Southern Sting
Encyclopedia
The Southern Sting were a netball
team based in Invercargill
, New Zealand
that competed in The National Bank Cup competition, formerly known as the Coca Cola Cup.
The Southern Sting team won the National Bank Cup seven times and are the only team to have competed in all 10 of the finals of the competition.
In 2008, the Sting were merged with Otago Rebels
to compete as the Southern Steel
in the trans-tasman ANZ Championship
.
The new Southern Steel are still based in Invercargill and play the majority of their matches on the Sting's home court, Stadium Southland
.
Sting's website entry: 1998 season
1998 was the beginning of the Sting phenomenon. Ascot Park Hotel Southern Sting was not even ranked by pundits at the start of the new Coca-Cola Cup season and franchise holder Southern TeamCo was hoping for a top four finish.
But the team had other ideas, and so did its supporters. From day one, Southlanders were behind the team and players were astonished when they arrived for their first game at Centennial Hall on Friday, March 27. The car park and surrounding streets were full and the game was a sell-out.
The starting lineup against the Auckland Diamonds
was Donna Loffhagen
and Camille Grubb shooting, Kirsty Broughton, Tasha Marshall and Reinga Bloxham through the mid-court and Bernice Mene
and Michelle Krynen on defence. Debbie Munro came into the shooting circle in the third quarter and Southern Sting won 55-51, a major boost to the team, which then went on to Christchurch to another win, this time against the Canterbury Flames
, 55-53, on Sunday, March 29.
The team had another double-header the next weekend, with both games at home in front of sell-out crowds. The first game, against the Waikato Wildcats, was a walk-over, with Sting winning easily 78-41. On the Sunday it was a different story. Sting was up against the favourites, the Otago Rebels
, and lost 54-61, but the fans never bagged the team.
Sting played the next game away and after being five down with four minutes left, came back to beat the Shakers 50-48.
Halfway through the season and a record of four wins, one loss, Sting was looking good and took another win, 56-39, against the Northern Force away from home. However, its star shooter Loffhagen was injured and missed the next game, against the CMTV Cometz, which the Sting lost narrowly, 42-44.
A week later, Loffhagen was still unable to play and the Sting played the Bay of Plenty Magic away from home, beating it 50-43. Then it was back home for the final round robin game, against the Western Flyers and with Loffhagen playing. It was on fire to win 68-48.
Sting was second equal with the Flames on the points table, behind the Rebels, but Sting had scored 80 more goals than the Flames and so took the home semi-final after some issues around television coverage. It took only half an hour to sell all the available tickets for the semi-final and 60 minutes to just beat the Flames 59-58, thanks in part to the unbroken noise from the fans. The Rebels beat the Diamonds to gain the home advantage in the final a week later, but that was no deterrent to intrepid Sting fans. Operation Sting swung into place, with university students, from Southland, paid to wait overnight to buy extra tickets for Southlanders. Then the Southlanders themselves lined up, some for 35 hours, to get the tickets.
A convoy of 13 buses chartered by the Invercargill Licensing Trust
took many of the Southland fans to Dunedin
for the final, which see-sawed between the Rebels being well out in front, to the Sting leading, to the Rebels pulling away finally to win 57-50. But as a letter to The Southland Times said, the team “did us proud.”
2007 Season (Sting first)
The Sting took the 2007 title to regain the National Bank Cup
for the 7th and final time from the Northern Force
in Auckland
50-49. Coach Robyn Broughton featured in her 100th match, and the cup returned to its home after two seasons with the Waikato/BOP Magic.
Through the regular season, the Sting defeated out some tough opposition, including the Auckland Diamonds
and Otago Rebels
.
Magic were knocked out of the competition a week earlier in Invercargill
by the Sting, 50-48. Former Silver Fern Julie Coney believing it was the competition's best ever match.
Through the season, the Invercargill
based team won all but one round robin game. Favourites to take the title, their season was put in question when they went down to the Silver Fern studded Northern Force
in the major semi final. But fighting back, Sting celebrated with a city parade a month later after the final, where Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt
congratulated the team. The competition's cup still sits proudly in the Stadium Southland
trophy cabnit, along side the national leagues old cup - the Coca Cola.
Robyn would be joined by several assistant's during the ten years of the Sting. Julie Carter, Tania Dalton
and Belinda Colling
all had stints as assistant coach for various reasons including injury.
In 2008, when the ANZ Championship
started, Broughton successfully applied for the role as coach of the Southern Steel
. She guided the team to the finals series twice in four seasons and retired from coaching in 2011.
