The brand new Premier League season for 2016/17 starts THIS WEEKEND!
As we look ahead to the start of the New Year, we also take a glance back at last season to get excited about what’s to come.
Where better to start than Premier League 1?
Defending champions Oldham got the 2015/16 season off to a great start with a 76-26 win over Hucclecote.
This form continued into a hotly contested match against The Downs which ended in a 43-all draw.
They then lost to Academy by an agonisingly close 44-43 and Academy went on to take the title.
They won the league recording 16 out of 18 wins, only losing to New Cambell 49-52 and Oaksway 36-41.
Newly promoted Viper 10 Blades finished 7th overall and they took wins over Leeds Athletic, New Cambell, Hucclecote, Team Bath and drew 43-all with Oaksway!
At the end of the season, Leeds Athletic retained their place, while Team Bath were relegated and Worcester Reds were promoted into the league.
With a new team entering the league bright-eyed and bushy tailed, this is bound to be another incredible season of netball for Premier League One.
Premier League 2
Tameside finished victorious in Premier League Two by winning all their games – this record beats the 14 wins they notched up last year!
Worcester Reds had been relegated into Premier League Two for the 15/16 season, but quickly put the disappointment behind them as they recorded 12 wins and came second.
At Premier League Playoffs they secured their promotion back into Premier League One for the 2016-17 season.
Team Jets had previously been promoted into Premier League Three and then straight up into Premier League Two last season but couldn’t quite challenge for the hat trick and finished fifth.
Two new sides have entered Prem Two for 2016/17 with Chester promoted from three and Team Bath relegated from one.
Ryland and Premier Romans remained in the division, with Romans doing so by the skin of their teeth!
At the play off weekend they lost their last game by less than five goals, meaning they got two points and therefore finished one point ahead of Sussex Thunder.
If they had lost by more than five goals Sussex Thunder would have been promoted into the division – you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll both be looking to come out fighting this season.
It’s going to be a cracker!
Premier League 3
Linden had a great season building on their 2014/15 seventh place finish to record 15 wins and claim the title. Their 15 wins include a 38-34 win over Cumberland (who finished fourth in 14/15) and three one-point victories over Riverside, Sussex Thunder and Chester.
Dominoes and Norfolk United ended the season joint on 61 points. They were separated on goal difference with Dominoes having a superior one and claiming fourth with Norfolk having to settle for fifth.
After the play off weekend, Sussex Thunder remained in the division and Grangetown were relegated into Premier League Two.
Not only this, but three regional teams in Poole, Billericay and Charnwood were promoted into Prem with Hornets, Dudley Leisure and Riverside being relegated into their respective regional leagues.
This is set to be the most exciting year yet, with relegated teams pushing hard to regain their places and promoted teams wanting to retain their places!
Here’s a round-up of this Sunday’s upcoming fixtures:
Premier League 1:
11.30am – Leeds Athletic v Academy @ Leeds Beckett University
12pm – The Downs v Turnford @ St Catherine’s School
12pm – Viper 10 Blades v Worcester Reds @ Sparsholt College
12pm – New Cambell v Oaksway @ Dagenham Park Leisure Centre
1.30pm – Tameside v Oldham @ Wright Robinson College
Premier League 2:
11am – Kent County v Hucclecote @ The Osterberg Sports Centre
12pm – Chester v Clan @ Christleton Sports Centre
12.30pm – Ryland Netball v Team Bath Toucans @ Bromsgrove School
1pm – Team Jets v Telstars @ Fort Regent Leisure Centre
2pm – Linden v Premier Romans @ Nechells Community Sports Centre
Premier League 3:
10.30am – Sussex Thunder v Thoroughbreds @ Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
12.30pm – Norfolk United v Poole NC @ Sportspark, University of East Anglia
12.30pm – Grangetown v Leyton @ Grangetown Youth & Community Centre
12.30pm – Billericay v Charnwood Sapphires @ St John Payne Catholic School
1pm – Cumberland v Dominoes @ The Franklin Building
This is also the first time the National Premier League has had an official sponsor in Mizuno! This partnership will see every athlete named Player of the Match in Premier League One receive a pair of trainers and an award and Premier League’s Two and Three Player of the Match will receive an award with further prizes at the end of the season.
Excited yet? We are! Good luck to all teams, officials and volunteers involved in the Premier League this season.
