Northern Stars coach Kiri Wills won't be taking a backward step going into this year's ANZ Premiership.
Wills has recruited some promising young players and has also linked with New Zealand's most successful basketball team, the Breakers.
She says, “Adding in the likes of Grace Kara (nee Rasmussen) and Ama Agbeze is only going to be good for us. They lead by example and they are quiet leaders who just get on and do stuff. And you have got the likes of Kayla Cullen from last year along with Fa’amu Ioane and Holly and it’s all very exciting.”
"I’m really pleased at the way Ellen Halpenny has come back from overseas, she has really come onto the court and put it out there every training so I’m pleased with her and Paula Griffin who has come back from a knee injury," says Wills.
"I think it’s the ones who have come back from adversity I have been pleased with most- and our new recruit Oliva Coughlan. She is a country girl from Canterbury and she has found Auckland a little bit stressful but she has really slotted in well.”
The successful New Zealand under-21 netball coach looks to bring the winning formula into the Northern Stars franchise.
The experience with the Breakers has given Wills and the squad the motivation they require.
“They are one of the most successful franchises New Zealand has ever produced so it was a no-brainer to just flick them an email and say, 'can I come in and have a look?' and they have opened the doors and they have let me in and let the players in, and have let the analysts in and our physio and that’s most recent”.
The side, who are in their second season, hopes to rid themselves of the unwanted tag of newbies to the competition.
“The competition is a lot more even this year with the steel not having Jhaniele Fowler-Reid and that evens the playing field a lot but they are all strong," says Wills, "I think the Mystics are traditionally strong and they have kept a core there, and the senior players, so they are going to be dangerous. [The] Pulse, they have got youth and experience in there and they could be exciting and I think Tactix will be a team to keep an eye on”.
Wills says the 2018 ANZ Premiership will be a year of success.