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
team based in Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
that competed in The National Bank Cup competition, formerly known as the Coca Cola Cup.
The Southern Sting team won the National Bank Cup seven times and are the only team to have competed in all 10 of the finals of the competition.
In 2008, the Sting were merged with Otago Rebels
Otago Rebels
The Otago Rebels was a New Zealand netball team which represented Otago in the National Bank Cup.Otago Rebels were the first team to win the inaugural Coca-Cola Cup...
to compete as the Southern Steel
Southern Steel
The Southern Steel are a New Zealand netball team based in Invercargill that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup, the Dunedin-based Otago Rebels and the Invercargill-based Southern Sting...
in the trans-tasman ANZ Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
.
The new Southern Steel are still based in Invercargill and play the majority of their matches on the Sting's home court, Stadium Southland
Stadium Southland
Stadium Southland is an international sports complex in Invercargill, New Zealand. The stadium was completed in May 2000. The main SBS Sports Arena in the stadium has a capacity of 4,500, with temporary seating...
.
Notable players
- Bernice MeneBernice MeneBernice Mene MNZM is a New Zealand netball player.Mene represented New Zealand playing netball for the Silver Ferns for tens year, playing 78 tests. She captained the domestic team the Southern Sting from 1998–2003, with the team winning the National Bank Cup each year she captained except for...
(Silver Ferns Captain) - Lesley Rumball (Silver Ferns Captain)
- Adine WilsonAdine WilsonAdine Rachel Wilson Harper is a New Zealand international netball representative.-Personal background:...
(Silver Ferns Captain) - Donna WilkinsDonna WilkinsDonna Wilkins is one of New Zealand's leading sportswomen, representing her country in both netball and basketball. She became married to Southland farmer Mike Wilkins on 17 March 2007...
(Silver Ferns Captain) - Jenny FergusonJenny FergusonJenny Ferguson is a retired New Zealand netball player. Ferguson played domestic netball with the Otago Rebels from 2000–02 and the Southern Sting from 2003–07, captaining the side in 2007. She is also a former New Zealand A captain. Ferguson announced her retirement from all aspects of netball...
(New Zealand A Captain) - Natalie AvellinoNatalie AvellinoNatalie Avellino is a retired Australian netballer, and current co-coach of the Southern Steel netball team in the ANZ Championship...
(Australian Vice-Captain) - Janine Topia (New Zealand A)
- Julie Carter (Silver Ferns Captain)
- Naomi Siddall (England Vice-Captain)
- Boulu Raboka (Fijian Captain)
- Megan HuttonMegan HuttonMegan Hutton is a New Zealand retired netball player. Hutton normally plays in the goal keeper position. She also played basketball for Southland....
(New Zealand A Captain) - Daneka WipiitiDaneka WipiitiDaneka Wipiiti is a New Zealand international netball player. She is currently in the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and plays with the Southern Steel in the ANZ Championship....
(Silver Ferns Squad) - Liana Leota (Silver Ferns Squad)
- Belinda CollingBelinda CollingBelinda Louise Colling is a New Zealand international netball and women's basketball representative.-Netball career:...
(Silver Ferns Captain) - Tania DaltonTania DaltonTania Dalton is a New Zealand former international netball player. She currently works as a netball commentator on SKY Sports for international tests, the ANZ Championship and National Championships, alongside former internationals Anna Stanley, Natalie Avellino, Kathryn Harby-Williams and Bernice...
(Silver Ferns Squad) - Erika BurgessErika BurgessErika Burgess is a New Zealand netball player. Burgess plays for the Southern Steel in the ANZ Championship, having previously played for the Western Flyers and Southern Sting in the National Bank Cup...
(Silver Ferns Squad) - Leana de BruinLeana de BruinLeana de Bruin is a South African and New Zealand international netball player. De Bruin played 34 tests for South Africa before moving to New Zealand in 2000...
(Silver Ferns Squad) - Wendy Frew née Telfer (Silver Ferns Squad)
Inaugural season
1998 Season (Sting first)- Rd1: Sting v Auckland Diamonds (55-51)
- Rd2: Sting v Canterbury Flames (55-53)
- Rd3: Sting v Waikato Wildcats (78-41)
- Rd4: Sting v Otago Rebels (54-61)
- Rd5: Sting v Capital Shakers (50-48)
- Rd6: Sting v Northern Force (56-39)
- Rd7: Sting v CMTV Cometz (42-44)
- Rd8: Sting v BOP Magic (50-43)
- Rd9: Sting v Western Flyers (68-48)
- Semi: Sting v Canterbury Flames (59-58)
- Final: Sting v Otago Rebels (50-57)
Sting's website entry: 1998 season
1998 was the beginning of the Sting phenomenon. Ascot Park Hotel Southern Sting was not even ranked by pundits at the start of the new Coca-Cola Cup season and franchise holder Southern TeamCo was hoping for a top four finish.
