Well I just want to express some dissatisfaction at the Sting beating the force in last Friday's semi-finals of the NZ national competition. I'm hoping the Magic will win it again, silverballnz. I always like to watch van Dyke play.

And for those who still think netball is a boring femmy kind of game, try looking at some of the muscles on the NZ & Aussie players, and the way they can be so physically confrontational.

There must be an Auss-NZ netball match coming up soon - always a great contest.

I would talk about softball if I ever got to see it. Doesn't show on our TV, but I think it's a cool game to watch.

Hi there,
Have to agree with you I thought the Force were robbed myself.
Like you ill be cheering for the Magic. I also love to watch Irene play, and have sometimes wondered if it was not for her settleing in NZ if we would have all of the trophies in our cabinet, although there are some young women coming through the ranks and becoming great shooters.
So go the Magic come friday.
And YES netball is a very physical game, bloody tough those women they spend half the match hitting the deck and sometimes make the ABs look like Ballet dancers.
As for the up and coming clash with AUS I tend to think it will not be such easy pickings for NZ this time those Aussies have been studying us hard saw Norma in the crowd at the last game having a wee spy at our teams.
Lis like camprrls I would also watch softball (used to plak back in the day)But we get little or no coverage here in NZ.
Once again go the Magic.
Cheers Chris.

Well Silverballnz, I don't think it was so much that the Force was robbed - more that their 2 shooters choked in the final minute. The game was there for the taking in the final minute when they got a penalty. They each got a go at it and missed the shot - and they'd been getting similar shots all night with ease.

It was Loffhagen who won the game for the Sting. Once she got over switching back to Netball - how long since she gave it up completely and had been playing basketball? The commentators said that she missed all her first lot of shots because she was missing having a backboard. Anyway once they had a bit of a break she practiced putting up shots (all successfully) and she was away. She was pretty handy in the rest of her attacking play also.

Yes there's no telling who will win the next game between Aussie & NZ. Thsoe shooters for the Force look pretty capable - although they have to learn to keep their nerve in the tough games. And their mid court palers are pretty handy too.

Hi Campgrrls,
Was sure great to see Donna back on court again the Sting and Robin Broughten pulled a surprise there.
I think its about a year since Donna stopped playing netball to concentrate on her basketball.Shame she missed the cut in the States.
But yes was her that made the difference for the Sting with what seemed to me to be an efortless return to Netball. But I suppose for years she has played for both codes.
I still have to say GO THE MAGIC on friday.
Cheers Chris.

Almost ready to go. So Loffhagen could come on in a defensive or attacking position?

Sometimes lately watching BG Julie J reminds me of Irene Van Dyk.

Yes GO MAGIC!!!!!!

Oh No Loffhagen's starting in GA.

Hi Campgrrls,
Well go the MAGIC it was, great game I thought.Actually watch the local Netball is as good as watching a test when you get 2 teams of this calibre playing.
But the Magic just ran away with it in the second half.
Yes Irene does look a little like Julie J I think shes lovely.
I was also very pleased to see that Temepara got the player of the sieries shes so wee and just such a great player.
Cheers Chris.
Meant to ask you who you think will get the nod on monday for the Silver Ferns?

Hi silverballnz. The silver ferns squad has been named before I got around to saying who I thought might be in the squad.

I was really pleased to see the Magic win so emphatically. I think the Force is actually better than the Sting but they are younger and less match toughened.

I'm surprised they've only got 3 shooters in the SF squad seeing as there are some great young ones coming thru that could do with some international game time - maybe against Sth Africa????

I expected Davu, van Dyk, Wilson, Temepara, Colling, Langman... and of course Casey Williams. Only 2 Sting & 2 from the Force. Though they will need the tough oldies against the Aussies I think

Hi Carolyn,
Ive just read the squad very predictable Id say have to have your top team to take on the Aussies, who I think will be tougher that at the Com Games.
Agree we should play some of the younger players against SA.
Bring it on I say. :D

hhmm, so true that softball hardly ever gets any airtime. disappointing really. so i make up for it by going to see international and state level games and also saw 6+ games at the 2000 olympics. it was absolutely fantastic!
yes, as you'll be able to guess by now i'm a softball fanatic! i've been playing for 16 years, reaching A grade level a few years ago.

I like to see the Aussie women's softball team whenever they show on NZ TV... which is hardly ever, just occasionally at the Olympic or Commonwealth Games and they are usually shown in the middle of our night.

Hey, softball fanatics... :lol:
Some of you may have heard....
the World Cup of Softball is being played in USA now.

I follow the USA women...They are playing well...(4-0 so far) and I believe the Aussie and Canadian women have won some games.

I don't know if you all receive ESPN sports channels via satellite feed, but..
they are showing some select games everyday.

...or visit www.espn.com for tourny updates.

Hope you BGs can catch some games... :)

Hey bc gal, had a wonderful weekend watching the softball tournament. There is a little talk about having the US muppet party in Oklahoma City to coincide with next years even. What do you think?

So wat's the current state of play in the current softball tournament? How are the Aussies going?

Now for netball..... there's going to be one of the great trans-Tasman clashes tomorrow night. Can't wait!!!! The Aussies are on the up and could beat the Silver Ferns for the first time in a while. Unfortunately this match willl be showing on NZ TV at the same time as the free-to-air broadcast of the rugby match between the ABs and Boks. I'll have to make a decision about which match to watch and which to tape.

