What makes a player great?
How do you compare the stars of the late 1990s to those of 2022?
Who was good in their time and who transcends eras?
They were all questions our voting panel pondered as they picked their cream of southern netball over the past 25 years.
Arguably there would be no region tougher to pick a 25th anniversary team for, either.
Of those 25 years of elite domestic netball in New Zealand, teams from the South account for 10 titles — seven to the Sting, two to the Steel and one to the Rebels.
When you consider eight of the nine ANZ Championship titles were won by Australian teams, you are dealing with 10 of the 17 champion New Zealand teams.
There has been plenty of quality responsible for those titles.
Although, in the end, a reasonably clear-cut starting seven emerged.
Jhaniele Fowler’s straight dominance was too much to overlook, winning her the goal shoot and sole import slot.
She was partnered with Donna Wilkins, who got one more vote than Fowler, holding off a stiff challenge from Belinda Colling.
They were a clear top three in the shooting department and a fourth did not make the final 12 as a result.
Julie Carter, Jodi Brown, Jo Morrison, Tania Dalton and Daneka Wipiiti all received votes — Carter and Brown both getting two.
But perhaps it shows the dominance of import shooters in the region.
Megan Anderson, George Fisher and Lenize Potgieter all made impacts — or are making an impact, in Fisher’s case — but were ruled out by Fowler with the one import rule.
Wing attack was the most highly contested position, as five different players were chosen as starters across the 12 teams submitted.
Adine Wilson won the bib, starting in eight teams — although being named at centre in two.
Anna Stanley and Liana Leota were also popular selections, Stanley winning a spot on the bench by the smallest margin, while Gina Crampton was one point behind both and the most unlucky to miss out.
Shannon Saunders also staked her claim at wing attack, although also featured at centre to start in three teams and be on the bench for five.
However, Lesley Rumball’s quality won out at centre — starting in seven teams in the middle, while sliding to wing defence to accommodate Saunders and Wilson in four.
She claimed 23 voting points, missing the starting line-up, in just one team.
In the teams that Rumball did not slide back to wing defence, Wendy Frew was an automatic selection in all but her own team — in which she passed on herself and chose Reinga Bloxham — the current Steel head coach.
Kate Heffernan also received a vote, and perhaps in another decade the still young Steel star may be in a position to command more.
Former Rebels stalwart Debbie White also garnered a vote.
The defence was more tricky.
Bernice Mene’s legacy was clear to see, the Sting captain the only unanimous starter and perfect scorer of 24 voting points.
Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit joined her in the starting seven.
From there it got messy, perhaps showing the quality — but also the rotating nature — of defenders in southern teams.
Anna Harrison and Leana de Bruin ultimately claimed spots on the bench, an undeniably quality duo, although a pair southern fans may have wished they saw more of in the South.
Megan Hutton was chosen in three teams, while Jane Watson, Belinda Charteris and Anna Galvan all featured as well.
It makes for a quality team and certainly you could name a very good second team from those that missed out.
Who would you have chosen? Let us know.
Southern 25th
The voting panel
Lana Winders (Steel chief executive), Reinga Bloxham (Sting player, Steel head coach), Janine Southby (Rebels player, former Steel head coach), Jo Morrison (Rebels player, Steel assistant coach), Lois Muir (former Rebels coach), Wendy Frew (Sting player, Steel captain), Jodi Brown (Rebels and Steel player, television analyst), Lee Piper (former SouthernTeamCo board member, player agent), Kate Buchanan (former Southland Times netball writer, Steel media liaison), Jeff Cheshire (Otago Daily Times netball writer 2017-present), Hayden Meikle (Otago Daily Times netball writer 1998-2000, 2002-04), Adrian Seconi (Otago Daily Times netball writer 2005-2014).
The guidelines
- Players were judged on what they did for the southern teams, not their other career exploits.
- Only one import per team.
- Each voter named a starting seven and five reserves.
- Starters received two points, reserves one point.
