10/05/2026
🖤🤍
GRADES FOR 2026 SEASON
The GNC Grading Committee met to consider teams and results from grading games after the completion of the grading round yesterday. Careful deliberation was given to all grades and teams, and the grades have been finalised for the remainder of the 2026 PAK’nSAVE Netball Competition.
The biggest changes to our competition format will be seen in our top grades. We have determined only 5 teams will compete for the Jan Duncan Trophy in the Premier Grade this year to ensure the competition is more evenly matched and fair for all teams. There were no other teams deemed ready at this stage to be in that 6th position with the Prem Reserve grade also having evenly matched results.
While we didn’t want to have to reduce the grade, it’s not the best growth for players to have teams in grades to make up numbers rather than provide adequate competition. Premier games will now play only on Wednesday nights, with full competition format to be conveyed to teams shortly.
To look at our strategic direction and growth for the 2027 season and beyond, we have decided to change the Prem Reserve set up to help teams develop and grow and be more of a bridge towards Premier Grade. Prem Reserve games will be played primarily in the YMCA on Saturdays and move to 12-minute quarter games as a step towards the Premier 60-mimnute matches. With 7 teams in the grade with the addition of the Old Girls Whangara team from Premier, the teams all look reasonably closely matched, and we expect some great competition to build this next level of netball growth.
The A Grade teams all had some reasonably close games with some mixed results, so it was determined these teams will all remain in the grade for the remainder of the season.
A Reserve grade sees one change with Campion Snr A relegated to 1st Grade and Smith Earthworks Turanga Panthers Gold promoted up after 4 strong wins. Turanga Pirates Mauri have been moved down, replaced with Pioneer Earthwork Solutions 1 who have been elevated from 1st Reserve.
1st Reserve and 2nd Grade have the biggest movements across the competition. With 6 extra teams this year and the re-introduction of 1st Reserve Grade, we determined some teams were just in the incorrect grade for the grading round. Teams were reseeded from the grading results and team make up, with GGHS Tuakana, Tatapouri Sportsfit Social and Turanga Pirates Manaaki moving up from 2nd Grade, while Newman & Newman Ngatapa and Waima shift to 2nd Grade to round that out for the season.
The Grading Committee have endeavoured to keep all grades set with teams to provide the best possible competition going forwards. We wish all teams well for the rest of the season, and look forward to seeing you all out there.
