The rivalry between Australia’s and New Zealand’s netball teams is renowned, the stories of the battles between the two nations repeated with reverence over the generations. But as the Australian Diamonds prepare to defend their Constellation Cup title when the series begins on Thursday, a shadow hangs over the sport on this side of the Tasman, in the form of frustrating delays to the signing of the collective playing agreement (CPA) between Netball Australia and the players.
Despite this impasse, there has not been a similar standoff from the governing body that occurred before the World Cup, where Netball Australia delayed naming the squad until the contracts were signed. It was an attempt to put pressure on the Australian Netball Players’ Association (ANPA) that did not work and the contracts remain unsigned, with all players now off contract.
