NZA attacker Thompson transfers from the Flames, while former Australian defender Fellowes crosses the Tasman for this competition. Former Fern Mitchell is also back, which should definitely promote the Rebels further up the rankings than last season's second-to-last.
Coach says: "I probably understand what they are going through a bit more having played in [the competition] so recently. We have a lot of experience at the defence end and a lot of personality too. The shooting end is looking more confident with Jodi, and having Angela back."
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Force
Sponsored name: Fujifilm Force
Home: North Shore Events Centre
Coach: Yvonne Willering
Titles: None (previous best runner-up in 2003)
Last year: 3rd
Captain: Temepara George
New: Vilimaina Davu, Sheryl Scanlan, Julie Kelman-Poto, Ritua Petero
Back: Temepara George, Leana de Bruin, Megan Dehn, Catherine Latu, Finau Pulu, Lorna Suafoa, Brigette Tapene, Angelina Yates
Out: Teresa Tairi, Daneka Wipiiti (Sting), Kimberley Horton (Australia)
Player report: This is Willering's fifth year as the Force coach, and her last chance to win the NBC. The defence is buoyed by the addition of Fijian coach Davu, and the return of new mum Scanlan, joining Ferns keeper de Bruin and veteran Suafoa (out with a knee injury). Shooter Australian Megan Dehn is also back, joined by Julie Kelman-Poto, who took last year off after a season with the Flyers.
Coach says: On the strength of her team: "Once we get them all together it will be wonderful. We only had eight players for a few weeks [due to injury]." On winning: "This year has to be the year, doesn't it? There are no second chances. They promise me this year will be stress-free. I look forward to that."
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Diamonds
Sponsored name: The Trusts Diamonds
Home: Trusts Stadium, Waitakere
Coach: Sue Hawkins
Titles: None (previous best 4th 2005)
Last year: 5th
Captain: Stephanie Bond
New: Jenny-May Coffin, Helena Hoult, Nicole Scopes, Susan Tagicakibau
Back: Stephanie Bond, Rawinia Everitt, Paula Griffin, Amenda Payne, Grace Rasmussen, Rachel Rasmussen, Anna Scarlett, Maria Tutaia
Out: Anna Stanley (nee Rowberry - Magic), Jo Morrison, Kathryn Harby-Williams, Victoria Edward (all unavailable)
Player report: The most exciting young shooting combo in the competition, Tutaia and Griffin, is augmented with new Fijian squad member Susan Tagicakibau. Coach Hawkins, a former Aussie shooter, has given a lot of attention to the shooters pre-season, training each individually three times a week. Former Silver Fern Coffin has abandoned retirement and strengthens the midcourt, while the tall and enthusiastic defence of Bond and Scarlett remains in place.
Coach says: On what the NBC brings: "This competition brings out the urgency of winning. It's what I've learned over here. You want to develop a team that has that winning attitude, and it shows through to the Silver Ferns."
On last year's spate of pregnancies in the team: "I'm keeping them so fit there's no time for anything else."
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Flames
Sponsored name: Goldair Flames
Home: Westpac Centre, Christchurch
Coach: Margaret Foster
Titles: None (previous best, 2nd 2000-02, 2004)
Last year: 4th
Captain: Julie Seymour
New: Julianna Naoupu, Charlotte Kight, Erin McDuff
Back: Julie Seymour, Maree Bowden, Hannah Brand, Kate Dowling, Elizabeth Manu, Joanna McCaw, Shelley Norris, Jodi Tod, Jade Topia
Out: Vilimaina Davu (Force), Anna Thompson (Rebels), Sonia Butler
Player report: Four times the bridesmaids, the Flames once again look strong contenders for the top four, fielding six players currently in national squads. Newcomers Kight, a defender, and goal attack Naoupu are from the NZ under-21 squad. Midcourt is the Flames' strongest zone, boasting Fern squad members Seymour and Bowden. Dowling, injured early last season, will step up to fill the hole left by Davu's departure. The team missed out on an import player this year.
Coach says: "Mentoring is absolutely crucial. Julie Seymour is a real credit - a woman in her mid-30s with three children who's on top of her game. Then we have a 17-year-old [Naoupu] who is still at school, in the same environment as Julie, and learning so much."
