A new format is set to add an extra edge to the trans-Tasman netball competition season starting on Saturday, as Melbourne Vixens bid to become the first defending champions from Australia to avoid the dreaded premiership hangover.
The ten teams have been split into separate national conferences, with three from each advancing to an expanded finals series.
Cynics in Australia might suggest the new format was only devised to ensure New Zealand qualified a team for the final, something it hasn't done since 2012, when Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic became the only Kiwi franchise to ever win the competition.
Australian teams have won the tournament in the other six seasons, but all subsequently suffered inexplicable meltdowns the following year, with none of them making it back to the finals.
The competition still awaits it's first back-to-back champion, as Magic remain the only defending title holder to make the semi-finals the following year.
Last season's grand finalists have each retained their starting seven from that decider.
Vixens have replaced the retired Catherine Cox with another veteran shooter in Carla Dziwoki.
"It's just the little things that can make a big difference so you really just have to be at the top of your game and that has been our focus in this pre-season," Vixens' coach Simone McKinnis said.
Firebirds, losing grand finalists for the past two years, added Test veteran Rebecca Bulley to a strong defence featuring two other Diamonds, Laura Geitz and Clare McMeniman.
Geitz missed the pre-season competition after recovering from surgery, but will play in the Firebirds' season opener against West Coast Fever.
"She's definitely like a caged tiger at the moment and can't wait to get out there and play," Firebirds' coach Roselee Jencke said of Geitz.
Of the Australian teams NSW Swifts recruited the best, adding Diamonds defender Julie Corletto and England midcourter Jade Clarke to their roster.
Second season Swifts coach Rob Wright can potentially field a full starting seven of Test players.
"There are so many options that we can go with," Swifts' and Diamonds defender Sharni Layton said.
Fever, the only Australian team never to have won the competition have sparked hopes of a maiden finals appearance after recording the only unbeaten record in the pre-season competition
"We're not shying away from the fact that we want to win (more games)," new Fever coach Stacey Rosman said.
The loss of England defender Eboni Beckford-Chambers has been covered by the arrival of Erena Mikaere, the first New Zealand import to sign for an Australian team, and Diamonds representative April Letton.
Adelaide Thunderbirds will be confident of improving on last year's lowly eighth position, after adding Test defenders Beckford-Chambers and Amy Steel to their roster and getting vice-captain Leigh Waddington back from a knee reconstruction.
"When Leigh went down the Thunderbirds went down last year," Thunderbirds' coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson said.
Of the New Zealand teams, Steel and Tactix, who finished fifth and tenth respectively, made the most roster changes, followed by the seventh-placed Mystics, who lost Test players Corletto and Bailey Mes.
The Magic, New Zealand's only semi-finalist last year and coached by Australian Julie Fitzgerald, didn't make any big name signings, while sixth-placed Pulse added NZ Test shooters Jodi Brown and Ameliaranne Wells.
THE LOWDOWN ON AUSTRALIA'S FIVE TRANS-TASMAN NETBALL COMPETITION TEAMS
ADELAIDE THUNDERBIRDS
Based: Adelaide
Coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson
Finish last year: Eighth
Main gains: Eboni Beckford-Chambers, Amy Steel, Nicola Gray
Main losses: Rebecca Bulley
Comment: The addition of international defenders Eboni Beckford-Chambers and Amy Steel will stiffen their defence and should help the Thunderbirds challenge for a finals spot after finishing a disappointing eighth last year.
MELBOURNE VIXENS
Based:Melbourne
Coach: Simone McKinnis
Finish last year: Premiers
Main gains: Carla Dziowki
Main losses: Catherine Cox, Erin Hoare, Amy Steel, Caitlyn Strachan
Comment: Should mount a strong defence after retaining their starting seven from their grand final win, but have lost most of their bench players from last year, so depth could be an issue
QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS
Based: Brisbane
Coach: Roselee Jencke
Finish last year: Losing grand finalist
Main gains: Rebecca Bulley, Gretel Tippett, Caitlyn Strachan
Main losses: Demelza Fellowes, Ameliaranne Wells, Nicola Gray
Comment: The losing grand finalists for the past two years have added experienced defender Bec Bulley to a strong roster which includes the seven starters from last season's decider.
NSW SWIFTS
Based: Sydney
Coach:Rob Wright
Finish Last year: Losing semi-finalist
Main gains: Julie Corletto, Jade Clarke, Erin Hoare
Main losses: Gretel Tippett, April Letton, Carla Dziwoki
Comment:A genuine title contender who can field a full Test seven following the recruitment of Diamonds' defender Julie Corletto and England midcourter Jade Clarke.
WEST COAST FEVER
Based: Perth
Coach Stacey Rosman
Finish last year: Ninth
Main gains: Erena Mikaere, April Letton.
Main Losses: Eboni Beckford-Chambers.
Comment: A strong performance at the pre-season shootout under their new coach has raised hopes of a maiden finals appearance for Fever, who have lost England star Eboni Beckford-Chambers, but have added the first New Zealand import for an Australian team in defender Erena Mikaere.
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