Last year's semifinalist was expected to be too good for Wellington in its opening game of the national championships in Porirua on Saturday.
But the home side, which scrapped its way into the top division last season, got its campaign off to a promising start with a surprise 48-44 win.
Worse could be just around the corner for Otago, with coach Deb Tasi-Cordtz quick to acknowledge that, at least on paper, Wellington shaped as one of the weakest teams in the first division.
"We've got a bit of work to do this week," she said.
"It was just one of those games which could have gone either way. We were in it but we just couldn't shake them, really."
A lack of experience in the dying stages of the game was also noticeable, she added.
Most of the bench got a run as Tasi-Cordtz looked for ways to help her side gain an edge. Shooters Te Paea Selby-Rickit and Greir Campbell held up their end of the bargain, landing 33 from 41 and 11 from 12 respectively.
But Wellington was able to put pressure on the midcourt and around the fringes of the shooting circle to keep the pair off the ball.
While Wellington shooters Te Amo Amaru-Tibble and Jamilah Gupwell were not as accurate, between them they put up 64 shots - 11 more than Otago.
"Our shooting was good, which was an area we were a bit apprehensive about. So it was nice we stepped up," Tasi-Cordtz said.
"We got some turnovers but it was just those links through the midcourt and through to our shooters [which let us down]."
Otago made a promising start, taking a 13-10 lead into the first break. But Wellington fought back and outscored Otago 13-9 to recapture the lead by halftime.
Experienced wing attack Frances Solia used all of her cunning to help her side gain the ascendancy in the midcourt, and Wellington's defensive pairing of Cushla Lichtwark and Besse Manu asserted an enormous amount of pressure, stifling Otago's supply of ball.
Their physical approach gradually wore Otago down.
The loss has left Otago with a tough road to make the semifinals. It will probably need to win at least three of its remaining four round-robin games.
Of its remaining opponents, Western looks the best match-up, with Auckland-Waitakere, Southland and Canterbury boasting impressive line-ups.
Otago plays Canterbury in Dunedin on Saturday and will not go into the match with much confidence after being brushed aside in two warm-up matches last month.
Canterbury beat Western 66-47 in Palmerston North yesterday, while Auckland pipped Southland 53-52 in Invercargill.
NETBALL CHAMPS - THE SCORES
• Wellington - 48
Te Amo Amaru-Tibble 26/34, Jamilah Gupwell 22/30
• Otago - 44
Te Paea Selby-Rickit 33/41, Greir Campbell 11/12
• Quarter 10-12, halftime 23-22, three-quarter 36-34
