Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic: History, Honours and the 2026 Squad

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a professional netball team based in Hamilton, representing the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of New Zealand’s North Island. Known simply as the Magic, the side plays in the country’s top domestic league and holds a unique place in trans-Tasman netball history as the only New Zealand team ever to win the old ANZ Championship. This guide explains where the team came from, what it has won, who runs and plays for it today, and how you can follow or support the Magic.

From two clubs to one: how the Magic formed

The Magic were created in 1998 when two neighbouring sides — the Waikato Wildcats and the Bay of Plenty Magic — combined into a single franchise, first taking the court together as one team in the 1999 season. Both clubs had been founder members of New Zealand’s semi-professional league of the era, known at different times as the Coca-Cola Cup and then the National Bank Cup. Merging pooled the playing talent of two strong netball regions into one competitive unit, and the combined team kept the “Magic” name.

Today the franchise is governed by Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty, the regional body that also runs community and representative netball across the two provinces. The team draws players from one of the largest netball catchments in the country, which has long made it a reliable producer of national-level talent.

Home courts and the region

Hamilton is the Magic’s home base. Since 2012 their main home venue has been Globox Arena (previously known as Claudelands Arena) in the city; before that, matches were played at the Mystery Creek Events Centre. Because the franchise represents two regions, the Magic also take selected home games on the road — historically to ASB Baypark Stadium in Tauranga and the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua — so that supporters across the Bay of Plenty can watch the team in person.

If you are new to the area’s grassroots scene, our guide to netball in Hamilton covers the local clubs, courts and how to register to play, which feeds the wider pathway that eventually leads to franchises like the Magic.

The 2012 title and the ANZ Championship years

The defining moment in the club’s history came in 2012. Playing in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship — a competition that ran from 2008 to 2016 and combined the leading New Zealand and Australian teams — the Magic became the only New Zealand side ever to win the league title during its nine-year existence. In the early years of that competition, Australian teams were widely considered the stronger of the two nations, so the win carried extra weight on both sides of the Tasman.

The 2012 run was dramatic. The Magic lost their opening four matches, then turned the season around with twelve straight wins. In the grand final they edged the Melbourne Vixens 41–38 in Melbourne, with shooter Irene van Dyk sinking 25 goals. The side was coached by Dame Noeline Taurua — now the long-serving Silver Ferns coach — and captained by Laura Langman, who was named the season’s Most Valuable Player.

The 2012 triumph was not a one-off purple patch. Across the ANZ Championship era the Magic were the most consistent New Zealand team, reaching the grand final three times (2008, 2010 and 2012) and topping the New Zealand Conference in 2015 and 2016. Before that, in the National Bank Cup, they were national champions in both 2005 and 2006.

Part of what made that period so strong was continuity: Dame Noeline Taurua coached the side for more than a decade, building a culture around a tight defensive unit and a deadly shooting circle. Having two of the game’s greatest-ever players in van Dyk and Langman at the same time gave the Magic a spine few opponents could match, and the club’s ability to develop local talent alongside those stars kept the team competitive year after year.

The Magic in the ANZ Premiership

When the ANZ Championship ended after the 2016 season, New Zealand launched its own standalone competition, the ANZ Premiership, in 2017. The league is contested by six New Zealand franchises — the Magic, the Northern Mystics, the Northern Stars, the Central Pulse, the Mainland Tactix and the Southern Steel — who play each other home and away before a top-four finals series decides the title. The Magic have competed in it every year since its launch.

The honest picture of this era is that silverware has been hard to come by. The franchise has not yet reached an ANZ Premiership final, and its best regular-season finishes have been fourth place (in 2017, 2019 and 2024). In 2024 the team came agonisingly close, winning nine games and missing the playoffs by a single competition point. One of the league’s recurring storylines is the Magic’s rivalry with the Northern Mystics, who hold a clear edge in their head-to-head history — a measure of how far the Hamilton side has had to travel to close the gap on the competition’s strongest teams.

The 2026 campaign was a rebuilding year. After several senior departures, the Magic started winless through their first six rounds before registering their first victory with a one-goal buzzer-beater, and they again missed the four-team finals series. The competition was won by the Northern Mystics, who beat the Southern Steel 56–46 in the grand final. The Magic’s season ended on 13 June 2026 with a hard-fought 53–42 loss to the minor-premier Mystics in Hamilton.

