Maitland have made an outstanding start to the NSW Netball Senior State titles to sit ninth in the Open Championship Division with four wins and two losses on their home courts.
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Hundreds of teams and thousands of payers have descended on Maitland and Newcastle for the titles over the King's Birthday long weekend.
Maitland have wins against Manly Warringah, Orange, Penrith and Queanbeyan and a one-goal loss to 10th placed Northern Suburbs which if they had won would have left them fifth and a Hunter and Central Coast top five on day one.
Newcastle, who defeated Maitland 25-17 in their round two game, leads the competition with Woy Woy with the two teams both finishing with five wins and draws.
In a reflection of just how close the competition is Newcastle drew 16-all with Manly, who Maitland defeated 21-18 in the opening game.
The Maitland U-15s have one win and a draw from their opening six games to sit 14th in a very strong Division 2.
Maitland drew 18-all with Bathurst and had a 21-14 win against Woy Woy.
They start today with a game against Hawksbury City from 10.30am.
The Maitland U-17s have two wins and a draw from their six games which included a narrow one-goal loss to top-four team Inner West.
They had wins against Hawksbury City and Mudgee and a 17-all draw with Lakeside and a two-goal loss to Barellan. They sit 11th on the Division 2 table, but could quite easily have been within the top five or just outside it with an ounce of luck.
Maitland's U-17 Division 2 rivals Cessnock are having a tremendous tournament and sit seventh after day one with four wins and two losses.
Cessnock have accounted for Southern Highlands, Tamworth and Bathurst in one goal thrillers and Blue Mountains. They had a one goal loss to Callaghan District.
Maitland and Cessnock meet in the U-17 local derby on Monday at 11am.
Newcastle are one of five teams with five win, one loss records in U-15 Champions Division sitting behind top two Sutherland Shire and Northern Suburbs. In U-17 Champions Division they are fifth with four wins and two losses.
Opens Division 2 and 3 and U-15 and U-17 Divisions 3 and 4 are being held at Newcastle.
Cessnock have made an unbeaten start to U-15 Division 3 and sit equal top with Scone and District.
Cessnock are sixth in Opens Division 3 with two wins and four losses.
Kurri Kurri have yet to open their account in Opens Division 2. They are sixth in U-17 Division 3 with four wins and two losses and unbeaten at the top of the U-15 Division four table with six wins.
In Open Men Division 2, Kurri Kurri are sixth with two wins and five losses.
Play continues at Maitland and Newcastle on Sunday and Monday.
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
