Netball New Zealand had worked closely with WorkSafe to allow a crowd of 300 people comprising players, umpires and officials, friends and family into the arena to watch the Central Pulse play Mainland Tactix in the season’s deciding game at Stadium Southland.
People were kept within different zones — this included separate entrances and exits, toilets and cafes.
Everything down to sanitised netballs if touched by members of the crowd, and delivering the match ball via a remote-controlled car was taken care of.
It was quite evident which franchise had the money to spend on decorations. However, what the Tactix lacked in decoration was certainly made up for in spirit.
Some of the male Tactix fans sitting in the friends and family section, included men dressed in Tactix netball dresses.
Southern Steel players became Tactix fans, probably something to do with Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit’s sister, Te Paea Selby-Rickett, playing for the Canterbury side.
But they were not highly vocal supporters.
It was all right though — the Tactix and Pulse fans managed to bolster their teams with clapping, yelling and effective foot stamping.
"Let’s go Pulse, let’s go," was chanted and, when Tactix drew within six near the end of the third quarter, the red and black fans fired up.
Sports Minister Grant Robertson was present, showing his support clearly with a black and yellow scarf.
Even the awards ceremony had an element of do-it-yourself as medals were presented by coaches and the trophy just had to be picked up from the table by Pulse captain Katrina Rore.
The start-stop situation created by Covid-19 resulted in the longest premiership season with which franchises and Netball New Zealand have had to contend — the first game between the same two teams was on March 15.
Then it was the Pulse which won 53-51, and last night it did it again in a relatively low-scoring game, the Pulse winning 43-31 to become the champion New Zealand side for the second year in a row.
