The new Canterbury netball franchise will have a strong Otago influence with four of last season's Otago Rebels included on the playing roster for the upcoming ANZ Championship.
As expected, Silver Fern and Rebels goal attack Jodi Brown (nee Te Huna) will play in the Canterbury side, which will be known as Scope Tactix.
Midcourters Phillipa Finch and Anna Thompson also join the franchise, while Australian defender Demelza Fellowes who spent last season based in Dunedin, has also been named in the squad.
Just two current Rebels Debbie White and Katrina Grant, along with last season's unwanted Rebel Jessica Tuki were selected in the combined Otago-Southland team, the Southern Steel, for the new competition.
Coach Helen Mahon-Stroud said gaining Brown's signature was a huge boost for the franchise.
‘‘It is important to have a good balance of youth and experience in a squad, and to have a player of Jodi's class and ability join us is just fantastic.''
Brown and fellow Silver Fern squad members Julie Seymour and Maree Bowden will be the key players for Canterbury.
Seymour will captain the team but also fill the role of assistant coach after Tania Hoffman stepped down from the role because of other commitments.
‘‘Julie is a natural leader,' Mahon-Stroud said.
‘‘She has considerable experience at franchise and international level. Considering the time-frames and Julie's involvement in team planning as a senior player and captain, she was an obvious option to replace Tania with the campaign already well under way.''
