Northern Stars


Northern Stars are a New Zealand netball team based in South Auckland. Since 2017 [ANZ Premiership season|2017] they have competed in the ANZ Premiership. The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. They were grand finalists in 2019 and 2021.
FB Starsnetballteam

History

Formation

After Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 [ANZ Championship season|2016 season], Netball New Zealand subsequently replaced it with the ANZ Premiership. The founding members of the ANZ Premiership included the five former New Zealand ANZ Championship teams – Central Pulse, Mainland Tactix, Northern Mystics, Southern Steel and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic – plus a brand new franchise, the South Auckland-based Northern Stars. The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. Former Melbourne Vixens head coach, Julie Hoornweg, was named Stars inaugural head coach and Leana de Bruin became their first captain. Other members of the inaugural squad included vice captain Courtney Tairi plus Kayla Cullen, Maia Wilson, Malia Paseka and Sulu Fitzpatrick.

ANZ Premiership

Since 2017, Stars have played in the ANZ Premiership. They were grand finalists in 2019. In 2022, Stars were grand finalists for a second time.
;Regular season statistics
SeasonPositionWonDrawnLost
20175th4011
20186th4011
3rd609
20204th537
20214th906
2nd1104
3rd906
20245th2013
20256th109

Grand finals

;ANZ Premiership
SeasonWinnersScoreRunners upVenue
2019Central Pulse52–48Northern StarsTe Rauparaha Arena
2022Central Pulse56–37Northern StarsTSB Bank Arena
2023Northern Mystics74–56Northern StarsGlobox Arena

Home venues

Since 2018, Stars main home venue has been Takanini's Pulman Arena.
Years
Pulman Arena, Takanini2018–
Vodafone Events Centre2017
ASB Kohimarama, Auckland2017

Notable players

Internationals

Reserve team

Since 2017, Northern Comets have competed in the National Netball League. They are effectively the reserve team of Northern Stars. Comets were originally governed and managed by Netball Northern. However in November 2019, Northern Stars began to directly manage the team. In 2019, Temepara Bailey was appointed Comets head coach.
In 2021 she guided Comets to the NNL grand final.

Honours