By JULIE ASH
If her Waikato netball side can emulate the success of their rugby counterparts and be sitting at the top of the national provincial table with just a few games to play, Nicole Dryden will be very happy.
In her first year as Waikato coach, Dryden admits there are
similarities between the region's netball and rugby sides. Neither is laden with national stars, nor do they get wrapped up with being too flashy.
"But they lost in the weekend," she said, referring to Waikato's defeat to Otago in rugby's NPC.
"So I hope we are not going to follow in exactly the same footsteps."
Waikato are one of the favourites heading into the week-long national championships, which start in Palmerston North today.
Waikato barely broke into a sweat in blitzing Bay of Plenty 87-39, Eastern 74-43 and Wellington 74-42 in the matches to decide the top and bottom six in the first division.
Joining Waikato in the top six are Counties & Manukau, Wellington, Otago, Canterbury and Southland. Netball North, Auckland Waitakere, Bay of Plenty, Eastern, Western and Tasman will play off for placings 7 to 12.
Waikato won the national title in 1999 and 2000 but were pipped at the post by Canterbury 60-58 in overtime last year.
They have retained seven players from last year - Jodi Tini, Jenny-May Coffin, Amigene Metcalfe, Sheryl Clarke, Victoria Edward, Jolene Henry and Julie Kelman-Poto - which indicates they have plenty of strength in defence and plenty of speed in midcourt.
Otago and Southland are also title contenders.
Otago, under the guidance of former Silver Fern coach Lois Muir, have strength throughout the court with former Silver Ferns Angela Evans and Adine Harper, present Silver Fern Lesley Nicol and up-and-comers Anna Scarlett, Alison Shanks, Katie Ritchie, Stephanie Bond and Angelina Yates.
Southland would have the strongest shooting combination in the competition with Tania Dalton and Donna Loffhagen. They also have formidable defence in Megan Hutton and Jo Tapper, but the question lies over the stability of their midcourt.
But it is hard to go past Canterbury with six Silver Ferns - Anna Rowberry, Belinda Colling, Anna Veronese, Vilimaina Davu, Belinda Colling and Julie Seymour. They ooze experience.
"They [Canterbury] obviously have a lot of experience but we are just taking each game as it comes," Dryden said.
The final is on Saturday night.
By JULIE ASH
If her Waikato netball side can emulate the success of their rugby counterparts and be sitting at the top of the national provincial table with just a few games to play, Nicole Dryden will be very happy.
In her first year as Waikato coach, Dryden admits there are
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