Hi campgrrls,
Yes I think the Netball test will be really tough tomorrow night.
Ill be watching the netball dont have cable and cant get Prime where I live.
So the netball it will be for me.I agree with you the Aussies have a much tougher sqaud than at the Com games so should be a great game.
Go the Silver Ferns.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay the Silver Ferns beat the Aussies in the netball last night 52-40.
Great game I thought soooooooooooo fast.
I had a feeling that it would be closer score line than that as the Aussies had some of their more experienced players back from injury.
But no the Kiwis kicked butt. :D

Yes the game looked very competitive at the beginning. I think if the Silver Ferns had kept their combinations at both ends of the court instead of making changes at half time they might have won by more. Some great debut play.

I see Plummer & people at the Aussie Institute of sport are claiming that NZ has only been winning lately at the netball because kiwis doing PhD's at the Aus Training Insitute have been stealing their secrets. Ditto for the men's basketball - or at least the Aussies are complaining they've been training kiwi sports people who are now beating their national side.

Ah, well. I'll just wait to see what happens on court & on the fotty field. I can get Prime tho it's a bit of a grainy picture. It's a disgrace that the national sport shows on a free to air channel many people can't get, or can't get clearly.

Hiya campgrrls,
I see that Ruth may not play Irene tonight for some of the game at least brave move I say but I think we do have to blood new players before next years World Champs.
Maria did play an excellent game the other night so good luck to her for tonight.
Go the Silver Ferns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well we do need to have an alternative if Irene gets injured or something.

At least I will be able to watch the whole game tonight cause it doesn't clash with the ABs and I don't have to work til tomorrow arvo. I work on Sundays so only saw the entire first half of the netball and had the 2nd half on while I was getting ready for work.

What can I say :cry2 .
The Silver Ferns got done by the Aussies.
A scrappy game from the Ferns I thought and the Aussies were on fire!!!!!!!!!!
But NZ did play with a few injury woes last night.
And even Irene when she came on didnt play well either.
We cant win them all is all I can say.

Indeed, Silverballnz. It was a great win for the Aussies. It does set it up for a very competitive series later in the year.

Part of the problems for the ferns was experimenting with different combinations. Also George's injury didn't help. The Van Dyk-Tutaia combination is what they should go for in the future IMO.

Hiya campgrrls,
I agree with all you say.
Octobers tests should be crackers!!!!!!!!!
I guess Ruth has to experiment with the Worlds coming up next year.

I'm not sure if I dare ask this SB - but did the England netball team beat the Silver Ferns ( like the name :clap) in a recent game? We get little to no coverage here, but I think I heard something to that effect on a sports bulletin. I know you're going to say you only put your babes out or something like that. ;) It's only about the second time we've managed to get the better of your lot so...

Double posted sorry! :err :hammer

Hi there Mand all,

Yes i heard on radio that you beat us :err and then today the Aussies also beat us but not by much.
Seems to me with the World Champs only a few months away if the Silver Ferns want to retain their crown as WChamps we will have to up our game.

So go the Ferns.

But I also have to say well done England to beat us :party

ETA Just to say we have full coverage of all the games here on free to air TV.
Netball is a huge sport here.

Think ill talk to myself here but Yay the Silverferns they thrashed the Jamacins 80 to 36 last night here in NZ. :party :clap :guns

Another game against The Sunshine Girls tomorrow night then next wednesday the biggie against the Aussies that will be the real test to see how well we are on track for the World Champs in November.

Wil post the scores for anyone that may be interested :D


Edit talking about Netball here :D

Going to give this a bump The Netball World Champs start here tonight.

We have English ,SA ,and Aussie, members here and of course me :rolleyes:

So for me its go the Silver Ferns :guns :party :tongueout

Just saw NZ play Wales just incase you look here Lisa score was

NZ 86 Wales 24 :tongueout :tongueout

Glad you posted C. :clap As usual, unless you're in the know, we wouldn't realise this event was taking place. :huh: If you come across our girls treat them gently. :rofl Post the scores if you have time. :hat

HI there M,'

Semis tomorrow night here and im afraid youve drawn the short straw


England plays Aussie :eek that will be tough :o

and second semi is Silver Ferns play Jamaica which could be tough also.

Will post the outcome tomorrow night for you M.

Believe it or believe it not, I had seen this. :eek It was reported in the "also-ran" pages on Ceefax. I had to search hard but I found it. :rofl We had a good win against Malawi but it won't be that easy against the Aussies. :guns It would be good to play your lot in the final. :rolleyes:

Hi there M,

First score in and im sorry to say that the English got done by the Aussies

Score was Aussie 51 England 33. :cry2

Back later with the score of the NZ Jamacia game.

Ok back with the score from the second semi.

I thought NZ was going to go down the tubes but pulled out all stops and final score was

NZ59 Jamacia 49 :party

So a NZ Aussie final tomorrow.

NZ are the current World Champs but i have a feeling we are going to go down tomorrow

Will let you know M :hug2

Thanks for that C, though it wasn't the news I was hoping for; it was the news I was expecting. :cry2 Needless to say it hasn't permeated through to here yet. :rolleyes: A definite thumping in the end. :(

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the Silver Ferns. Sock it to the Aussies. :smash2

Shit shit shit that about sums it up :rolleyes:


Aussie took the world cup of Netball from us :cry2


Final score Aussie 42 NZ 38 :cry2

And the other result from me in the play of for 3rd and 4th

Jamacia 53 England 52 so well done England for taking it to the wire..

So from this World Champs its goodnight from me and see ya in 4 years. :dazzler

Oh dear! hard lines C.

This must have been hard for the women to take: to lose by the odd goal. :( Thanks for doing the honours. :hat No doubt we'll catch up again when the cricketers arrive on your shores. :clap

Hiya M,

Let just whisper about cricket SA are slaughtering us :eek :eek

Wrong thread sorry but yes we will talk Cricket in out summer M :D