2019 Central Pulse season

The 2019 Central Pulse season saw the Central Pulse netball team compete in the 2019 ANZ Premiership.^[1][2] With a team coached by Yvette McCausland-Durie, captained by Katrina Rore and featuring Karin Burger, Aliyah Dunn, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Sulu Fitzpatrick, Pulse finished the regular season as minor premiers.^[3][4][5] In the grand final, Pulse defeated Northern Stars 52–48, winning their first premiership.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

Central Pulse
2019 season
Head coach	Yvette McCausland-Durie
Asst. coach	Sandra Edge
Manager	Joanne Holmes
Captain	Katrina Rore
Main venue	TSB Bank Arena
Season results
Wins–losses	14–2
Regular season	1st
Finals placing	ANZ Premiership winners
Team colours

Players

Player movements

Gains and losses

Gains	Losses
Maddy Gordon (Central Zone) Elle Temu (Central Zone)	Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (Northern Stars) Rene Savai'inaea [11] (Central Manawa)

Source:^[1][12]

2019 roster

2019 Central Pulse roster
Players	Coaching staff
Nat. Name Position(s) DoB Height Karin Burger GD, WD, GK (1993-04-12)12 April 1993 (aged 25) 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) Aliyah Dunn GS (1999-10-19)19 October 1999 (aged 19) 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Ameliaranne Ekenasio GS, GA (1991-01-11)11 January 1991 (aged 28) 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Sulu Fitzpatrick GD, GK (1992-08-20)20 August 1992 (aged 26) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Maddy Gordon C, WA, WD (2000-01-16)16 January 2000 (aged 19) 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) Claire Kersten WD, C (1989-07-09)9 July 1989 (aged 29) 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) Tiana Metuarau GA, WA, GS (2001-01-15)15 January 2001 (aged 18) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Katrina Rore (c) GK, GD, WD (1987-05-06)6 May 1987 (aged 31) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Whitney Souness C, WA (1995-11-12)12 November 1995 (aged 23) 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) Elle Temu GK, GD (1999-08-03)3 August 1999 (aged 19) 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	Head coach Yvette McCausland-Durie Assistant coach Sandra Edge Manager: Joanne Holmes High Performance Director/Specialist Coach: Waimarama Taumaunu Specialist Coach: Irene van Dyk Physiotherapist: Tim Doyvbsch Strength and conditioning: Adam Allen Athlete Life: Helen Regan Nutrition: Rebecca Jones Mental Skills: Natalie Hogg Notes (c) – Captain (cc) – Co-captain (vc) – Vice-captain – Injury / maternity leave (TRP) – Temporary Replacement Player

Sources:^{[1][4][12][13]}

Pre-season

In early February, Pulse traveled to Brisbane and played a series of matches against Queensland Fusion and the Queensland under-19 team.^[14] Pulse also hosted the official ANZ Premiership pre-season tournament at Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Ōtaki on February 8–10.^[15]

Fri 8 Feb	Central Pulse	64–45	Mainland Tactix	Te Wānanga o Raukawa
11:00am

Fri 8 Feb	Central Pulse	36–27	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic	Te Wānanga o Raukawa
6:00 pm

Sat 9 Feb	Central Pulse	64–48	Northern Stars	Te Wānanga o Raukawa
11:00pm

Sat 9 Feb	Central Pulse	42–29	Northern Mystics	Te Wānanga o Raukawa
6:00 pm

Sun 10 Feb	Central Pulse	59–52	Southern Steel	Te Wānanga o Raukawa
1:00 pm

Sources:^[16][17][18]

Regular season

Fixtures and results

Round 1

Sun 24 Feb	Northern Mystics	39–62	Central Pulse	Claudelands Arena
6:10 pm	Kristina Brice  18/21 (86%) Bailey Mes  15/24 (63%) Jamie Hume  6/9 (67%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  37/40 (93%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  22/29 (76%) Tiana Metuarau  3/5 (60%)

Round 2

Mon 4 Mar	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic	37–43	Central Pulse	Energy Events Centre
7:40 pm	Monica Falkner  16/21 (76%) Abigail Latu-Meafou  12/15 (80%) Kelsey McPhee  9/14 (64%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  25/26 (96%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  18/26 (69%)

Round 3

Sun 10 Mar	Central Pulse	52–40	Mainland Tactix	Fly Palmy Arena
4:10 pm	Aliyah Dunn  41/45 (91%) Tiana Metuarau  11/14 (79%)	Report Stats	Ellie Bird  28/31 (90%) Kate Beveridge  8/10 (80%) Brooke Leaver  4/7 (57%)

Round 4

Mon 18 Mar	Northern Stars	50–61	Central Pulse	Pulman Arena
7:40 pm	Maia Wilson  35/43 (81%) Ellen Halpenny  6/10 (60%) Charlee Hodges  9/12 (75%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  43/45 (96%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  17/25 (68%) Tiana Metuarau  1/2 (50%)

Round 5

Mon 25 Mar	Central Pulse	54–50	Southern Steel	TSB Bank Arena
7:40 pm	Ameliaranne Ekenasio  34/37 (92%) Aliyah Dunn  20/23 (87%) Tiana Metuarau  0/3 (0%)	Report Stats	Lenize Potgieter  23/27 (85%) Te Paea Selby-Rickit  18/19 (95%) Jennifer O'Connell  9/11 (82%)