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Magic
Sponsored name: Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic, supported by Sleepyhead
Home: Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga
Coach: Noeline Taurua
Titles: Two (2005, 2006)
Last year: 1st
Captain: Irene van Dyk and Joline Henry
New: Anna Stanley (Rowberry), Katrina Anderson, Louise Moffat, Nicola Browne, Kahurangi Waititi, Asha Tett
Back: Irene van Dyk, Casey Williams, Joline Henry, Laura Langman, Tanya Lund, Nicola Cooney
Out: Amigene Metcalfe (pregnancy), Kiri Adams (retired), Liana Barrett-Chase (Sting)
Player report: The motto of the reigning champs this season is making history. Internationals fill the court - van Dyk and NZA shooter Lund are joined by England under-21 Asha Tett; Casey Williams and Joline Henry form a formidable wall at the other end. There are two gains in the midcourt - former Ferns captain Anna Stanley after the birth of her first child, and Sydney Swift Katrina Anderson back playing after two years' recovery from ankle reconstruction.
Coach says: On New Zealand women's cricketer Nicole Brown joining the side: "She's a raw prospect. Honestly, she's green but she has a lot of tenacity. She's a person who, if I said 'get me the ball', will try her best to get me the ball."
On Tett: "Once again, she's green, but she offers us something special. We're a bit short at the shooting end - she fills that void for us."
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Shakers
Sponsored name: Genesis Energy Shakers
Home: TSB Bank Arena, Wellington
Coaches: Wai Taumaunu and Gail Parata
Titles: None (previous best: 3rd 2000)
Last year: 6th
Captain: Frances Solia
New: Sala Hide, Nardia Roselli, Ngarama Milner
Back: Lovila Paki, Frances Solia, Jamilah Gupwell, Cushla Lichtwark, Daya Pritchard, Victoria Smith, Gerardine Solia, Kylie Young
Out: Emma McGeorge (leg injury), Sacha Coogan, Jo Haanstra
Player report: The Shakers have retained the core of last year's side, with eight players returning, including Jamilah Gupwell, the NZ under-21 shooter. She will be joined in the circle by NZ secondary schools shooter Nardia Roselli, from Marlborough Girls'. Captain Frances Solia is the true stayer, having played in all 10 seasons of the NBC.
Coach says: (Parata) "We've retained the core from last year. One of the things we noticed in our pre-season trip to Australia, was that the way we started this year was a step up from last year. There is continuity and a good understanding between the players."
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Flyers
Sponsored name: More FM Flyers
Home: Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Napier
Coach: Annette Pearce
Titles: None (previous best 6th 2001)
Last year: 8th
Captain: Abbie Bailey-Nowell
New: Abbie Bailey-Nowell, Candyce Edwards, Jodi Hikauroa, Hannah Kelly, Amanda Palmer, Lana Phipps, Brooke Williams
Back: Amy Bellringer, Lauren Burgess, Malu Faasavalu, Rebecca Kupa, Hayley Stockman
Out: Erika Burgess (Sting), Louise Moffat (Magic), Charlotte Kight (Flames)
Player report: New Zealand secondary schools coach and NZA assistant coach Pearce brings some success to the Flyers, having won the international schoolgirls challenge in Adelaide last year. But it's a tough ask from a franchise that's had just one win in three seasons and only five players retained from last year. Promising newcomers include NZA shooter Hayley Stockman, NZ under-21 Candace Edwards and Samoan international Brooke Williams from the Force. Captain Abbie Bailey-Nowell returns home after playing in English league.
Coach says: "We are a young team again this year, but we're motivated. We've made sure our training has been quality not quantity - I've travelled around the different centres [in the Flyers catchment], and it's a matter of putting the jigsaw puzzle together at the end. If the girls stick together as one, they could give a few teams a scare."
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Sting
Sponsored name: Ascot Park Hotel Southern Sting
Home: Stadium Southland, Invercargill
Coach: Robyn Broughton
Titles: Six (1999-2004)
Last year: 2nd
Captain: Jenny Ferguson
In: Daneka Wipiiti, Liana Barrett-Chase, Erika Burgess
Back: Donna Wilkins (Loffhagen), Natalie Avellino, Adine Wilson, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Ricket, Hayley Crofts, Wendy Telfer, Jenny Ferguson, Sarah Barnes, Megan Hutton
Out: Belinda Colling (unavailable), Tania Dalton (retired), Anna Galvan (unavailable), Lesley Rumball (unavailable)
Player report: The Sting have never failed to make the final of the NBC in its history and Broughton intends keeping the silverware for good at the end of this season. Four of the most seasoned players have stepped down this year (including last year's most accurate NBC shooter, Tania Dalton) but their replacements, all NZA squad members, are more than able - Wipiiti from the Force, and midcourters Barrett-Chase and Burgess. Expect to see Broughton use substitutions more this year without a cast-in-stone starting line-up.
Coach says: On the Sting's dominance: "It's all to do with what's around us, the community we're in, the players around us and management we work with. It's the confidence of players with one another."
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The winners
10 Years Of The National Bank Cup
1998 Rebels
1999 Sting
2000 Sting
2001 Sting
2002 Sting
2003 Sting
2004 Sting
2005 Magic
2006 Magic