Southern Sting are a former New Zealand netball team that were based in Invercargill. Between 1998 and 2007, Sting played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. They were the league's most successful team. They played in all ten grand finals and won seven of the ten titles played for. Between 1999 and 2004, Sting won six successive titles. Ahead of the 2008 season, Sting merged with Otago Rebels to form the new ANZ Championship team, Southern Steel.
The National Bank Cup, originally known as the Coca-Cola Cup, was the top level national New Zealand netball league between 1998 and 2007. The league was organized by Netball New Zealand. Between 1998 and 2001, it was sponsored by Coca-Cola. In 2002, the National Bank of New Zealand took over as the main sponsor. Otago Rebels were the inaugural premiers. However, Southern Sting, were subsequently the competition's most successful team. Sting played in all ten grand finals and won seven of the ten titles played for. Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic were the second most successful team, winning two premierships. Ahead of the 2008 season, the National Bank Cup league effectively merged with Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy to form the ANZ Championship.
Western Flyers are a former New Zealand netball team that represented Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki. Between 1998 and 2007, Flyers played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Ahead of the 2008 season, Flyers merged with Capital Shakers to form the new ANZ Championship team, Central Pulse.
Otago Rebels are a former New Zealand netball team that were based in Dunedin. Between 1998 and 2007, Rebels played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Rebels played in two grand finals. In 1998 they were the league's inaugural champions. In 1999 they were runners up. Ahead of the 2008 season, Rebels merged with Southern Sting to form the new ANZ Championship team, Southern Steel.
Donna Wilkins is a New Zealand representative in netball and basketball. She married Southland farmer Mike Wilkins on 17 March 2007. Wilkins returned to the Southern Steel for the 2012 season, after a short stint with the Canterbury Tactix in 2011.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. The team were formed in 1998, following the merger of Waikato Wildcats and Bay of Plenty Magic. In 1997, Wildcats and Magic had been founder members of the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 1999 and 2007, the new team continued to play in the league. Magic are the only team from the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era to have retained their original name. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have represented Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty in the ANZ Premiership. Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty is the governing body that represents the North Island regions of Waikato and Bay of Plenty. During the National Bank Cup era, Magic were premiers in 2005 and 2006. During the ANZ Championship era, Magic were the most successful New Zealand team. In 2008 they were minor premiers and they were grand finalists in 2008 and 2010 before winning the overall title in 2012. They were the only New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship.
Canterbury Flames were a New Zealand netball team based in Christchurch, Canterbury. Between 1998 and 2007 they played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. In 2008, when the National Bank Cup was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Canterbury Flames were rebranded as Canterbury Tactix.
Bernice Papasina Mene is a former New Zealand netball player.
Tania Mary Dalton was a New Zealand international netball player. After retiring from playing professionally, she worked as a netball commentator on SKY Sports for international tests, the ANZ Championship and National Championships, alongside former internationals Anna Stanley, Natalie Avellino, Kathryn Harby-Williams and Bernice Mene. Dalton was also a part owner of the franchise food outlet chain, Pita Pit New Zealand Limited.
Reinga Bloxham, also known as Reinga Te Huia, is a former New Zealand netball player and current coach. During the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era, she played for Southern Sting. Since 2016, she has served as head coach of Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership. In 2017 and 2018, Bloxham guided Steel to two successive ANZ Premiership titles.
The 2019 ANZ Premiership season was the third season of Netball New Zealand's ANZ Premiership. With a team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie, captained by Katrina Grant and featuring Karin Burger, Aliyah Dunn, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Sulu Fitzpatrick, Central Pulse finished the regular season as minor premiers. In the grand final, Pulse defeated Northern Stars 52–48, winning their first premiership.
