Whanganui netball: Kaierau’s strong finish secures win over Pirates in Premier 1 netball

Pirates goal keep Taniele McDonnell displaying great elevation over the shot of Kaierau goal shoot Rebekah Alabaster.

Monday night’s Premier 1 clash between HP Pirates A1 and Kaierau Mitre 10 Mega A1 was a thriller in more ways than one.

Pirates appeared to be a little more connected in the opening quarter of the game, with mid-courters Tuahine Hadfield and Brigette Taiaroa showing incredible patience to deliver quality ball to their shooters - captain Cheyenne McDougall, who netted six from eight, and goal shoot Shontaye Walker who slotted four from five.

At the other end of the court, the Pirates defensive unit of goal keep Taniele McDonnell, goal defence Shandi Muir and wing defence Tineisha McDougall were disruptive and tenacious, capitalising on any margin of error from the Kaierau side. Efforts combined saw Pirates go into the first quarter break leading 10-6.

The much-anticipated return of Kaierau defender/shooter Kara Adrole was a highlight, adding an extra thrill to the evening. Adrole, a member of the Samoa national netball team that won the Pacific Australia netball series in February this year, also debuted last month with the Central Manawa in the 2025 national netball league competition.

Kaierau matched Pirates eight goals apiece in the second quarter, neither team giving an inch. As the game progressed, the reigning champs started to click with their connections and confidence grew.

On defence, Adrole delighted the crowd as she hunted the ball outside the circle. Together with her co-defender, Leigh Stormont, they restricted Pirates to just four goals from seven attempts in both the third and fourth quarters.

Coach Karine Harrison had asked her team to stick to the basics and really focus their attention on their man on defensive structures. She was happy with how her team looked after one another.

“I thought our shooters [Rebekah Alabaster and Rebecca Benge] combined nicely and Mikayla [Heka – midcourt] had a standout game with her competitive streak evident from start to finish.”

Despite the loss, Pirates coach Casey McDougall was equally as happy with her team’s effort.

“I’m just so stoked with my girls. They’ve been working incredibly hard. I know they’re gutted with that final quarter, but I’m still so proud of them.”

And it was the final quarter that put the nail in the coffin for Pirates, with Kaierau eventually taking the lead to win the quarter 4-11 and the game by six, denying Pirates a bonus point. The final score was 32-26.

In other Premier 1 games, Phillips Electrical WHS A1 beat Whanganui Collegiate Senior A 45-36, with Kaiwhaiki A1 posting a similar score, 46–35, against Marist Mint A1.

While there were no surprises in the final outcomes of the Premier 2 games, they were a lot closer than one might have imagined, with winning margins considerably smaller than the round one encounters, an indication of the growth and progress within the grade.

Kaiwhaiki Gold A2 37 v Marist A2 29 (previous margin 17)

Kaierau Air Whanganui A2 38 v Tech A1 25 (previous margin 21)

Waimarino A1 29 v Kaierau Gemini Pepper Construction A3 22 (previous margin 22).