New netball champions to be crowned after elimination of dominant Crinums
JOBURG - New Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League champions for 2017 will be crowned on the weekend of 17 June.
There will be new champions of the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League this year following the brutal collapse of Free State Crinums after dominating the league for the past three years.
The Crinums were eliminated from the competition by the Southern Stings.
The final is scheduled for the weekend of 17 and 18 June but the qualifiers for the semis still have to overcome the semi-final hurdles on 10 and 11 June.
Read: Highlights of super netball matches
The teams that have made the grade are the two Gauteng representatives, Golden Fireballs and the Jaguars, along with the North West Flames and the Western Cape’s Southern Stings.
At stake in the finals is a trip to New Zealand for the winning team, leaving on 29 June to participate in various matches. Addressing the media in Johannesburg, captains of the four semi-finalists were unanimous in their desire to be crowned champions.Jaguars skipper Shadine van der Merwe said she was looking forward to her team shaking off the bridesmaids’ tag they have become synonymous with, in the past three years of the championships.
“This time we want to nail it and finally get married as opposed to accompanying the brides as we have done in the last three years,” she said, seemingly oozing with confidence ahead of the semis.
Fireball captain Zanne-Marie Pienaar said they had strengthened their side with star players poached from almost every team in the league and she was quietly confident her team would be in the final.
On the possibility of a derby final between themselves and the Jaguars, Pienaar said they may be friends with the Jaguars off the pitch but it was a different ball game on the pitch.
Chate Bester of the Flames said they have a grudge match against the Fireballs. “We want to pay revenge after being beaten in the previous encounter,” she said. “We’re ready for them and may the best team win the semis.”
Stings skipper Rochelle Loubser said the win against three-time champions, the Crinums, had given her team a positive vibe that may help them overcome the Jaguars who triumphed over them in an earlier encounter.
SAB brand manager for Brutal Fruit and Redds, Kudzi Mathabire and Netball South Africa president Mimi Mthethwa-Zulu wished the teams well.
Which two teams do you think will be in the finals? Like the Alex News Facebook page to post your comments.
