The 2020 ANZ Premiership season was the fourth season of Netball New Zealand's ANZ Premiership. With a team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie, captained by Katrina Rore and featuring Karin Burger, Aliyah Dunn and Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Central Pulse finished the regular season as minor premiers. In the grand final, Pulse defeated Mainland Tactix 43–31, winning their second consecutive premiership. Throughout the season, Netball New Zealand had to deal with considerable disruption because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This initially saw the league suspended for April and May. On its return in June, Round 2 through to Round 7 matches were all played behind closed doors at a single venue. In August, all Round 10 and two Final Series matches were cancelled and the Grand final was played behind closed doors.
Transfers Player 2019 team 2020 teamKelly JuryWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicCentral PulseTe Paea Selby-RickitSouthern SteelMainland TactixCourtney ElliotSouthern SteelNorthern MysticsSulu FitzpatrickCentral PulseNorthern MysticsSaviour TuiCentral ManawaNorthern MysticsJamie HumeNorthern MysticsNorthern StarsVika KolotoNorthern CometsNorthern StarsLisa MatherWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicNorthern StarsDaystar SwiftFire ServiceNorthern StarsEllen HalpennyNorthern StarsSouthern SteelKalifa McCollinCeltic DragonsSouthern SteelHolly FowlerNorthern StarsWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicGeorgia MarshallCanberra GiantsWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicErena MikaereNorthern MysticsWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicWhitney SounessCentral PulseWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicKayla CullenNorthern StarsNew South Wales SwiftsCharlee HodgesNorthern StarsAdelaide ThunderbirdsLenize PotgieterSouthern SteelQueensland FirebirdsAdelaide Thunderbirds
Head coaches and captains Team Head coach Captain Central PulseYvette McCausland-DurieKatrina GrantMainland TactixMarianne Delaney-HoshekJane WatsonNorthern MysticsHelene WilsonPhoenix KarakaNorthern StarsKiri WillsGrace KaraSouthern SteelReinga BloxhamGina CramptonTe Huinga Reo Selby-RickitWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicAmigene MetcalfeSamantha Winders
Pre-season 2019 Super Club In December 2019 all six ANZ Premiership teams plus Collingwood Magpies from Suncorp Super Netball and Wasps Netball from the Netball Superleague competed in the 2019 Netball New Zealand Super Club. The staging of the 2019 Super Club was delayed because of the 2019 Netball World Cup. This effectively made it a pre-2020 season tournament for the teams involved. Magpies won the 2019 tournament after defeating Northern Mystics 49–42 in the final.
Otaki tournament The official pre-season tournament was held at Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Otaki between 28 February and 1 March, with all six teams competing.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic Season suspended On 16 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the final match of Round 1, between Southern Steel and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, was played in an empty arena. On 20 March it was announced that Rounds 2 and 3 had been suspended. and on 26 March, Netball New Zealand announced that the whole season was suspended indefinitely.
Return In May, Netball New Zealand announced that the season would resume in June. Rounds 2 to 7 would all subsequently be played behind closed doors at a single venue, Auckland Netball Centre. On the leagues return, some changes to the format were introduced, partly because of the pandemic. Matches would now feature 12 minute quarters with 10 minute half-time breaks. There was also a change to the points system. A win was now worth 4 points, a draw would equal 2 points and there was a bonus point for teams that only lost matches by 5 or less goals. The Finals Series was also due to feature 5th/6th and 3rd/4th place playoff matches as well as a Grand final. The season restarted on 19 June with a match between Northern Mystics and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.
Regular season Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10 On 12 August, after a change in the COVID-19 alert levels in New Zealand, Netball New Zealand announced that all five Round 10 matches would be cancelled. The five matches, which had no bearing on the final placings for the Finals Series, where all declared draws and each team was awarded two points.
Final ladder
Finals Series The Finals Series was due to feature 5th/6th and 3rd/4th place playoff matches as well as a Grand final. However, the two Auckland Region-based teams, Northern Mystics and Northern Stars, were unable to travel because the region was in lockdown. Both playoff matches were subsequently cancelled and the Grand final was played behind closed doors.
5th/6th place match
3rd/4th place match
Grand final
Award winners New Zealand Netball Awards Award Winner TeamANZ Premiership Player of the YearJane WatsonMainland TactixANZ Premiership Coach of the YearYvette McCausland-DurieCentral Pulse
ANZ Premiership Awards Award Winner TeamGrand Final MVPMaddy GordonCentral PulseANZ Premiership Coach of the YearYvette McCausland-DurieCentral Pulse
Team of the season Brendon Egan selected Stuff's team of the season.
Position Player Team GS Maia WilsonNorthern StarsGAAmeliaranne EkenasioCentral PulseWAGina CramptonSouthern SteelCClaire KerstenCentral PulseWDKarin BurgerCentral PulseGDJane WatsonMainland TactixGKTemalisi FakahokotauMainland TactixCoachMarianne Delaney-HoshekMainland Tactix
Season statistics Goal Shooters (by Goals Scored) Pos. Player Team Goals (%)1 Grace Nweke Northern Mystics2 Maia Wilson Northern Stars3 Ellie Bird Mainland Tactix4 Aliyah Dunn Central Pulse5 Kelsey McPhee Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic6 Kalifa McCollin Southern Steel Circle Feeds Pos. Player Team CF 1 Gina Crampton Southern Steel 434 2 Grace Kara Northern Stars 394 3 Whitney Souness Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 393 4 Erikana Pedersen Mainland Tactix 384 5 Peta Toeava Northern Mystics 368 6 Claire Kersten Central Pulse 293
Deflections Pos. Player Team Def1 Jane Watson Mainland Tactix722 Sulu Fitzpatrick Northern Mystics583 Erena Mikaere Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic534 Kate Burley Northern Stars495 Kelly Jury Central Pulse476 Taneisha Fifita Southern Steel37
Intercepts Pos. Player Team Inter.1 Kelly Jury Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic262 Temalisi Fakahokotau Mainland Tactix222 Phoenix Karaka Northern Mystics222 Kate Burley Northern Stars225 Kate Heffernan Southern Steel186 Erena Mikaere Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic126 Sam Winders Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic12
Rebounds Pos. Player Team Reb.1 Sulu Fitzpatrick Northern Mystics232 Erena Mikaere Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic213 Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit Southern Steel184 Temalisi Fakahokotau Mainland Tactix165 Katrina Rore Central Pulse166 Holly Fowler Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic10
References