Coach, co-captains and the 2026 squad

Mary-Jane Araroa has been the Magic’s head coach since 2021. For the 2026 season the team moved to a shared leadership model, with defender Erena Mikaere and wing defence Georgie Edgecombe named co-captains after long-serving captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio chose to remain in Wellington rather than return north. Mikaere passed 150 national-league appearances during the 2026 season, while Edgecombe swept the club’s main player awards.

The squad blends experienced heads with emerging talent, including two New Zealand Under-21 representatives brought in to add depth. The table below lists the 2026 playing group and their court positions. (Netball positions are abbreviated: GS goal shoot, GA goal attack, WA wing attack, C centre, WD wing defence, GD goal defence, GK goal keep — explained in full in our guide to the seven netball positions.)

Squads change each year through trades, retirements and national-pathway call-ups, so always check the team’s official channels for the current list before a new season.

Notable players in Magic history

The Magic jersey has been worn by some of the biggest names in New Zealand netball. The 2012 championship core featured goal shoot Irene van Dyk, midcourt general and captain Laura Langman, defenders Casey Kopua (née Williams) and Leana de Bruin, and rising talent Julianna Naoupu. Other internationals associated with the club over the years include Maria Folau (née Tutaia), Joline Henry and Joanne Harten, the last of whom was named a competition MVP during her time in Hamilton.

That track record reflects the franchise’s long-standing investment in player development. A steady flow of Magic players has gone on to represent the Silver Ferns, New Zealand’s national team, with several current squad members regularly named in national trial and development groups.

Community role and how to follow the Magic

Off the court, the Magic are active across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty through coaching clinics, school visits and community events, which helps connect the professional side to the grassroots clubs that feed it. The franchise sits at the top of a regional pathway that begins with junior and club netball and runs up through secondary-school, representative and National Netball League teams. Promising players are typically spotted in regional representative netball, invited into development and training squads, and given game time before stepping up to the full ANZ Premiership roster — the same route that has carried a long line of local athletes into black dresses and, in many cases, the national team.

For the club, this pathway matters as much as results on the scoreboard. Keeping talented juniors in the region, rather than losing them to larger centres or to Australian clubs, is central to the Magic’s long-term plan to return to the top of the table. Naming-rights backing from Avis since 2023, alongside regional sponsors, helps fund the coaching, travel and high-performance support that a modern professional franchise needs.

Fans can buy tickets and memberships, shop for merchandise and read team news on the Magic’s official website, and follow the team on social media for squad announcements and match updates. ANZ Premiership matches are broadcast within New Zealand, so you can also watch the Magic live on television and streaming during the season, which typically runs over autumn and winter.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where are the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic based?

The Magic are based in Hamilton and represent both the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. Their main home venue is Globox Arena in Hamilton (formerly Claudelands Arena), and they have historically played selected home games in Tauranga and Rotorua so that supporters across both regions can see the team.

Have the Magic ever won a national or trans-Tasman title?

Yes. The Magic won the National Bank Cup in 2005 and 2006, and in 2012 they became the only New Zealand team ever to win the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship, beating the Melbourne Vixens 41–38 in the grand final. In the current ANZ Premiership they have not yet reached a final, with a best finish of fourth.

Who coaches and captains the Magic?

Mary-Jane Araroa has been head coach since 2021. For the 2026 season the team was co-captained by defender Erena Mikaere and wing defence Georgie Edgecombe, after former captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio moved on from the club.

What is considered the Magic’s greatest achievement?

Their 2012 ANZ Championship title. After losing their first four games, the side strung together twelve straight wins and defeated the Melbourne Vixens in the final, coached by Dame Noeline Taurua and captained by Laura Langman — a result that remains unmatched by any other New Zealand franchise.

How can I watch the Magic or buy tickets?

Tickets, memberships and team news are available on the Magic’s official website. ANZ Premiership matches are also broadcast on television and streaming within New Zealand during the season, so you can follow the team live without travelling to a venue.