A rampant second quarter helped GoSweetSpot Northern Mystics retain the Northern Challenge trophy when they out-paced their cross-town Stars Netball rivals 57-51 in Auckland on Saturday.
Round 6 of the 2026 ANZ Premiership sees the competition begin to tighten, with important ladder positioning and key rivalries headlining another big weekend of action.
Lee Kum Kee Sauce (“Lee Kum Kee”), the global leader of Asian sauces and condiments for over 135 years, proudly announces its official sponsorship of the ANZ Premiership, bringing its signature flavour to the country’s elite netball league. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting local communities and celebrating Aotearoa New Zealand’s sporting culture.
Pushed to the limits, the VIP Frame & Trusses Tactix stretched their winning home record to nine straight matches after holding out a fast-finishing Stars Netball with a gripping 52-50 win in Christchurch on Sunday.
Based in South Auckland, the Stars became the newest elite level netball team in 2017, representing the south and east of Auckland. With the end of the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship in 2016, the Stars joined the five other established New Zealand franchises to form the six-strong standalone ANZ Premiership.
Former Melbourne Vixens head coach Julie Hoornweg became the Stars inaugural coach and Leana de Bruin their first captain.
The Stars are based out of Bruce Pulman Park Papakura with Pulman Arena being their main home venue.
Despite their short history, the Stars have quickly evolved into a quality team and have featured in three Grand Finals (2019, 2022 and 2023), finishing runners-up on each occasion. They have also built a strong and connected support base in south Auckland, representing one of New Zealand’s largest communities.
The Stars were named after the Matariki star cluster which also features on the team’s logo, and incorporates their club colours of purple and silver.
