Northern Stars are a New Zealand netball team based in South Auckland. Since 2017 they have competed in the ANZ Premiership. The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. They were grand finalists in 2019 and 2021.
History Formation After Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season, Netball New Zealand subsequently replaced it with the ANZ Premiership. The founding members of the ANZ Premiership included the five former New Zealand ANZ Championship teams – Central Pulse, Mainland Tactix, Northern Mystics, Southern Steel and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic – plus a brand new franchise, the South Auckland-based Northern Stars. The team was named after the Matariki star cluster which is also featured on the team's logo. Former Melbourne Vixens head coach, Julie Hoornweg, was named Stars inaugural head coach and Leana de Bruin became their first captain. Other members of the inaugural squad included vice captain Courtney Tairi plus Kayla Cullen, Maia Wilson, Malia Paseka and Sulu Fitzpatrick.
ANZ Premiership Since 2017, Stars have played in the ANZ Premiership. They were grand finalists in 2019. In 2022, Stars were grand finalists for a second time.
Regular season statistics Season Position Won Drawn Lost20175th4011 20186th4011 3rd609 20204th537 20214th906 2nd1104 3rd906 20245th2013 20256th109
Grand finals ANZ Premiership Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2019Central Pulse52–48Northern StarsTe Rauparaha Arena2022Central Pulse56–37Northern StarsTSB Bank Arena2023 Northern Mystics74–56Northern StarsGlobox Arena
Home venues Since 2018, Stars main home venue has been Takanini's Pulman Arena.
YearsPulman Arena, Takanini2018–Vodafone Events Centre2017ASB Kohimarama, Auckland2017
Notable players 2026 squad
Internationals
Temepara Bailey Leana de Bruin Gina Crampton Monica Falkner Sulu Fitzpatrick Ellen Halpenny Anna Harrison Kayla Johnson Amorangi Malesala Grace Kara Storm Purvis Elle Temu Anna Thompson Courtney Tairi Mila Reuelu-Buchanan Malia Vaka Maia Wilson Katrina Rore
Ama Agbeze
Kelera Nawai-Caucau Afa Rusivakula
Julianna Naoupu
Leana de Bruin
Vika Koloto
Daystar Swift
Captains YearsLeana de Bruin2017, 2019Grace Kara2018, 2020 Maia Wilson2021–
Coaches Head coaches Coach YearsJulie Hoornweg2016–2017 Kiri Wills2017–2024 Temepara Bailey2025–
Assistant coaches Coach YearsTemepara Bailey2017–2020 Paula Smith2021–2024 Leana De Bruin2025–
Main sponsors Sponsors Seasons Robinhoodc. 2020–
Reserve team Since 2017, Northern Comets have competed in the National Netball League. They are effectively the reserve team of Northern Stars. Comets were originally governed and managed by Netball Northern. However in November 2019, Northern Stars began to directly manage the team. In 2019, Temepara Bailey was appointed Comets head coach. In 2021 she guided Comets to the NNL grand final.
Honours
ANZ Premiership Runners Up: 2019, 2022, 2023
References
External links Official website Northern Stars on Facebook