Men’s netball took centre stage last month with a three-match series between the Mystics Men and the Stars Men.
The Mystics Men took out the series 3-0 and were the first team to lift the brand-new series trophy, Te Taonga Manu Taki or The Leadership Trophy.
Most Valued Player Award
In the series, players also vied for the newly introduced Kruze Tangira MVP award, named after men’s netball legend Kruze Tangira, which was presented to the most valuable player of the series after the final game.
Congratulations to Mystics Men’s Elliot Clark, who was this years’ Kruze Tangira MVP award recipient, as well as receiving the MVP award for games 1 and 2!
Photo: Elliot Clark receiving the Kruze Tangira MVP award from Helene Wilson, NZ Men’s Open Head Coach
Coaching the Mystics Men
Mystics Men Coach, Sulu Tone, says she’s grateful for the opportunity to have coached a group of men who love the game.
“They understood that this series was about inspiring the next generation of men and paving the way for more playing opportunities,” says Sulu.
“All seventeen players have made a really big impact, both on and off the court, which I’m really proud of.”
Te Taonga Manu Taki Series
Now in its third year, the men’s series provides exposure and development opportunities for men’s netball, and this year served as a valuable testing ground for rules that could make their way into the 2025 ANZ Premiership.
The new rules allowed teams to net two points for the duration of the match from a designated zone in the shooting circle, call one ‘captain’s timeout’ of 60-seconds at any point in the match after a goal is scored, and captains could request a review of goals scored at the end of each quarter - prompting umpires to review Sky TV footage to determine if the goal counts.
The new rules added an exciting new dimension to the game.
Series results
Match #1: Sat 6 July Mystics Men 49 vs Stars Men 48
Match #2: Sat 13 July Mystics Men 66 vs Stars Men 41
Match #3: Sun 21 July Mystics Men 47 vs Stars Men 46
About Te Toanga Manu Taki
The name of the new trophy, Manu Taki, in te ao Māori, is a type of bird that represents qualities of leadership, integrity, passion and determination.
It was chosen to symbolise the qualities reflected in the people within ANZ Premiership clubs who have incorporated men’s netball into their wider vision and purpose. It also represents the hopes of both teams to display these qualities throughout the series.
