The 40-year-old arrives in the country today and could face a frosty reception.
If Netball New Zealand [NNZ] gets the green light for a planned restructure, a power struggle between Invercargill andDunedin will erupt over where the franchise should be based.
The former cricket coach and rugby league administrator told the Otago Daily Times he thought it made more sense for the Steel to based in Dunedin.
"I'm fully aware of, let's say, the disappointment in certain parts of the game and membership who would most certainly love the Steel to be based out of Dunedin," he said.
"At the moment that is not for me to pass judgement on or comment on. It is wholly down to Netball New Zealand and where they see the future or the best governance option for them to move our game forward.
"Reading some of their notes already, that have been passed down in relation to the combination of zones and the base of the franchise . . .
"To be really honest with you, as an outsider, that makes sense. But, then again, it is a little bit hard to not have something that you've always had and valued. So it is going to be interesting."
Under the proposed restructure the regional set-up would be replaced by a zone-based model.
The 12 separate regions would come under the governance of five zones which would be affiliated with the ANZ Championship franchises.
Members will vote on the proposal at the annual meeting next month and NNZ chief executive Raelene Castle is confident of getting support to push the changes through.
NNZ had not indicated where it wanted the southern zone to be, and therefore where the Steel would be based, she said.
"We have given no direction or had any conversations about where the head office would be based," she said.
"We are looking at making a change to the structure and to go to five zones, which would mean between Invercargill and Dunedin, they would need to make a decision about where the head office would be based.
"It is absolutely up to them. NNZ would be party to that conversation but there is certainly no directive from NNZ."
Both sides mount compelling arguments. The overwhelming majority of the Steel season ticket-holders are based in Invercargill and the Invercargill Licensing Trust and the Community Trust of Southland provide a significant amount of community funding annually for the franchise.
There is also a long and proud tradition of netball in Southland and southern fans are unrivalled in their passion.
But more players are registered in Otago than Southland.
Dunedin's international airport makes the city more accessible, and the University of Otago is a valuable drawcard for promising young netballers.
The Steel board last year acknowledged it had to do more work to lift its profile and presence in Dunedin and has scheduled an extra game in the city this season.
Bannister is new to the role and is perhaps unaware of how his opinion will be received in the deep south. But he is committed to improving the franchise and that undoubtedly means a greater presence in Dunedin.
"The No 1 challenge for me is to ensure that when we are in Dunedin we are engaging with the right people and that the community members and participants see genuine value in what we do and what we bring.
"There is a lot of change happening. There is an influx of new players; there is the co-coaching idea, which is very exciting.
"I can understand why that decision has been made, when you have two really strong bases in Invercargill and Dunedin."
