The 2021 Representative season started off with a bang with 5 of our 6 teams winning their grades at the Pukekohe tournament on May 30. Our U14/1 team, coached by Jen Mason went on to finish the season undefeated through all our local tournaments, collecting an awful lot of towels in the process. They won at Pukekohe, Auckland, North Harbour, Waitakere and Papakura. Our U14/2 side coached by sisters, Danielle and Mikayla Muller also had a great season, winning all of their respective grades and only losing one game - to our own U14/1 side.

Our U16's both had great campaigns too, the U16/1 side, coached by Jo-Anne Heinzen eventually winning the Envirowaste North Island Junior Netball Championships in New Plymouth run by Netball Taranaki. They went undefeated at the tournament, eventually beating Eastern Bay of Plenty in the final. Five of our Waitakere players were named in the tournament team - Anne Kirikiri, Stella Lynch, Priscilla Rasmussen, Summer Temu and Stella Tia. Our U16/2's, coached by Natalie Jones finished a notable 5th in Taranaki and had a great season, winning their grades in Pukekohe, Auckland and Waitakere and finishing second at North Harbour.

Our U18 sides were also both credible performers. Our U18/2's coached by Dianne Pakau and ably assisted by Carla Gordon caused a huge upset at the U18 national championships, beating Christchurch A Red to finish 4th overall. The Lisa Tomlinson coached U18/1 team also finished in the top 8 but had some bad luck with injuries leading into the final day and a tricky draw, losing to the eventual winners, Auckland, to miss out on a top 4 spot. This leaves us in a great position for 2022 with two teams in the top 8!

Our open age team are currently training as a squad while awaiting the arrival of our ANZ Premiership players to join the team and add some great experience before their tournament in mid-September.

A big thanks to Grassroots Trusts, Fourwinds Foundation and NZ Racing Board for their generous assistance in making these results possible. A special mention needs to go to our representative committee Maree Castle, Murray Gardiner, Kathy Henry, Keryn Soppet and Hedy Turner, for their tireless work behind the scenes with everything from uniforms, fundraising and this year organising hoodies for our players and supporters!

Article added: Friday 30 July 2021