Central Manawa

Central Manawa are a New Zealand netball team based in Wellington. Since 2016 they have represented Netball Central in the National Netball League. Netball Central is the governing body that represents the Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Taranaki and Wellington Regions. They are effectively the reserve team of Central Pulse. Between 2016 and 2018 they played as Central Zone. Since 2019, they have played as Central Manawa. Between 2017 and 2019, Central Zone/Central Manawa won three successive NNL titles. In 2022, Central Manawa won a fourth title.^[1]

Central Manawa

Founded	2016
Based in	Wellington
Regions	Hawke's Bay Region Manawatū-Whanganui Taranaki Wellington Region
Head coach	Ngarama Milner-Olsen
Premierships	5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
League	National Netball League
Uniform

History

Foundation

In 2016, Central Zone where founder members of Netball New Zealand's National Netball League.^[2][3][4][5] In the inaugural grand final a Central Zone team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie lost 51–46 to Netball South.^{[4][6][7][8][9][10]}

Three successive titles

In 2017, Central Zone won their first National Netball League title. With a team featuring Karin Burger, Rhiarna Ferris, Tiana Metuarau, Kimiora Poi and Ainsleyana Puleiata, they won the title after defeating Hellers Netball Mainland 43–41 in the grand final at The Trusts Arena.^[11][12] Central Zone retained the title in 2018 after defeating Waikato Bay of Plenty 62–53 in the grand final.^{[13][14][15][16]} Ahead of the 2019 season, the team adopted a new name, voted on by the public.^[17] The now renamed Central Manawa, completed a three in a row after defeating Waikato Bay of Plenty 49–46 in the 2019 grand final.^{[18][19][20][21]}

Fourth title

In 2022 with a team featuring Renee Matoe, Parris Mason and Amelia Walmsley, Central Manawa won a fourth title after defeating Mainland 49–41 in the grand final.^[22][23]

Fifth title

In 2023, with a team featuring Parris Mason, Central Manawa, won their fifth National Netball League title after defeating Northern Comets 45–43 in the grand final at TSB Bank Arena.^[24][25]

Grand Finals

Season	Winners	Score	Runners Up	Venue
2016^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]	Netball South	51–46	Central Zone	The Trusts Arena
2017^[12]^[26]	Central Zone	43–41	Hellers Netball Mainland	The Trusts Arena
2018^[13]^[14]^[15]	Central Zone	62–53	Waikato Bay of Plenty	Pulman Arena, Takanini
2019^[18]^[19]	Central Manawa	49–46	Waikato Bay of Plenty	Horncastle Arena
2022^[22]^[23]	Central Manawa	49–41	Mainland	Pulman Arena, Takanini
2023^[24]^[25]	Central Manawa	45–43	Northern Comets	TSB Bank Arena

Notable players

Internationals

  New Zealand

Karin Burger Maddy Gordon Mila Reuelu-Buchanan

Tiana Metuarau Kimiora Poi Elle Temu

  Samoa

• Eseta Autagavaia
• Ainsleyana Puleiata
• Saviour Tui

  Tonga

• 'Api Taufa
• Salote Taufa

Central Pulse players

Te Amo Amaru-Tibble Sheridan Bignall Paris Lokotui Parris Mason

Renee Matoe Renee Savai'inaea Amelia Walmsley

ANZ Premiership players

• Abby Erwood^[27]
• Kelsey McPhee
• Grace Namana^[28]

Others

• Rhiarna Ferris, New Zealand women's rugby sevens international

Sources:^{[3][10][11][16][20][21][29][30]}

NNL Player of the Year

Season	Winner
2016^[4]^[31]^[32]	Karin Burger
2017^[12]	Mila Reuelu-Buchanan
2022^[33]^[34]	Ainsleyana Puleiata

Coaches

Head coaches

Coach	Years
Yvette McCausland-Durie^[3]^[4]^[6]^[8]^[10]	2016
Natalie Milicich^[11]	2017
Pelesa Semu^[16]^[21]^[20]^[35]^[36]	2018–2019
Anna Andrews-Tasola^[30]^[37]^[38]	2019–2022
Ngarama Milner-Olsen^[39]	2022–

Assistant coaches

Coach	Years
Frances Solia^[3]^[10]	2016
Anna Andrews-Tasola^[11]^[16]^[21]^[35]	2017–2019
Emma Weenink^[30]^[40]	2019–2022
John Atkins^[30]^[40]	2019–2022
Cushla Lichtwark^[41]	2022–
Renee Matoe^[41]	2022–

Honours

• National Netball League
  • Winners: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
  • Runners Up: 2016

References

1. "National Netball League". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
2. "Global brand Beko joins forces with new National Netball League". www.scoop.co.nz. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
3. "Are the Pulse's future stars in the Central lineup for the new national league?". stuff.co.nz. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
4. (PDF). www.mynetball.co.nz. 14 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
5. "Northern gets second netball team for Beko League". stuff.co.nz. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
6. . www.netballnz.co.nz. 26 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
7. "Netball South claim thrilling national development league final". stuff.co.nz. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
8. "Central dip out to South in national netball league final". stuff.co.nz. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
9. "Central dip out to South". Manawatū Standard. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2022 – via PressReader.
10. "Central Zone Beko Team 2016 Beko Netball League - Grand Finalists (runners-up)". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
11. "Central Zone Beko Team 2017 - Beko Netball League - Champions". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
12. . www.netballnz.co.nz. 18 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
13. "Central crowned winners of the 2018 Beko Netball League". www.scoop.co.nz. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
14. "Central claim back-to-back Beko titles". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
15. "Central claim Beko League netball title". www.teaomaori.news. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
16. "Central Zone Beko Team 2018 Beko Netball League - Champions". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
17. "New name, same aim for defending Beko champs". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
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19. . www.netballnz.co.nz. 19 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
20. "Netball Central – Annual Report 2019" (PDF). www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
21. "Central Zone Beko Team 2019 Beko Netball League - Champions". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
22. "Manawa continue proud legacy with fourth title". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
23. "Central Manawa claim Synergy Hair Netball League title". www.scoop.co.nz. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
24. "Manawa secure fifth title with last quarter surge". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
25. "Central Manawa Edge Comets To Win 2023 Synergy Hair Netball League". www.scoop.co.nz. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
26. "Netball Mainland Zone Annual Report 2017" (PDF). www.netballmainland.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
27. "Win-win for Erwood and Manawa". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
28. "Diverse court roles drive Manawa shooter to new levels". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
29. "Central Zone Player Representation". www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
30. "Netball Central – Annual Report 2020" (PDF). www.netballcentral.co.nz. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
31. "Karin Burger's journey to the Central Pulse WD bib a seven year process". stuff.co.nz. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
32. "New Zealand Netball Awards – Winners". nznetballawards.co.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
33. "Silver Ferns stars Grace Nweke, Kelly Jury share netball's supreme award". stuff.co.nz. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
34. "Netball Central players/coaches dominate national awards". www.pulse.org.nz. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
35. "Successful Central Beko coaches back at the helm in 2019". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
36. "Winning Beko Netball League coach elevated to Pulse role". www.anzpremiership.co.nz. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
37. "Successful assistant ready for next step with Central Manawa". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
38. "Anna Andrews-Tasola to coach Pulse in 2024". www.pulse.org.nz. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
39. "New head coach for Central Manawa". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
40. "Two new assistants for Central Manawa". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
41. "Former players take up coaching roles with Manawa". www.netballcentral.co.nz. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.