Round 6

Sun 31 Mar	Central Pulse	48–33	Mainland Tactix	The Trusts Arena
2:10 pm	Ameliaranne Ekenasio  21/26 (81%) Tiana Metuarau  15/20 (75%) Aliyah Dunn  12/12 (100%)	Report Stats	Ellie Bird  21/22 (95%) Kate Beveridge  10/14 (71%) Brooke Leaver  2/6 (33%)

Source:^[19]

Round 7

Wed 10 Apr	Southern Steel	50–66	Central Pulse	More FM Arena
7:40 pm	Lenize Potgieter  33/38 (87%) Te Paea Selby-Rickit  17/22 (77%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  37/37 (100%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  29/34 (85%)

Round 8

Wed 17 Apr	Central Pulse	59–49	Northern Mystics	Te Rauparaha Arena
7:40 pm	Aliyah Dunn  43/47 (91%) Tiana Metuarau  9/11 (82%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  7/9 (78%)	Report Stats	Grace Nweke  24/30 (80%) Bailey Mes  20/25 (80%) Jamie Hume  5/5 (100%)

Round 9

Sun 21 Apr	Central Pulse	54–33	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic	TSB Bank Arena
4:10 pm	Aliyah Dunn  30/32 (94%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  22/32 (69%) Tiana Metuarau  2/3 (67%)	Report Stats	Monica Falkner  18/24 (75%) Kelsey McPhee  8/11 (73%) Abigail Latu-Meafou  4/7 (57%) Khiarna Williams  3/3 (100%)

Round 10

Mon 29 Apr	Mainland Tactix	44–62	Central Pulse	Horncastle Arena
7:40 pm	Ellie Bird  39/42 (93%) Kate Beveridge  4/8 (50%) Brooke Leaver  1/1 (100%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  36/38 (95%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  26/31 (84%) Tiana Metuarau  0/1 (0%)

Round 11

Sun 5 May	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic	45–53	Central Pulse	Stadium Southland
2:10 pm	Kelsey McPhee  28/38 (74%) Monica Falkner  17/20 (85%)	Report Stats	Ameliaranne Ekenasio  28/37 (76%) Aliyah Dunn  20/24 (83%) Tiana Metuarau  5/7 (71%)

Mon 6 May	Southern Steel	62–52	Central Pulse	Stadium Southland
7:40 pm	Lenize Potgieter  45/47 (96%) Te Paea Selby-Rickit  17/21 (81%) Georgia Heffernan  0/3 (0%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  32/34 (94%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  20/26 (77%)

Sources:^[20][21]

Round 12

Mon 13 May	Central Pulse	68–42	Northern Stars	TSB Bank Arena
7:40 pm	Aliyah Dunn  28/34 (82%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  33/37 (89%) Tiana Metuarau  7/9 (78%)	Report Stats	Maia Wilson  32/40 (80%) Charlee Hodges  7/12 (58%) Ellen Halpenny  3/10 (30%)

Round 13

Mon 20 May	Northern Mystics	60–54	Central Pulse	The Trusts Arena
7:40 pm	Grace Nweke  47/58 (81%) Bailey Mes  13/19 (68%)	Report Stats	Aliyah Dunn  39/44 (89%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  9/17 (53%) Tiana Metuarau  6/9 (67%)

Sources:^[4]

Final standings

2019 ANZ Premiership ladder v t e
Pos	Team	P	W	L	GF	GA	GD	G%	BP	Pts
1	Central Pulse	15	13	2	856	676	180	126.6	0	39
2	Southern Steel	15	12	3	946	809	137	116.9	2	38
3	Northern Stars	15	6	9	785	840	-55	93.5	3	21
4	Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic	15	5	10	713	793	-80	89.9	0	15
5	Mainland Tactix	15	5	10	740	849	-109	87.2	0	15
6	Northern Mystics	15	4	11	786	859	-73	91.5	2	14

  Qualified for Grand final
  Qualified for Elimination final

Source:^[5][22]

Finals Series

Grand final

Mon 3 Jun 2.00pm		Central Pulse	52–48	Northern Stars		Te Rauparaha Arena	Sky Sport
		Scoring by quarter: 12–10, 27–25, 40–34, 52–48
		Aliyah Dunn  40/43 (93%) Ameliaranne Ekenasio  12/19 (63%)		Maia Wilson  34/41 (83%) Charlee Hodges  14/20 (70%)

Sources:^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

National Netball League

With a team featuring Api Taufa, Ainsleyana Puleiata and Saviour Tui, Pulse's reserve team, now renamed Central Manawa, won the 2019 National Netball League title after defeating Waikato Bay of Plenty 49–46 in the grand final.^[2][4][11]

Award winners

New Zealand Netball Awards

Award	Winner
Silver Ferns Player of the Year	Ameliaranne Ekenasio
ANZ Premiership Coach of the Year	Yvette McCausland-Durie

Sources:^{[2][23][24][25][26]}

Team of the season

Four Pulse players were included in Stuff's team of the season, selected by Brendon Egan.

Position	Player
GA	Ameliaranne Ekenasio
C	Claire Kersten
WD	Karin Burger
GD	Katrina Rore
Coach	Yvette McCausland-Durie

Sources:^[27]