2010 ANZ Championship season

See the 2010 ANZ Championship transfer period

The 2010 ANZ Championship season was the third year of the competition. Teams organised their franchises, and then went on the hunt to poach opposition players. There was excitement on both sides of the Tasman, but in New Zealand it was all coming from one team. The Northern Mystics went on a shopping spree, signing Magic stars Maria Tutaia and Joline Henry. Along with Canterbury Tactix Silver Fern Larrissa Willcox and Jamaican international Althea Byfield, to join current internationals Catherine Latu and Temepara George in Auckland. The Magic, who lost the services of Tutaia and Henry, made up for it by inking former Silver Ferns shooter Jodi Brown and Australian Peta Scholz from retirement. The new duo, teamed up with Magic stalwarts Irene van Dyk, Laura Langman and Casey Williams.

In Wellington, the Pulse who lost Byfield, made up for it by bringing in English imports Ama Agbeze and Adelaide Thunderbirds, and benchwarmer Jane Altschwager. They also snared Silver Fern defender Katrina Grant from the Steel, to form a nice looking team. At the Canterbury Tactix, the retirement of captain Julie Seymour as well as losing Jodi Brown and Sonia Mkoloma left the red and black's midcourt in all sorts of trouble. Southlander Hayley Crofts was called into the franchise, but made no impact. They initially signed off out of favour Queensland Firebirds defender Peta Stephens, but an injury ruled her out of contention.

And down south at the Southern Steel, after the retirements of star players Donna Wilkins, Adine Wilson and Megan Hutton, along with Katrina Grant moving north, it left the Steel in trouble too. They still pulled together a play off potential side. Former Silver Fern and Sting player Leana de Bruin was back from pregnancy and was pulled into the backline. With the re-signing of internationals Daneka Wipiiti, Megan Dehn, Liana Leota, Wendy Frew and Sheryl Scanlan, Steel still had high chances for 2010.

Up north in Australia, the Queensland Firebirds answered their shooting problems, by snaring Australian Diamonds star Natalie Medhurst from the Adelaide Thunderbirds. She set up a wonderful combination with returning Jamaican import Romelda Aiken. In the Firebird's midcourt, Lauren Nourse led the way without fellow Wing Attack Tamsin Greenway. The English player decided to not return for a third year of ANZ Championships netball. At the NSW Swifts, the Sydney club picked up touring, English defender Sonia Mkoloma, to give her a third franchise to play at. Mkoloma, again along with Catherine Cox, Susan Pratley and Kim Green were the key players to their line-up.

In Melbourne, the Vixens opted against bringing in an import. The 2009 champions kept consistency in their lineup. Shooters Sharelle McMahon and Caitlin Thwaites, midcourter Natasha Chokljat and defenders Julie Corletto and Bianca Chatfield all inked again with the team. At the Thunderbirds, Coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson returned as coach, along with stars Natalie von Bertouch, Kate Beveridge, Mo'onia Gerrard and import Geva Mentor. After the loss of Medhurst, and which speculation since has arisen Woodlands-Thompson wanted rid of her, she was replaced by former netballer, turned basketball player Carla Borrego. The tall Jamaican would become a huge hit.

The cash strapped West Coast Fever again kept their coach Jane Searle, and the core group of players. There were no huge changes in the Perth team's line-up, apart from Leah Shoard returning to Australia, after a year with the Steel and Janelle Lawson returning home from the Firebirds.

An early pre-season tournament was held in early February in Christchurch. This tournament featured the Steel and Tactix, as well as a New South Wales state team, in which the Steel emerged undefeated. The first of the major pre-season tournaments in 2010 was held in Queenstown, New Zealand from 19–21 February, featuring the Firebirds, Mystics, Pulse, Tactix and Steel, along with a team from the Australian Institute of Sport. The Queensland Firebirds emerged undefeated from the Queenstown tournament.[3]

The official pre-season tournament is the Netball Cup (formerly the SOPA Cup), which was held in Sydney from 5–7 March. In 2010, the tournament was contested between the Firebirds, Swifts, Vixens, Thunderbirds and Fever from Australia, and the Pulse and Steel from New Zealand. Once again, the Queensland Firebirds went through the tournament undefeated to emerge champions.[4]

The Festival of the Stars is a charity match where two celebrity teams play each other to win money for their charities. The captains of the match in 2010 were the Australia's ONE HD Sunday commentators, Luke Darcy and Liz Ellis.[10] The match was played in two 15-minute halves and umpired by Natalie Medhurst and Wendy Fleming.[11] The celebrity teams were as follows:

During the match, Darcy's team scored the first two goals, giving them a two-goal lead, however Ellis' team came back with two goals from Spencer. Late in the half, Archer scored a goal on the goal circle (not legal in standard rules) and that was the only goal scored by him. At the end of the first half, Darcy's team lead 4-3. In the second half, a change was made by Ellis' team with Ellis moving to WD and shifting Archer and Swanson to GD and GK respectively to add more height in the defense circle, while Darcy placed Twigley to GA and Hughes to WD. Later on, Ellis called time to put Melbourne Vixens player Caitlin Thwaites at GS, moving Moloney to WD, Ellis to GK and benching Swanson. After a thrilling battle, despite Thwaites's goals and tricks and Spencer's long range shot on goal, Darcy's team won the match by two goals. As a result, the MARS Red beyondblue team won $10,000 for winning the match as well as $2,000 for scoring the first goal in both halves and $100 for every goal scored after, adding up to $12,900 for the beyondblue charity. The Holden Cruze National Breast Cancer Foundation team won $5,000 as runner-up prize and $100 for every goal scored, adding up to $5,900 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation charity.

As of 21 June 2010.[12]