But the team had other ideas, and so did its supporters. From day one, Southlanders were behind the team and players were astonished when they arrived for their first game at Centennial Hall on Friday, March 27. The car park and surrounding streets were full and the game was a sell-out.
The starting lineup against the Auckland Diamonds
Auckland Diamonds
The Auckland Diamonds were a regional netball team which represented Auckland-Waitakere and Counties Manukau Netball in New Zealand's National Bank Cup...
was Donna Loffhagen
Donna Wilkins
Donna Wilkins is one of New Zealand's leading sportswomen, representing her country in both netball and basketball. She became married to Southland farmer Mike Wilkins on 17 March 2007...
and Camille Grubb shooting, Kirsty Broughton, Tasha Marshall and Reinga Bloxham through the mid-court and Bernice Mene
Bernice Mene
Bernice Mene MNZM is a New Zealand netball player.Mene represented New Zealand playing netball for the Silver Ferns for tens year, playing 78 tests. She captained the domestic team the Southern Sting from 1998–2003, with the team winning the National Bank Cup each year she captained except for...
and Michelle Krynen on defence. Debbie Munro came into the shooting circle in the third quarter and Southern Sting won 55-51, a major boost to the team, which then went on to Christchurch to another win, this time against the Canterbury Flames
Canterbury Flames
The Canterbury Tactix are a New Zealand netball team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team was one of the founding franchises in the National Bank Cup, formerly the premier netball competition in New Zealand , during which the team...
, 55-53, on Sunday, March 29.
The team had another double-header the next weekend, with both games at home in front of sell-out crowds. The first game, against the Waikato Wildcats, was a walk-over, with Sting winning easily 78-41. On the Sunday it was a different story. Sting was up against the favourites, the Otago Rebels
Otago Rebels
The Otago Rebels was a New Zealand netball team which represented Otago in the National Bank Cup.Otago Rebels were the first team to win the inaugural Coca-Cola Cup...
, and lost 54-61, but the fans never bagged the team.
Sting played the next game away and after being five down with four minutes left, came back to beat the Shakers 50-48.
Halfway through the season and a record of four wins, one loss, Sting was looking good and took another win, 56-39, against the Northern Force away from home. However, its star shooter Loffhagen was injured and missed the next game, against the CMTV Cometz, which the Sting lost narrowly, 42-44.
A week later, Loffhagen was still unable to play and the Sting played the Bay of Plenty Magic away from home, beating it 50-43. Then it was back home for the final round robin game, against the Western Flyers and with Loffhagen playing. It was on fire to win 68-48.
Sting was second equal with the Flames on the points table, behind the Rebels, but Sting had scored 80 more goals than the Flames and so took the home semi-final after some issues around television coverage. It took only half an hour to sell all the available tickets for the semi-final and 60 minutes to just beat the Flames 59-58, thanks in part to the unbroken noise from the fans. The Rebels beat the Diamonds to gain the home advantage in the final a week later, but that was no deterrent to intrepid Sting fans. Operation Sting swung into place, with university students, from Southland, paid to wait overnight to buy extra tickets for Southlanders. Then the Southlanders themselves lined up, some for 35 hours, to get the tickets.
A convoy of 13 buses chartered by the Invercargill Licensing Trust
Invercargill Licensing Trust
The Invercargill Licensing Trust is a Licensing Trust in the city of Invercargill in New Zealand.It has a monopoly on the development of premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages, and associated accommodation, in the city and uses the profits from these to fund school, sports and...
took many of the Southland fans to Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
for the final, which see-sawed between the Rebels being well out in front, to the Sting leading, to the Rebels pulling away finally to win 57-50. But as a letter to The Southland Times said, the team “did us proud.”
