By JULIE ASH
Can Yvonne Willering work her magic and add to her already impressive array of national provincial netball titles?
That is one of the questions heading into a week-long championship tournament, which starts in Mystery Creek tomorrow.
The Netball North coach is already New Zealand's most successful national provincial coach,
with eight titles to her name. She was behind Auckland's success in 1986 and from 1989 to 1994 before crossing the bridge and coaching North Harbour to success in 1997.
Willering also won two national titles as a player with Auckland, taking her grand total of titles to 10.
She was missing from the sideline during her reign as Silver Ferns coach from 1997 to 2001, but this year is back with a star-studded line-up many believe could go all the way.
Netball North roared through their preliminary matches, beating Counties and Manukau 102-25, defending champions Canterbury 61-51 and Tasman 85-17.
"I don't think you can take too much from the preliminary games," Willering said. "I don't think you saw anyone at full strength."
But with no easy beats, full strength is what every team in the top six will need to be at when they square off against each other.
The key, Willering believes, could be how teams use their bench.
"That's the way I see it when you play day in and day out. That is why we have worked on having a number of combinations."
Joining Netball North in the hunt for the national title are Auckland Waitakere, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.
With Silver Ferns Irene van Dyk and Leana du Plooy, and racy midcourters Jenny-May Coffin and Amigene Metcalfe in the mix, Waikato are one side who can match Netball North's line-up, which includes current and former Silver Ferns Tania Dalton, Daneka Wipiiti, Teresa Tairi, Temepara Clark, Sheryl Clarke and Linda Vagana.
"On paper Waikato look very strong, as do Canterbury," Willering said.
"I also think Auckland Waitakere will have gained a lot of confidence from their preliminary games, and if you hit them on one of their big days then they are going to be tough to beat."
In round one Netball North face Otago, Auckland Waitakere play Wellington, and Waikato meet Canterbury. In the bottom six Counties and Manukau play Eastern, Southland meet Western, and Bay of Plenty face Tasman.
