Debutants Prepare For First ANZ Championship Hit-Out!

The wait is almost over…for three New Zealand based franchise players taking part in the ANZ Championship for the first time at the pre-season tournament at TECT Arena, Tauranga, 2-4 March 2012.

Netball fans will have their first opportunity to see the new-look ANZ Championship teams in 2012 and ANZ Championship debutants Louise Thayer (Steel), Katarina Cooper (Pulse) and Jo Harten (Tactix) will be looking forward to making an impression at next week’s pre-season tournament.

For the first time since the inception of the competition in 2008, all ten teams will contest the official ANZ Championship pre-season tournament.

For 23 year old Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel Player Louise Thayer, the ANZ Championship is the next step in her pathway, after playing for Otago at representative level for five years.

“It’s crazy to think I now have the opportunity to play against some of the world’s best Netballers,” Thayer says, “playing with and against those you have looked up to all your life can only help in your development and push you to achieve your best.”

“It will be a new experience for both me and Storm (Storm Purvis) and one we will revel in. We have been pushing each other hard in training to keep up with the more experienced players as the training is beyond anything I have been part of before, it’s great!”

Haier Pulse recruit Katarina Cooper has been a standout player in the national circuit since her teenage years when she played for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2001/2002 and the NZU21 team. Being a mother of two, Katarina has pushed her way back to form and is motivated after her selection in the Pulse.

“It’s about time!” laughs Cooper. “It has been a great journey to get to this point and the challenge of stepping up is what I look forward to the most.”

“The pre-season tournament in Tauranga will give me the opportunity to see what I will be up against before the official rounds begin; seeing the different teams, their styles and preparation will give good insight on where we need to head as individuals and as a team.”

International English netball star and Easiyo (Canterbury) Tactix import Jo Harten is eager for the competition to start so she can match her talents with some of New Zealand and Australia’s best week in, week out.

“I can’t wait for the season to start,” Harten says, “the standard and intensity of the ANZ Championship is going to be very new to me and the Tactix players have welcomed us [Stacey Francis from England is also in the Tactix] and are fully prepared to take our team to new heights.”

“Leigh (Gibbs) has set out the goals for us as a team and as individuals, as a new player it’s great to be part of a different direction and willingness to change into a winning culture.”


New players to the ANZ Championship NZ Franchises 2012
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic Khao Watts (AU) Jess Waitapu
Central Pulse Katarina Cooper
Canterbury Tactix Jo Harten (UK) Stacey Francis (UK)
Southern Steel Louise Thayer, Shannon Francois, Storm Purvis

The tournament will be held at Tauranga's stunning new multi-sport facility, TECT Arena Baypark, over four sessions from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 March.

Draw details
The world's best netballers will descend on New Zealand's Bay of Plenty on 2 March, when Tauranga hosts the official pre-season tournament for the 2012 ANZ Championship. All ten ANZ Championship teams will contest this year's pre-season competition, to be held at the sensational new multi-purpose venue, TECT Arena.

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The competition will be played across four sessions from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 March:
Session 1            Friday 2 March                          4pm-10pm
Session 2            Saturday 3 March                     9am-5pm
Session 3            Saturday 3 March                     7pm-10pm
Session 4            Sunday 4 March (FINALS)      9am-1pm

The teams have been divided into two pools, with teams within each pool playing each other once over Sessions 1 to 3. In the final session, teams from opposing pools will play-off to determine the pre-season champion

Full tournament draw:
http://anz-championship.com/assets/2012-anz-championship-pre-season-draw.pdf

ANZ Championship 2012 season:
The 2012 ANZ Championship season commences on Sunday 31 March.
Please click on the following link to view the 2012 ANZ Championship Media Guide Flip Book http://anz-championship-mediaguide.com/