The 2017 Southern Steel season saw the Southern Steel netball team compete in the 2017 ANZ Premiership and the 2017 Netball New Zealand Super Club. With a team coached by Reinga Bloxham, captained by Wendy Frew and featuring Gina Crampton, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, Shannon Francois, and Jane Watson, Steel finished the 2017 season as inaugural ANZ Premiership winners. After finishing the regular season unbeaten and as minor premiers, Steel defeated Central Pulse 69–53 in the grand final. This saw Steel complete a 16 match unbeaten ANZ Premiership season. Steel remained unbeaten as they went onto win the inaugural Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament, defeating Northern Mystics 79–58 in the final. This saw Steel finish the season with 21 wins and zero defeats.
The 2019 Central Pulse season saw the Central Pulse netball team compete in the 2019 ANZ Premiership. With a team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie, captained by Katrina Rore and featuring Karin Burger, Aliyah Dunn, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Sulu Fitzpatrick, Pulse finished the regular season as minor premiers. In the grand final, Pulse defeated Northern Stars 52–48, winning their first premiership.
The 2019 Northern Stars season saw the Northern Stars netball team compete in the 2019 ANZ Premiership. With a team coached by Kiri Wills, captained by Leana de Bruin and featuring Temepara Bailey, Storm Purvis and Maia Wilson, Stars finished the regular season in third place behind Central Pulse and Southern Steel. In the elimination final, Stars defeated Steel 53–56. However, in the grand final, they lost 52–48 to Pulse, finishing the season in second place overall.
Counties Manukau Cometz, are a former New Zealand netball team that were based in Papatoetoe, Auckland. Cometz represented the Counties Manukau/Thames Valley regions of South Auckland and, as a result, were also known as CMTV Cometz. Between 1998 and 2003, they played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league.
The 2007 Southern Sting season saw the Southern Sting netball team compete in the 2007 National Bank Cup league season. With a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by Jenny Ferguson and featuring Liana Barrett-Chase, Daneka Wipiiti, Megan Hutton and Donna Wilkins, Sting finished the season as champions. In the minor semi-final, Sting lost 39–47 to Northern Force and in the major semi-final, they defeated Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 48–46. In the grand final, Sting defeated Force 50–49 as they won their seventh Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup title. The grand final was Robyn Broughton's 100th match in charge of Sting.
The 1998 Southern Sting season saw the Southern Sting netball team compete in the 1998 Coca-Cola Cup league season. 1998 was the inaugural season for the league. Together with Auckland Diamonds, Bay of Plenty Magic, Capital Shakers, Canterbury Flames, Counties Manukau Cometz, Northern Force, Otago Rebels, Waikato Wildcats and Western Flyers, Sting became founding members of the new league. With a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by Bernice Mene and featuring Reinga Bloxham, Kirsty Broughton, Julie Carter and Donna Loffhagen, Sting finished the season as grand finalists and runners up. In the grand final they lost to Otago Rebels 57–50.
The 1999 Southern Sting season saw the Southern Sting netball team compete in the 1999 Coca-Cola Cup league season. With a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by Bernice Mene and featuring Reinga Bloxham, Kirsty Broughton, Julie Carter and Donna Loffhagen, Sting won their first Coca-Cola Cup title. In the grand final, they defeated Otago Rebels 63–54.
The 2000 Southern Sting season saw the Southern Sting netball team compete in the 2000 Coca-Cola Cup league season. With a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by Bernice Mene and featuring Kirsty Broughton, Julie Carter, Donna Loffhagen and Lesley Nicol, Sting won their second Coca-Cola Cup title. Sting began the season with a 65–56 win against Capital Shakers, making their league debut at a new home venue, Stadium Southland, in front of 3000 fans. Sting subsequently went through the season unbeaten, winning all ten of their matches. In the grand final, they defeated Canterbury Flames 43–40.
The 2001 Southern Sting season saw the Southern Sting netball team compete in the 2001 Coca-Cola Cup league season. With a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by Bernice Mene and featuring Reinga Bloxham, Adine Harper, Donna Loffhagen, Lesley Nicol and Leana de Bruin, Sting won their third Coca-Cola Cup title. In the semi-final, they defeated Capital Shakers 60–49. In the grand final, they defeated Canterbury Flames 47–44.
