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2026 Melbourne Cup sweepstake kit‘Players crying’: Inside Netball NZ’s meeting with no answers
Sport Nation • November 3rd, 2026 10:57 am
Maia Wilson | Photo: Blake Armstrong/Photosport
Mystics goal-shooting champion Maia Wilson says players were left without clarity once again about the future of the domestic competition after the players’ association met with Netball New Zealand on Monday night.
The meeting followed Netball New Zealand’s decision to end negotiations with Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams over plans to privatise the competition.
“I'm just as confused if not more confused after that meeting than I was prior to walking into it, so not necessarily any more clarity around what 2027 currently looks like,” Wilson told Sport Nation’s Scotty & Izzy.
She said the meeting had highlighted a lack of trust between players and the national body.
“I feel like there's a bit of uneasiness and I know I'm not speaking on behalf of the whole playing group here. I'm not that representative but for me personally, I could tell that there is a lot of lack of trust between the playing group and Netball New Zealand.
“There's a lot to work through in terms of rebuilding relationships and connections and hopefully we get to a place where we listen to them and we can 100 per cent believe in what's happening going forward.”
Wilson said Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennah Wootten had begun the meeting with an apology about how players learned of the decision.
“It mostly was coming from Jennah Wootten, and it started off with an apology, first and foremost, about how we found out.”
Jennah Wootten | Photo: Blake Armstrong
However, Wilson said players were not given details about the negotiations.
“We don't necessarily have details on the ins and outs, but it was made very clear that Netball New Zealand wanted to keep the confidentiality and whatever they were discussing a part of that deal is what they wanted to keep, so right now we don't necessarily have answers.”
She also shared that players were visibly distressed during the meeting.
“It was massive like there were players on that call that were crying and definitely utterly sad and upset that we've got into this situation.”
Wilson said players had also questioned whether having a voice in the negotiations might have helped keep discussions going.
“What a lot of the rhetoric that was coming from a lot of the different players on the call was ‘I wish we had a player voice at that table, maybe we could have helped whatever that discussion was to keep it going.'
“Maybe if you told us whatever was going on, we could've helped back you up on that.”
Mai Wilson raises the ANZ Premiership trophy with the Northern Mystics | Photo: Photosport
Wilson said uncertainty over next year’s competition also raised concerns about player welfare and workload.
“Also a good point that got made in the meeting last night, if anything happens next year, there's a real quick turnaround in terms of player welfare and player wellness and load.
“Hopefully we get to a point we could sign a contract and then hopefully we don't get injured because we might be required to back training a couple of weeks later so I think there's so many different pieces to this puzzle that are still unknown and that's the scary part.”
Listen to the full interview below:
