Netball Series: Fiji’s Pacific Series and New Zealand’s Plans

The world of netball is abuzz with excitement as various teams prepare for the upcoming season. One of the most highly anticipated series is the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, which will feature some of the top teams from the Pacific region. However, there are also plans underway for a Pacific Series between New Zealand and Fiji, which promises to be an exciting addition to the netball calendar.

Fiji’s Pacific Series

Netball Fiji has been unable to confirm details of a proposed Pacific Series with New Zealand due to the absence of a chief executive officer. The position was advertised earlier this month, and Vivian Koster, who is currently on leave, had been handling the role until her contract ended.

According to Netball New Zealand, discussions between the two countries are ongoing, and the series is tentatively planned for January or February 2025. However, no official confirmation has been made yet, and Fiji’s administration manager has not responded to questions sent to them.

New Zealand’s Plans

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie has stated that getting international exposure is crucial for the Silver Ferns. She expressed her desire to fill the January void left by the cancellation of the Nations Cup and plans to use this opportunity to give young players experience alongside seasoned ones.

“We’re in really advanced discussions around how do we pull something like that together for January and be able to use it as an opportunity to give some of our young up-and-coming talent some experience alongside the more seasoned players as we head into the next pinnacle event cycle,” Wyllie said.

The series is expected to feature a diverse range of teams, including Papua New Guinea, which has seen significant improvement in its ranking over the past two years. The PNG Pepes head coach, Lua Rikis, expressed her enthusiasm for competing in the Series and aims to maintain consistency and be competitive.

Australian First Nations Team

The Australian First Nations team will also be competing in the PacificAus Sports Netball Series, providing an opportunity for Pacific national teams to compete against top-level international talent. The team’s engagement manager, Beryl Friday, highlighted the importance of this event for promoting diversity and building leadership skills.

“The Series is a great opportunity for the squad to get out on court together and start building connections… Off court, it’s a chance to grow and learn from each other as First Nations women and continue to build leadership skills that we can take back to our communities.”

Conclusion

The PacificAus Sports Netball Series promises to be an exciting addition to the netball calendar, featuring some of the top teams from the Pacific region. Meanwhile, New Zealand is planning a Pacific Series with Fiji, which will provide valuable international experience for both countries’ teams. With its diverse range of competitors and focus on promoting diversity and leadership skills, this series has the potential to be a game-changer for netball in the Pacific region.

The fixture for the 2025 PacificAus Sports Netball Series will be announced in 2025, and fans can look forward to an exciting season of netball action.