2009 ANZ Championship 69 matches, 17. rounds, 1 title
Saturday, April 4, 2009 heralds the start of the much-anticipated return season of the ANZ Championship featuring the world’s best netballers in full flight.
Over 14 rounds, the 10 teams will duel for a coveted finals berth, culminating in the grand final showdown in late July.
In a repeat of the successful 2008 draw format, each team will once again take on their home country rivals twice and play teams from across the Tasman once.
The popular Monday night fixtures return on both sides of the Tasman and more Sunday broadcast games are scheduled in Australia to be aired by Channel TEN.
Melbourne Vixens host the season-opener against West Coast Fever on April 4 whilst later that day Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel take on Central Pulse in Invercargill.
The Adelaide Thunderbirds face their first road trip, heading north to challenge the Queensland Firebirds on Sunday, April 5.
Reigning premiers, the NSW Swifts launch their assault on the 2009 title at home against SKOPE Tactix on Monday, April 6 whilst 2008 runners-up Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic head to Auckland to duel with LG Northern Mystics.
ANZ Championship General Manager, Anthony Everard says fans will have a great opportunity to see some exciting clashes from the opening round of the competition.
“We’ve produced a draw that enables each team to be highly competitive and also enhances the entertainment and public appeal of this elite sporting competition,” he said.
All teams have a bye round during the 14 week home and away fixture.
The top four teams after the home-and-away season will contest the ANZ Championship Finals Series from July 11 with the season finale on either July 26 or 27.
COMPETITION NAME: ANZ Championship
SEASON: April 4 – July 27/28, 2009
NUMBER OF GAMES: 65 home and away matches over 14 rounds
MATCH DAYS: Saturday afternoons, Sunday afternoons, Monday nights
FINALS SERIES: Three weeks - two semi-finals, preliminary final and grand final
WEBSITE: www.anz-championship.com
TEAMS: 5 from Australia, 5 from New Zealand
DRAW:
· 69 matches over 17 weeks from April 4 to July 27-28, 2009
· Each team hosts 6 or 7 home games
· Each team gets one bye weekend
· Australian teams play each other twice and New Zealand teams once
· New Zealand teams play each other twice and Australian teams once
MATCH TIMES:
· 4 or 5 matches per week across Australia and New Zealand
· Saturday afternoons, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights
· More games on Sunday in Australia in 2009
· Anzac Day feature round on Saturday, April 25 with Pulse v Fever and Vixens v Steel
Coverage of all matches on Network TEN in Australia and SKY Sport in New Zealand
NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR:
ANZ Bank is the Naming Rights Sponsor for the competition.
HISTORY:
NSW Swifts won the 2008 title, defeating Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic in the final.
Adelaide Thunderbirds finished third, with Melbourne Vixens fourth.
BROADCAST PARTNERS
Network TEN(Australia) and SKY Television (SKY) in New Zealand will broadcast all 69 matches. Broadcast schedules will be released at a later date.