Netball Australia has decided it is better off without us, and is about to sign a deal with one of the highest-ranking networks in Australia as well as the NRL and AFL.
There is no loyalty to the sisterhood of netball and no symbiotic relationship.
Australia would argue that the transtasman netball league has never offered it a win-win situation. If anything, New Zealand netballers and franchises gained exposure and experience from the higher level of competition and bigger television viewership, while Australian netball patiently waited for us to catch up.
Eight years later, it has finally given up on us.
Netball Australia is not at all bothered by the split but New Zealand will be devastated. The Aussies get to play in an eight-team national competition that will be consistently competitive and the level may soar even higher with less travel fatigue. TV ratings will improve as local derbies attract more viewers than transtasman games do.
The number of players who can play at the elite level will expand, and co-investment from NFL and ARL clubs may expose a wider audience to the sport of netball.
It's a no-brainer for Australia, really.
But what will happen to New Zealand netball? Will this parting of the ways benefit us or will it create an even wider gap as New Zealand struggles to keep its top players from crossing the ditch to earn a better living?
New Zealand Rugby has strict criteria for All Blacks eligibility but does Netball NZ have the same mana to exert influence over its players? Can it offer aspiring Silver Ferns an appealing reward to stay loyal, or is it unfair to expect players to train like professionals, remain competitive, and make a living in an amateurish league?
Inevitably, the lack of games between Australia and New Zealand will create bigger gaps - not even the most athletic netballer will be able to navigate that divide.
Although netball is one of the most popular team sports for women in New Zealand, the commercial appetite for supporting a domestic competition would surely subside as the market share shrinks.
Surely Netball New Zealand has a rebound option. It should already be exploring co-investment opportunities with New Zealand Rugby and the NZRL, negotiating with potential sponsors and media corporations, discussing opportunities with other nations to replace Australia.
Change always creates trepidation. It also creates space for new opportunities and innovation.
Netball is a game that requires agility, quick thinking, constant movement and passing into space. Let's hope Netball New Zealand embodies these principles of play and is already thinking two moves ahead of us.
