Will this be the year Southern Magpies lose their grip on the title?
If the pre-season was anything to go by, they should enter as favourites to claim a sixth championship in a row.
But there will be several other teams breathing down their necks in the Premier A division as Dunedin club netball begins today.
Southern Magpies showed their pedigree with a 30-29 win over Phys Ed A in the pre-season tournament final on Tuesday night.
The team has a new coach, Abbey McKenzie, who travels down from Oamaru.
She coached the Southern Tuis last year and has been involved with the South Beko League team as an observation coach.
With three Steel players and three Beko League players in the team, McKenzie will have to draw on B team players for the first part of the season.
Once the Magpies get their strongest team on the court, it looks as though they will be difficult to stop.
Eden Millan, Penny Mouat and Bethany Robertson all return from last year and will be key players throughout.
Possibly the Magpies’ biggest challenger will be Phys Ed A.
After retaining much of its team from last year, it welcomes back coach Alice Wells, who gave birth to a daughter late last year.
The shooting combination of Sophie Johns and Sarah Boomer was impressive in a strong pre-season for the team, which may have the goods this year.Also in the mix will be Markham’s College A.
Last year’s co-coach, John Mathias, takes over fully as head coach this year. He will look to nuggety midcourter Sophie Napper as a key player. The team also boasts a talented young shooting combination in Kiana Pelasio and Isabella Masani.
University Albion A also has a new coach in Trudy Cochrane, who coached the B team last year.
Originally from South Otago, Cochrane takes over from Noeline Scott, who has retired.
The team has a solid line-up and some experience, particularly in shooter Bridget Thayer.
University Albion and Phys Ed both have B teams in the grade, while Southern Tuis and St Hilda’s Collegiate round out the competition.
Despite being a school team, St Hilda’s brings players with experience at a higher level.
Twins Kate and Georgia Heffernan will be key, having both been included in this year’s South Beko League team. The duo has been highly touted, with Kate a midcourter and Georgia a shooter.
University Albion A and Southern Tuis get the season under way at 9am today at the Edgar Centre.
Markham’s College A then play University Albion B at 10.45am.Southern Magpies begins its title defence at 12.30pm against Phys Ed B, while Phys Ed A plays St Hilda’s at the same time.
