NNZ high performance manager Stephen Hotter told Newstalk ZB the change will help to counter the talent heading abroad.
“We’re confident in the depth we have but there’s also a risk if you elevate a young player too soon,” he said.
“If you’ve got a handful of players going offshore and you’re just bringing in a handful of players to bolster the competition, the net difference is zero.
“There’s an element here of providing a slightly different product to our fans, which is really exciting. It’s really exciting for players in the competition because they get exposure to a player who plays a different style of game to what we play here.”
Gordon is backing the move, saying it will make the competition more interesting for viewers and provide a test for homegrown talent.
“It’s a good test for girls who may have not played international netball before, but being able to come up against international players in the ANZ will be a cool challenge for them.”
Heffernan is adamant the ANZ Premiership will still boast plenty of talent despite the departing Silver Ferns.
She said it may look different, but it will still be high quality.
“The ANZ Premiership competition’s still going to have Silver Ferns in it and it’s going to have the future Silver Ferns in there so it’s still going to be a really exciting competition.”
Australia’s Super Netball allows unlimited overseas athletes.
A two-point shot was introduced to the ANZ Premiership this year, five years after it was implemented across the ditch.
Hotter rejected suggestion NNZ has been slow to innovate and said the timing of their changes is right.
“You’ve got to consider the unintended consequences of anything and you’ve got to consider the upsides. I think we’ve done that in a very calculated way, so I don’t think we’ve been slow off the mark at all.”
Hotter said they never considered increasing the number of imports beyond two per franchise, or even copying Australia in making it an open market.
“We’re just very wary that we have to create a pathway for players that we are producing in New Zealand, and we need a strong elite competition to do that. Australia obviously have more teams.”
Heffernan has joined Gordon in pointing to the ANZ Premiership’s uncertain future as factors in their decisions to head to Australia.
Netball New Zealand signed a broadcast deal for 2026 with TVNZ last month.
Heffernan said the wait for clarity made her take offshore offers more seriously.
“That was a pretty unsettling time. We didn’t know what the competition was going to look like.
“We’ve obviously been watching the SSN. It’s been growing and probably on a few of our radars for a wee while as it’s getting all the best players from all over the world.”
The 101-cap Steel captain is looking forward to training and playing against her new Thunderbirds teammates.
“They’ve got an amazing defensive end and some really exciting, young, Australian netballers coming through in the attack end.
“I want to keep growing and get myself into the best possible position, wanting to be selected for Commonwealth Games and World Cup.”
Nathan Limm has been a journalist with Newstalk ZB and the New Zealand Herald since 2020. He covered the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in 2023, hosts The Big League Podcast and commentates rugby and netball for Gold Sport.
