Netball: Avellino inspires Southland

It had been nearly half a century since the southerners had last won the national championships and Southland player-coach Natalie Avellino was quick to squash tongue-in-cheek suggestions she was alive at the time.

The evergreen 37-year-old goal shoot inspired her side to a 56-45 win over the defending champion Auckland Waitakere in the final in Rotorua on Saturday, ending a 49-year drought.

Sporting a wide grin, the former Australian international began her acceptance speech with a question for the small crowd, "Who called me a Nana?" she joked.

One of the oldest players at the tournament, the wily campaigner produced a dominant display in the shooting circle throughout the tournament.

What she lacked in speed she made up for in cunning and vision.

As well as shooting accurately, Avellino linked well with up-and-coming Southern Steel shooter Julianna Naoupu, who was named player of the match.

Southland got off to a dream start, racing out to a 16-10 lead at the first break and extending the gap to 16 goals by half-time.

Avellino said she could scarcely believe the beginning, but urged her side to stay focused.

"We were miles out but I said to the girls - and we kept saying at every break we had - "This is the new start of the game".

Auckland Waitakere made inroads into the lead with a five goal unanswered run midway through the third period and closed the gap again in the fourth quarter.

But Southland kept coming back.

Experienced defender Kylie Young and wing attack Wendy Telfer were solid, and young guns Hayley Crofts and Hayley Saunders look to have bright futures.

For Young it was her second national championship banner.

The former Otago player tasted glory in 1998 with both the Otago national championship team and the Rebels.

"This one is a bit different, though, because we were expected to win with Otago," Young said.

"Back then we had a star-studded team with the likes of Anna Rowberry and Lesley Nicol, and this time we were just happy to make the final.

The thing is, we've got a really young team as well and there is a lot of talent there."

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