Beko Netball League

Introduced four years ago, the Beko Netball League (BNL)has helped enrich Netball New Zealand’s (NNZ) depth of talent while preparing and developing the next wave of elite Netballers.

The Beko Netball League is fundamental to strengthening NNZ’s performance pathway, and 2019 proved no exception where an exciting new cast put their marker in the ground as players to watch in the future.

The BNL teams are closely linked with their senior ANZ Premiership sides, giving players the benefits of working with experienced performers and understanding the demands required at the elite level.

There was a healthy selection of BNL players stepping up to ANZ Premiership level during the season, teenaged schoolgirl shooting sensation Grace Nweke (Northern Marvels) being the shining light after becoming a permanent fixture for the Northern Mystics.

Among those to get a taste at the highest level included Nanise Waqaira (Northern Marvels), Georgie Edgecombe, Simmon Howe, Khiara Williams and Ali Wilshire (Waikato Bay of Plenty), Lily Fletcher (Hellers Mainland) and Taneisha Fifita and Georgia Heffernan (Southern Blast).

In addition, teams could name up to three ANZ Premiership players on their match list alongside the emerging players from their Zone.

This is a crucial element in ensuring ANZ Premiership players who are not getting a lot of court time at the top level can still get valuable minutes of competition play in the Beko Netball League – a beneficial outcome for both parties.

With the Netball World Cup being staged in July, the ANZ Premiership and Beko Netball League started earlier than usual, the two getting underway in March and running parallel to each other.

The Northern Marvels, Northern Comets, Waikato Bay of Plenty, Central Manawa, Hellers Mainland and Southern Blast competed in a 12-week round-robin competition. This included a total of 25 matches, 10 of those televised live on SKY Sport, culminating in the Grand Final on 19 May at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch.

In contrast to previous years, the 2019 Beko Netball League turned out to be a two-horse race with last year’s finalists Central Manawa and Waikato Bay of Plenty featuring from the outset.

Waikato Bay of Plenty ran through the bulk of the round robin unbeaten before losing a close tussle with Manawa at the business end to hand the defending champions top qualifying spot.

A dominant force since the inception of the League, Central Manawa were on the brink of creating another slice of history heading into the Grand Final in Christchurch and the quest of a third straight title. Central Manawa have featured in every Grand Final, finishing runners-up in the inaugural league in 2016 before securing successive title-winning runs in the following two years.

Befitting the occasion, it was a spirited and evenly contested match before Central Manawa took charge late in the piece. Non-stop support play and the ability to create openings earned ever-present goal attack Monalisa Groom the player of the match award while Waikato Bay of Plenty’s live-wire midcourter Ali Wilshier was named Player of the Beko Netball League for 2019.

The Beko Netball League continues to provide the perfect breeding ground for Netball’s best emerging young talent, who get to rub shoulders with the sport’s elite while immersed in a semi-professional environment. With that has come a deeper and more diverse pool of talent.

1st: Central Manawa 2nd: Waikato Bay of Plenty 3rd: Hellers Mainland 4th: Northern Comets 5th: Southern Blast 6th: Northern Marvels