Northern Stars are a New Zealand netball team based in South Auckland. Since 2017 they have competed in the ANZ Premiership. The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. They were grand finalists in 2019 and 2021.

Northern Stars
Founded2016
Based inPapakura
Takanini
RegionsEast Auckland
South Auckland
Home venuePulman Arena
Head coachKiri Wills
CaptainMaia Wilson
LeagueANZ Premiership
Websitestarsnetball.co.nz

Uniform

History

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Formation

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After Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season, Netball New Zealand subsequently replaced it with the ANZ Premiership. The founding members of the 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, the South Auckland-based Northern Stars.[1][2][3][4] The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. Former Melbourne Vixens head coach, Julie Hoornweg, was named Stars inaugural head coach and Leana de Bruin became their first captain. Other members of the inaugural squad included vice captain Courtney Tairi plus Kayla Cullen, Maia Wilson, Malia Paseka and Sulu Fitzpatrick.[1][4][5][6][7][8][9]

ANZ Premiership

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Since 2017, Stars have played in the ANZ Premiership.[4][10] They were grand finalists in 2019.[11][12][13] In 2022, Stars were grand finalists for a second time.[14][15][16]

Regular season statistics
Season Position Won Lost
2017[17] 5th 4 11
2018[18] 6th 4 11
2019[19][20] 3rd 6 9
2020[21] 4th 5 7
2021[22] 4th 9 6
2022[23] 2nd 11 4
2023 3rd 9 6

  Grand finalists

Grand finals

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ANZ Premiership
Season Winners Score Runners Up Venue
2019[11][12][13] Central Pulse 52–48 Northern Stars Te Rauparaha Arena
2022[14][15][16] Central Pulse 56–37 Northern Stars TSB Bank Arena
2023[24][25][26] Northern Mystics 74–56 Northern Stars Globox Arena

Home venues

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Since 2018, Stars main home venue has been Takanini's Pulman Arena.[27]

Years
Pulman Arena, Takanini[27][28][29][30][31] 2018        
Vodafone Events Centre[4] 2017
ASB Kohimarama, Auckland[4] 2017

Notable players

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2024 squad

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2024 Northern Stars roster
Players Coaching staff
Nat. Name Position(s) DoB Height
  Emma Thompson WA,C,WD
  Holly Fowler WD,GD (1997-07-18) 18 July 1997 (age 27) 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
  Rahni Samason GS,GA (1998-01-31) 31 January 1998 (age 26) 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
  Amorangi Malesala GA,GS (1998-07-19) 19 July 1998 (age 26) 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
  Samon Nathan WD,C,WA (1992-12-07) 7 December 1992 (age 32) 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
  Kelera Nawai-Caucau GK, GD (1997-12-14) 14 December 1997 (age 26) 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
  Mila Reuelu-Buchanan WA, C (1998-05-11) 11 May 1998 (age 26) 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
  Lili Tokaduadua GD,GK
  Maia Wilson (c) GS,GA (1997-09-21) 21 September 1997 (age 27) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Head coach
  • Kiri Wills
Assistant coach
  • Paula Smith



Notes
  • (c) – Captain
  • (cc) – Co-captain
  • (vc) – Vice-captain
  •   – Injury / maternity leave
  • (TRP) – Temporary Replacement Player
Player profiles: Team website Last updated: 5 August 2023

Internationals

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  New Zealand
  England
  Fiji
  Samoa
  South Africa
  Tonga
  Trinidad and Tobago

Captains

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Years
Leana de Bruin[4][8][9][29][32] 2017, 2019
Grace Kara[33][34][35][36][37] 2018, 2020
Maia Wilson[30][31][38] 2021–

Coaches

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Head coaches

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Coach Years
Julie Hoornweg[4][5] 2016–2017
Kiri Wills[29][30][31][39][40][41] 2017–

Assistant coaches

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Coach Years
Temepara Bailey[4][29][42] 2017–2020
Paula Smith[30][31][43] 2021–

Main sponsors

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Sponsors Seasons
Robinhood[44] c. 2020–        

