More locals now get chance to shine in national spotlight

TRIALISTS: Cara Dickinson (C) and Javell Pereta (GD) are two of six Marist players trialing for the soon-to-be-named Wanganui senior rep team, while Renee Butler (GA) is one of just two WHS girls vying for a spot in the final line-up.PHOTO/FILE A-080615WCLGNETBALL06

A PATHWAY has re-opened for more talented Wanganui netballers to reach higher honours.

The resurrection of the Wanganui senior representative team comes as Netball NZ has gone full circle by bringing back the national tournament between the various centres, rather than playing regional tournaments between teams selected out of five zones.

For the past 15 years Wanganui has been part of the Western zone that included Taranaki, Manawatu and Horowhenua with a combination of players from each making up the representative team.

With Netball NZ returning to the old format last used in 2000, more Wanganui players have the opportunity to shine on the national stage.

Coach of the soon-to-be-named Wanganui representative team Lisa Murphy has vast experience having played at representative level under both formats.

However, in latter years she has made her mark as coach of Phillips Electrical Wanganui High School A1 that has won the Wanganui Premiership three out of the past five years.

WHS first won in 2011 and then claimed back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2012 the Murphy-coached WHS girls finished runners-up, a place they also filled again this year.

Murphy was also coach when the Under-17 rep side arguably achieved Wanganui's best result ever at national level when they were fourth in 2013.

Murphy and her fellow selectors have the unenviable task of whittling a wider squad of 21 players down to 12 by this weekend. The wider squad of 21 will be put through their paces tomorrow night.

The senior side will be made up of players 19 years and older.

Once named, the Wanganui rep team will travel to Wellington to play a pre-national tournament on September 12.

Murphy said the tournament will include the representative squads from most of the smaller centres from the Central Zone, who will then go on to play at the 2015 Lion Foundation Netball Championships.

"It will be nice to have that little taste."

Wanganui will then enter the national tournament at the ASB Sport Centre in Wellington, from September 28 to October 2.

The trial squad

Loni Martin, Javell Pereka, Cara Dickinson, Te Atawhai McDonnell, Jurita Herekiuta, Sarah Teki-Clark, Mikayla Pihema-Taiaroa, Suzanne Guilford, Allanah Roberts, Amy Archer, Rachael Lynch, Victoria Anstis, Karaihi Peina, Hayley Addenbrooke, Sammy Murphy, Renee Butler, Kelera Kuruyabaki, Georgia Flower, Sophie Collins, Georgia Coombes, Eleanor Hogan.