Formation

In May 2016, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season. In New Zealand it was replaced by the ANZ Premiership, while in Australia it was replaced by Suncorp Super Netball The founding members of ANZ Premiership included the five former New Zealand ANZ Championship teams – Central Pulse, Mainland Tactix, Northern Mystics, Southern Steel and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic – plus a brand new franchise, Northern Stars.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Southern Steel

With a team coached by Reinga Bloxham, captained by Wendy Frew and featuring Gina Crampton, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, Shannon Francois, and Jane Watson, Southern Steel finished the 2017 season as inaugural ANZ Premiership winners.^[7][8] 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 season.^{[7][9][10][11][12][13]} Steel subsequently went on to retain their title and in the 2018 grand final they again defeated Pulse.^[14][15][16]

Central Pulse

During the early ANZ Premiership era, Central Pulse emerged as one of the leagues strongest teams. Between 2017 and 2020, with a team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie, captained by Katrina Grant and featuring, among others, Karin Burger, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Claire Kersten, Pulse played in four successive grand finals. Between 2018 and 2020 they won three successive minor premierships. Pulse were the 2019 and 2020 overall champions.^{[17][18][19][20][21]} In 2022, Pulse won their third title.^[22][23][24]

Northern Mystics

In 2021, with a team coached by Helene Wilson and captained by Sulu Fitzpatrick and featuring Ama Agbeze, Bailey Mes and Grace Nweke, Northern Mystics won their first ever premiership. After finishing the regular season as minor premiers, they defeated Mainland Tactix 61–59 in the grand final.^{[25][26][27][28][29][30]} In 2023, with a team coached by Tia Winikerei, captained by Sulu Fitzpatrick and featuring Phoenix Karaka, Grace Nweke, Michaela Sokolich-Beatson and Peta Toeava, Mystics won their second title.^{[31][32][33][34]} Mystics finished the regular season as minor premiers, finishing above Central Pulse and Northern Stars.^[34][35][36] Mystics defeated Stars 74–56 in the Grand final.^[31][32][33]

New Zealand Netball Awards