Reserve team

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Since 2017, Northern Comets have competed in the National Netball League. They are effectively the reserve team of Northern Stars.[45] Comets were originally governed and managed by Netball Northern. However in November 2019, Northern Stars began to directly manage the team.[46][47][48][49][50] In 2019, Temepara Bailey was appointed Comets head coach.[42] In 2021 she guided Comets to the NNL grand final.[51][52]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b "New Zealand's newest netball franchise revealed". www.nzherald.co.nz. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  2. ^ "'Super Sundays' main feature of new NZ national elite netball league". stuff.co.nz. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Super Sunday blockbuster to open ANZ Premiership". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "ANZ Premiership Netball 2017 Media Guide" (PDF). www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Australian Julie Hoornweg named coach of new Auckland-based team". stuff.co.nz. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Northern Stars join ANZ Premiership". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Northern Stars join ANZ Premiership". anzpremiership.co.nz. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Stars captain confirmed". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Leana de Bruin to captain Northern Stars in maiden season". stuff.co.nz. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Northern Stars". anzpremiership.co.nz. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  11. ^ a b "Central Pulse crowned 2019 ANZ Premiership champions". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Pulse win 2019 ANZ Premiership title". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Netball: Central Pulse defeat Northern Stars in ANZ Premiership grand final". www.nzherald.co.nz. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Netball: Central Pulse crush Northern Stars in ANZ Premiership final". www.nzherald.co.nz. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Central Pulse thump Stars to secure third ANZ Premiership title in four years". stuff.co.nz. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Pulse re-write record books with third title". www.pulse.org.nz. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  17. ^ "(2017) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  18. ^ "(2018) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  19. ^ "(2019) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  20. ^ "2019 Netball New Zealand Annual Report" (PDF). www.netballnz.co.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  21. ^ "(2020) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  22. ^ "(2021) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  23. ^ "(2022) Fixtures & results". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Mystics Grand Final win provides perfect send-off for Fitzpatrick". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Perfect end for Sulu Fitzpatrick as Mystics beat Stars in ANZ Premiership final". stuff.co.nz. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Mystics give Sulu Fitzpatrick fairytale send-off". www.rnz.co.nz. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Pulman Arena new home playing venue for the Northern Stars in the 2018 ANZ Premiership season". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Northern Stars moving to Takanini". www.rnz.co.nz. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  29. ^ a b c d "Media Guide 2019 ANZ Premiership" (PDF). anzpremiership.co.nz. 24 February 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  30. ^ a b c d "ANZ Premiership 2021 Media Guide" (PDF). anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  31. ^ a b c d "ANZ Premiership 2022 Media Guide" (PDF). anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  32. ^ "De Bruin returns to Northern Stars captaincy role". www.starsnetball.co.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  33. ^ "Northern Stars confirm new captain for ANZ Premiership". www.starsnetball.co.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  34. ^ "Kara more driven as Stars captain". www.rnz.co.nz. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  35. ^ "Kara resumes Stars captaincy role". www.starsnetball.co.nz. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  36. ^ "ANZ Premiership: Northern Stars celebrate player milestones with key win". www.skysports.com. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  37. ^ "Special time for Northern Stars veteran Grace Kara ahead of crunch Auckland derby". stuff.co.nz. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  38. ^ "Stars foundation player Maia Wilson named captain for 2021". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  39. ^ "Kiri Wills to lead Northern Stars". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  40. ^ "Successful New Zealand under-21 netball coach Kiri Wills to coach Northern Stars". stuff.co.nz. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  41. ^ "2020 Media Guide ANZ Premiership" (PDF). anzpremiership.co.nz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  42. ^ a b "Dual role for Temepara Bailey in 2020". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  43. ^ "Robinhood Stars finalise management team for 2021". www.starsnetball.co.nz. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  44. ^ "Robinhood secured as Naming Rights Partner of the Northern Stars". www.starsnetball.co.nz. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  45. ^ "Comets – Our NNL Team". www.starsnetball.co.nz. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  46. ^ "Netball Northern Zone Annual Report 2017" (PDF). www.netballnorthern.co.nz. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  47. ^ "Netball Northern Zone Annual Report 2018" (PDF). www.netballnorthern.co.nz. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  48. ^ "Netball Northern Zone Annual Report 2019" (PDF). www.netballnorthern.co.nz. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  49. ^ "Northern Marvels and Northern Comets National Netball League (NNL) Team Update" (PDF). www.netballnorthern.co.nz. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  50. ^ "Netball Northern – 2020 Annual Report" (PDF). www.netballnorthern.co.nz. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  51. ^ "Cross-town rivals set to make NNL history". www.netballnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 September 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  52. ^ "History-making win for Northern Marvels". www.netballnorthern.co.nz. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
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