With the second year of the ANZ Premiership about to get under way, much attention will focus on the impact provided by the burgeoning pool of exciting young talent on show.
The two northernmost teams in the ANZ Premiership – the SKYCITY Mystics and Northern Stars – now have a little something extra on the line for when they meet this season with a newly announced ‘Northern Challenge’ trophy up for grabs.
With two schoolgirls among the four talented up-and-coming teens in their ranks, Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse will front as the youngest line-up in 2018.
WBOP Magic are banking on the retention of a stable core of players and team unity to provide the difference in what most are predicting to be a tightly-raced contest in 2018.