Both Canterbury and Otago pushed today's Finalists very hard in yesterday's Semi-Finals so it was no suprise that both teams were confident of a win to secure third placing.

From the start it seemed that Canterbury were going to run away with the match, as wing attack Maree Bowden found goal shoot Shelly Norris under the hoop with ease. But Otago were not about to let the lead blow out that easily, and closed the goal difference to five before the first quarter ended.

Jo Morrison took the court for Otago in the second term, but her ankle injury prevented her from staying on the court for more than two minutes and she was quickly replaced by Jodi Brown. Otago also brought on Rihi Salter at wing attack and Lizzie Sandom at goal attack. However, Canterbury's determination was not shaken, as defenders Victoria Smith and Ana Galvan snatched any rebound or ball that came their way.

The second half was all red-and-black as Otago struggled to find their form on attack, and Canterbury raced away to win the final two quarters 15-7 and 18-11.

 Western won promotion to Division 1 in 2008 and have kept their place after defeating Division 2 runners-up Bay of Plenty.

Everything was on the line for both teams going into this epic clash as North needed a win to secure their spot in Division One, and Wellington were looking to break back into the top division.

Unbeaten in their round robin and playoff matches and with six ANZ Championship Pulse players in their side, Wellington began quickly, moving the ball and creating space throughout the midcourt. North's goal shoot Courtney Mita and goal attack Brigitte Tapene shot at 100% for the first 13 minutes, but a lack of the ball meant they had only 13 shots at goal in that quarter. Down the other end of the court Te Amo Amaru Tibble and Jamilah Gupwell made 86% of their 22 first quarter attempts.  

The second quarter was much like the first as Wellington surged ahead. Wellington goal keep Bessie Manu's elavation combined with the speed of Gerardine Solia blunted the power of North's shooting end.

Great circle defence by North goal keep Jess Quinn and goal defence Charmaine Smith in the third quarter created valuable turnovers for North but the team failed to capitalise on their efforts, lacking connectivity through court.

North held their own in the last quarter as talented young goal shoot Carli Botes began to find her range, but Wellington held their own and will now compete for the major title in Division One of the 2010 Perry Foundation National Netball Champs, a position they well deserve.

Southland player-coach Natalie Avellino focussed on her coaching role, after suffering a heavy fall at the end of yesterday's semi-final, but her absence from the court for the Final was keenly felt by her talented young side. 

The game opened evenly, as Jade Topia opened the scoring for Auckland Waitakere, and Ashleigh Smith replied almost immediately for Southland. However, after seven minutes of play, and confident shooting by Topia & Cathrine Latu, despite the close attentions of Dana Bond and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, Auckland Waitakere held a five-goal lead. They maintained that margin for much of the quarter with assertive work on defence and sharp feeding into the goal circle, but Southland began to show more conmtrol and composure in the last few minutes and pulled Auckland Waitakere's lead back to three goals by the first break.  

A Dana Bond intercept, a held ball against Auckland Waitakere, and two swift goals by Smith and Julianna Naoupu made Southland's intentions clear in the first two minutes of the second quarter. Dynamic work and careful feeding by Hayley Crofts kept the ball rolling for Southland and after five minutes only two goals separated the teams.

Auckland Waitakere wrestled back control of the ball supply and converted most of it to open up an eight-goal lead three minutes before half-time. Brooke Williams and Amenda Payne worked hard in this period, ensuring plenty of opportunities for Latu & Topia who continued to make around 90% of their combined shots, while Naoupu & Smith struggled against Anna Scarlett and Rachel Rasmussen.

Southland's Erika Burgess, Crofts and Kerry McKenzie tirelessly worked the ball time and again through Auckland Waitakere's mobile, hustling mid-court zone defence, but their young shooters still found it hard to convert while Latu & Topia kept slotting almost all of their attempts. Scarlett's athleticism and Rasmussen's strength makes them a highly effective defensive pair, and together they kept a steady flow of ball going down the court. The outcome was a 12-goal lead for the northerners at three-quarter time.

Surrender isn't in the Southland vocabulary, and neither Avellino nor her team was about to give up the game, and the title with a quarter still to play. During the break Avellino reminded her players they had lost the 3rd quarter by only two goals, 10-8, and to play the final 15 minutes "one goal at a time."  She made one change to her line-up, sending Erin Aston on at wing attack for McKenzie; while Auckland Waitakere coach Paula Bailey sent Rawinia Everitt to centre, with Payne replacing Debbie White at wing defence. During the quarter Susan Tagicakibau and Bailey Mes stepped into the goal shoot and goal atack roles for Auckland Waitakere.

To their credit both Smith and Naoupu kept taking their shots, although their combined accuracy didn't improve, and their team-mates stuck resolutely to their work. However, with the New Zealand Cup firmly in their sights, Auckland Waitakere continued to apply their experience & confidence with purpose throughout the court, and powered home to a convincing and thoroughly well-deserved victory.