Netball: Nothing sinister in review, maintains Smith

Netball New Zealand chairwoman Kereyn Smith is playing down talk of drastic change to the national league.

NNZ recently commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to review the nine-franchise National Bank Cup, which starts next week.

The report has not yet been made public, but there is widespread belief it recommends the competition be reduced by between one and three teams.

Franchises have been asked to respond to the report before the NNZ board meets again next Friday.

Southern Sting, the most powerful franchise, has circulated its own report, arguing against the downsizing of the competition.

Smith said there was nothing sinister about the decision to seek a review of the national league.

"We did something very similar back in 1999. We've entered that process again and we're nearly at its conclusion," she said.

"The review is a very wide-ranging document and has come up with a range of options.

"But I have to emphasise we haven't made any decisions yet. We're just gathering the information, listening to what the franchises have to say and going from there."

Smith said it seemed the netball community was split over whether to stick with nine cup franchise teams or reduce the competition to six or eight.

She was neither surprised nor worried by the Sting's reaction.

"Good on them. That just reflects the passion they have for netball and how important the Sting are to Southland.

"We want to hear from all the franchises and take what they say into account."

Rebels coach Lois Muir was not worried about the immediate future of the Otago franchise, the inaugural winners of the revamped national league in 1998.

"I think people are probably starting to panic just a little too soon," Muir said.

"The Netball New Zealand board has simply asked us for feedback and will then be looking at all the possible options."

Muir believed it was unlikely NNZ would make drastic changes to the competition.

However, Western Flyers chairwoman Annette Parkinson said it would be a crushing blow for netball in the central North Island region if her franchise was wiped from the cup.

There was "a real concern" NNZ wanted to reduce the number of teams in the competition, she said.

The Flyers would be in obvious danger because of their poor record on the court.

"We will be fighting this because we believe it would be a disaster for this region. Since the Flyers have been introduced and this competition started, we have had an increase in players in the region.

"We will certainly be doing everything we can to be retained."

Smith has earlier indicated one possibility might be including Australian teams in the competition.

- NZPA