Questions have been raised — especially in the wake of the Silver Ferns’ poor efforts at the World Cup — surrounding the future of netball and how sustainable the ANZ Premiership is in helping develop the next generation of internationals.
Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua expressed her desire to bridge the gap between New Zealand and Australia, saying the former transtasman ANZ Championship exposed players to world-class competition each week.
McCausland-Durie, one of New Zealand’s top domestic coaches who led the Pulse to three ANZ Premiership titles, said the timing of the move from the transtasman to a national competition had worked.
But the development of domestic competitions through the addition of other countries was always good to consider, she said, and it would come down to financial sustainability.
"Competition is great and if you can continue to get more competition, and add flavour ... then I think that’s a great next step," McCausland-Durie said.
"It’s can we afford to actually do this and [if] can we afford to do it, what are we going to compromise?
"We’ve got to find that balance of development with NNL [national netball league].
"I know as franchises, that it’s a big cost already and you add the transtasman travel, maybe you don’t play the same number of rounds."
If there was to be the addition of a transtasman league again, it begged the question what brand of netball should be played.
In Australia, Suncorp Super Netball has been adapted to include rolling substitutions, time-outs and two-point shots.
"If the reason for doing it is growing that potential internationally, then the standard version of the game is what you’d want to be running."
Before Covid, Netball New Zealand held a Super Club tournament that included three top ANZ Premiership sides and international club teams from Australia, England, Fiji, South Africa, Singapore, Scotland and Wales across three seasons.
The concept could be revived, McCausland-Durie said.
"If there’s financial means, any opportunity to create extension opportunities are good and I think there’s lots of ways you can do that.
"It could be putting a team in the competition, it could be maybe just the back end, crossing over — there’s different ways you can play it.
"But any chance to go up against Australia — the best, really — has got to be a good one. You’re only going to get better from it."
McCausland-Durie was in Dunedin recently, coaching Manawatu at the national championships, another competition she valued for developing players, coaches, umpires and bench officials.
The tournament was mothballed when the NNL was created in 2015, before returning last year, and provided an opportunity for players to be recognised.
"For them to know that they’re always being looked at. I think that’s really important that there’s a pathway and that there’s potential.
"I’m really grateful that we have opportunities like this."
McCausland-Durie, who has also served as the under-21 coach, Silver Ferns assistant coach and a specialist coach for Fiji at the World Cup, is stepping away from the Pulse next season, moving to South Auckland to resurrect a Maori boys boarding school alongside her husband.
But she still intends to be involved in netball, however that might look.
"I’ll definitely put my hand up somewhere."
