Men’s netball will take centre stage again in 2025 with a three-game series between the
Mystics Men and Stars Men in late June and July.

It is the fourth consecutive year the teams will take part in the series aimed at providing
exposure and development opportunities for men’s netball.

Games will be played ahead of ANZ Premiership matches and broadcast on Sky Sport, with
teams competing for the series trophy Te Taonga Manu Taki, or The Leadership Trophy. In
Te Ao Māori, Manu Taki is a type of bird that represents the qualities of leadership, integrity,
passion and determination. It has been chosen to symbolise the qualities reflected in the
people within ANZ Premiership clubs who have incorporated men’s netball into their wider
vision and purpose. It also represents the hopes of both teams to display these qualities
throughout the series.

Players are also vying for the coveted Kruze Tangira MVP award, named after men’s netball
legend Kruze Tangira, to be presented to the most valuable player of the series after the final
game.

Netball Northern Zone and Mystics CEO Phil Vyver says, “We are now in our fourth year of
delivering this series alongside the Stars and we are thrilled to continue our role on
promoting men’s netball.”

The Mystics Men are proud to welcome Peter McInnes as Head Coach for the 2025 season.
With over 20 years of coaching experience, Peter brings a strong background in high-
performance and athlete development. In 2024, he held key roles with the NZ Men’s Fast5
and U23 teams and led both Open Women’s and Mixed teams at Netball Waitakere. He also
serves as Athlete Development and Pathways Lead at Netball Northern.

Joining him as Assistant Coach is Paula Smith, who brings valuable expertise from her
coaching roles with the Northern Stars as assistant coach and with the Fast5 Ferns. Smith
offers strategic insight and a strong understanding of player growth and game analysis,
contributing significantly to high-performance netball environments.

“I’m excited to lead the Mystics Men this season,” says McInnes. “It’s a great opportunity to
showcase the talent in men’s netball and continue building on the strong foundations of the
programme.”

Rounding out the Mystics Men’s management team is Team Manager Nikola Kemp, who
brings a wealth of experience from her long-standing involvement in the wider Mystics
organisation. She will be joined by accomplished physiotherapist Emma Mackie and
Strength and Conditioning Coach Milly Farquar. Together, they form a dedicated support
team committed to preparing the squad for their upcoming three-game series against the
Stars Men’s team.

Players from across New Zealand are invited to trial on Saturday, 24th May from 12pm to
5pm in Auckland. A selection panel will then name a squad of twelve to contest the series.

The men’s invitational series was first established in 2022 and spearheaded by Kruze
Tangira and former Mystics women’s head coach Helene Wilson, who shared a vision to
create a platform for men’s netball to thrive.

The series will be played as follows:
Monday 30th June 5.35pm – Pulman Arena, Papakura
Sunday 6th July 2.05pm – Trusts Arena, Henderson
Sunday 13th July 2.05pm – Trusts Arena, Henderson