An ever-improving Central Manawa are hoping to continue their winning momentum when taking on the Comets in the final round of the Synergy Hair Netball League (SHNL) in Auckland on Saturday.
With the season reduced to just the one round, it has given teams no wriggle room to make amends or the opportunity of a final between the top two, Manawa needing a last-round win and for Mainland to trip up in their final outing, against the Blast, for any hope of securing the title.
An agonising one-goal loss to Mainland earlier in the season has counted against Manawa but on the flip side, Netball Central has continued its unrivalled legacy of nurturing the next crop of homegrown talent while providing the pathway for higher honours.
One of those is teenaged midcourter Te Arani Vulu, fresh out of St Mary’s College Wellington, a prolific nursery with a glowing track record of producing netball talent that goes on to bigger and better things.
A talented sporting allrounder, Vulu, 18, is a former member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools netball team as well as having played in the New Zealand U18 7s rugby team and New Zealand 7s Development team.
The youngest in this year’s Manawa team, Vulu, a fleet-footed and robust midcourter with deft footwork, a strong pass and physical ability to thrive, has adapted quickly to the step up and played a part in every game this season.
“It’s been really fun, I’ve met lots of cool people, learnt a lot of new things and it’s been an enjoyable season,” she said.
“This level is really different, so much faster and a lot more pressure but that’s been all good.”
With the sporting world at her young feet, Vulu, at this stage, is leaning towards putting her full concentration into netball, a sport she has spent most of her life playing and which at the moment consumes the majority of her spare time.
“I’d just love to keep learning as much as I can, get that experience and obviously I’d love to hopefully play an ANZ game one day for the Pulse,” she said.
For the moment, the main focus for Manawa is to continue the steady build they’ve shown through the season and finish with a powerful showing. A comprehensive 76–47 win over Waikato Bay of Plenty last week has them well-primed.
“Losing by one (against Mainland) was a bit painful and not having another chance to go again is a little bit hard but it is what it is,” Vulu said. “We’ve been building over the last couple of weeks, so we’re just looking to have a good last game.
“Every week we’ve grown, every single player. All of us new ones have all stepped up and we’ve been really lucky to have the older players and past players who have been really helpful. It’s a really good team environment, it’s been really fun and just great to be part of.”
Loving her netball, Vulu is also loving her step into the working world where she has fulltime employment at a kōhanga (early childhood centre).