Final season
2007 Squad- Natalie Avellino
- Sarah Barnes
- Liana Barrett-Chase
- Erika Burgess
- Hayley Crofts
- Jenny Ferguson
- Megan Hutton
- Donna Loffhagen (now Wilkins)
- Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit
- Wendy Telfer
- Adine Wilson
- Daneka Wipiiti
2007 Season (Sting first)
- Rd1: Sting vs Force (46-51)
- Rd2: Sting vs Flyers (67-34)
- Rd3: Sting vs Shakers (81-33)
- Rd4: Sting vs Magic (65-44)
- Rd5: Sting vs Rebels (60-50)
- Rd6: Sting vs Diamonds (50-42)
- Rd7: Sting vs Flames (54-46)
- Semi 1: Sting vs Force (39-47)
- Semi 2: Sting vs Magic (50-48)
- Final: Sting vs Force (50-49)
The Sting took the 2007 title to regain the National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
for the 7th and final time from the Northern Force
Northern Force
The Northern Force were the northern-most team in Netball New Zealand's former premier competition - the National Bank Cup. For the 2008 ANZ Championship the Force merged with the Auckland Diamonds to create the Northern Mystics....
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
50-49. Coach Robyn Broughton featured in her 100th match, and the cup returned to its home after two seasons with the Waikato/BOP Magic.
Through the regular season, the Sting defeated out some tough opposition, including the Auckland Diamonds
Auckland Diamonds
The Auckland Diamonds were a regional netball team which represented Auckland-Waitakere and Counties Manukau Netball in New Zealand's National Bank Cup...
and Otago Rebels
Otago Rebels
The Otago Rebels was a New Zealand netball team which represented Otago in the National Bank Cup.Otago Rebels were the first team to win the inaugural Coca-Cola Cup...
.
Magic were knocked out of the competition a week earlier in Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
by the Sting, 50-48. Former Silver Fern Julie Coney believing it was the competition's best ever match.
Through the season, the Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
based team won all but one round robin game. Favourites to take the title, their season was put in question when they went down to the Silver Fern studded Northern Force
Northern Force
The Northern Force were the northern-most team in Netball New Zealand's former premier competition - the National Bank Cup. For the 2008 ANZ Championship the Force merged with the Auckland Diamonds to create the Northern Mystics....
in the major semi final. But fighting back, Sting celebrated with a city parade a month later after the final, where Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt
Tim Shadbolt
Timothy Richard "Tim" Shadbolt is a New Zealand politician. He is the Mayor of Invercargill and was previously Mayor of Waitemata City.-Early life:...
congratulated the team. The competition's cup still sits proudly in the Stadium Southland
Stadium Southland
Stadium Southland is an international sports complex in Invercargill, New Zealand. The stadium was completed in May 2000. The main SBS Sports Arena in the stadium has a capacity of 4,500, with temporary seating...
trophy cabnit, along side the national leagues old cup - the Coca Cola.
Coach
Robyn Broughton coached the Southern Sting for all ten years of the National Bank Cup. During her time she won seven National Bank Cup and Coca Cola Cup titles, and led her team to every single final. She also spent three years as assistant coach of the Silver Ferns from 1998-2000. Robyn has also held other national coaching positions including the head coach of the New Zealand A squad, and is currently in charge of the Silver Ferns Fastnet team.Robyn would be joined by several assistant's during the ten years of the Sting. Julie Carter, Tania Dalton
Tania Dalton
Tania Dalton is a New Zealand former international netball player. She currently works as a netball commentator on SKY Sports for international tests, the ANZ Championship and National Championships, alongside former internationals Anna Stanley, Natalie Avellino, Kathryn Harby-Williams and Bernice...
and Belinda Colling
Belinda Colling
Belinda Louise Colling is a New Zealand international netball and women's basketball representative.-Netball career:...
all had stints as assistant coach for various reasons including injury.
In 2008, when the ANZ Championship
ANZ Championship
The ANZ Championship is the pre-eminent netball league in the world. The competition is held annually between April and July, comprising 69 matches played over 17 weeks. It is contested by ten teams, five from Australia and five from New Zealand...
started, Broughton successfully applied for the role as coach of the Southern Steel
Southern Steel
The Southern Steel are a New Zealand netball team based in Invercargill that compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The franchise was formed as an amalgamation of two teams from the National Bank Cup, the Dunedin-based Otago Rebels and the Invercargill-based Southern Sting...
. She guided the team to the finals series twice in four seasons and retired from coaching in 2011.
Competition record
- 2007- 1st
- 2006- 2nd
- 2005- 2nd
- 2004- 1st
- 2003- 1st
- 2002- 1st
- 2001- 1st
- 2000- 1st
- 1999- 1st
- 1998- 2nd
External links
- Southern Sting official website
- Southern Sting profile at Netball New ZealandNetball New ZealandNetball New Zealand is the national body which oversees, promotes and manages netball in New Zealand, including the Silver Ferns.Other competitions overseen include:*ANZ Championship – Premier Domestic Competition...