ANZ Premiership Grand Final heading to Palmerston North

The 2018 ANZ Premiership will be bookended by games at Fly Palmy Arena after Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse earned hosting rights for the Grand Final.

After winning the minor premiership, the Pulse will host the final in Palmerston North on August 12.

It was three months ago when the Pulse opened their campaign on Super Sunday at Fly Palmy Arena with victory over the Waikato-BOP Magic, and since then they have shown they are worthy minor premiers.

The Yvette McCausland-Durie coached side dominated the first half of the season before a loss to the SKYCITY Mystics, Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel and Silvermoon Tactix showed a few chinks in what had looked like an impenetrable armour.

Now they aim to go one step better than last year where they lost to the Steel in the title decider.

The advantage of playing at home is not lost on Pulse captain Katrina Grant who said it was a major plus to host the biggest game of the season.

They hope to have a capacity crowd of more than 2,500 to cheer them on and win their first ANZ Premiership crown.

“A home final means the world to us,” she said.

“We made the final last year and it was pretty hard playing in Invercargill. But when you’ve got a home crowd, we’re hoping we can go one better.”

They will play the winner of the Elimination Final which is being hosted by the Steel in Invercargill on August 8.

Ticket prices for the ANZ Premiership Grand Final start from $15 for a child and $30 for an adult. Premium tickets can also be purchased at $60.

Grand Final tickets will go on sale at the end of next week.