Netball has been played in Rotorua since the 1930s, and the city is home to what is widely described as New Zealand’s largest club netball tournament. Whether you want to join a club, enter a social team or bring a school side to a spring tournament, almost everything runs through one organisation and one venue.
Key points
- Netball in Rotorua is run by the Netball Rotorua Centre at the Westbrook complex, Malfroy Road West.
- Westbrook has 16 outdoor courts, resurfaced in a redevelopment costing about NZ
.58 million.
- The Kurangaituku tournament, first played in 1933, is one of New Zealand’s largest club events and marked 90 years in 2025.
- It runs over three weekends — social grades, then competitive and Masters grades, then school and representative teams.
- Junior grades follow the Woolworths futureFERNS pathway; the Year 5–6 format changes from 2027.
Who runs netball in Rotorua
Local netball is administered by the Netball Rotorua Centre, based at the Westbrook complex on Malfroy Road West. The centre is affiliated to Netball New Zealand and sits within the Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty zone. It runs club competitions, junior grades, umpire development and representative teams, and can be reached on 07 348 6578 through the Netball Rotorua Centre website on the Sporty platform.
Beyond the headline spring tournament, the centre organises a club competition through the winter season with grades for seniors, social players and juniors, and offers umpire and coaching development. The elite franchise covering Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s premier league is the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. Players who move away for study or work often continue in nearby centres such as netball in Hamilton, the zone’s largest hub.
The Westbrook netball courts
Unlike cities where netball is spread across several suburbs, Rotorua’s game is centred on a single site. The Westbrook Netball complex off Malfroy Road West has 16 outdoor, sealed courts. The number was reduced from 20 during a redevelopment costing about NZ$1.58 million, which resurfaced the courts — several with a cushioned Rebound Ace sporting surface — and brought them up to modern standard.
On site there is a pavilion with an upstairs area used by officials, spectator space and a car park adjoining Malfroy Road West. The courts, pavilion and car park are all smoke-free. Courts are marked to the standard 50mm line width used throughout the sport; full measurements are in our netball court dimensions guide.
Because the complex is outdoors and largely unsheltered, conditions matter. Local players consistently point to wind and cold as the main things to plan for, and there is little shade on hot days, so layers, sunscreen and a warm sideline jacket are sensible whatever the season.
Westbrook complex facts
| Location | Malfroy Road West, Westbrook, Rotorua |
| Courts | 16 outdoor, sealed courts (reduced from 20 in redevelopment) |
| Surface | Resurfaced; cushioned Rebound Ace on part of the complex |
| Line markings | Standard 50mm width |
| On site | Pavilion, spectator areas and car park |
| Smoke-free | Courts, pavilion and car park |
| Run by | Netball Rotorua Centre — 07 348 6578 |
| Worth knowing | Exposed, largely unsheltered site — dress for wind and cold; limited shade in summer |
The Kurangaituku Netball Tournament
This is the event that puts Rotorua on the netball map. Held every spring, it draws hundreds of teams from across the North Island and beyond.
Where the name comes from
The first tournament was played in 1933, when the Rotorua Borough Council ran a Spring Carnival to promote the town as a tourist destination. The council commissioned master carver Pine Taiapa to carve a trophy from a single block of wood — the Kurangaituku Trophy, named after the birdwoman Kurangaituku from the Māori legend of Hātupatu. The A-grade winner still lifts that carved wooden trophy today. In more than nine decades the tournament has been cancelled only twice: in 1945 during the Second World War and in 2020 because of Covid-19. The 2025 event marked 90 years.
How the tournament grew
It began with six representative teams on two courts at the Government Gardens. It expanded to about 100 teams on 10 courts over two days at Kuirau Park, then to two weekends on 20 courts with roughly 300 teams. Today it runs across three weekends to make room for school-aged players, with recent editions attracting around 350 teams in total. Because the resurfaced complex now has 16 courts rather than 20, entries are sometimes capped.
The three-weekend format
The three weekends split the grades by type of team and level, as summarised below.
| Weekend | Grades | Who can enter |
|---|---|---|
| One | Social grades C, D, E and F | Club teams |
| Two | A, B, C and D grades plus Masters (35+) | Club teams |
| Three | Year 7–8, Year 9–10 and Year 11–13 | School and representative teams |
The opening weekend covers the social grades — C, D, E and F. The middle weekend is the more competitive block: A, B, C and D grades plus a Masters division for players aged 35 and over. The final weekend belongs to school teams, from intermediate (Year 7–8) through junior secondary (Year 9–10) to senior secondary (Year 11–13).
Entry rules and eligibility
Entry is limited to club teams for the first two weekends, with school and representative teams entering the third. Every team must be affiliated to an association under Netball New Zealand and must nominate an umpire, and the tournament committee reserves the right to re-grade any team to keep matches even. Under Netball Rotorua’s regulations, intermediate teams may include up to three boys in each area of the court; the collegiate and senior secondary grades were girls-only in 2025.
Loyalty runs deep. Auckland’s Jolly Netball Club — founded in 1975 by the Leef sisters and named after its original soft-drink sponsor — has travelled to Rotorua every year since it formed, marking 50 consecutive tournaments in 2025 across four generations of the same whānau. Entry fees and exact dates change annually, so check the centre’s tournament pages before booking travel.
Junior netball and futureFERNS
Junior grades follow Netball New Zealand’s Woolworths futureFERNS pathway, which replaces the full adult game with modified formats that give younger players more touches of the ball, more shots and more time on court.
| Year group | Format | Ball | Goal height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1–2 | 4 v 4, one third of the court | 20cm grip ball | Hula hoop or 2.1m |
| Year 3–4 | 5 v 5, two thirds of the court | Size 4 | 2.6m |
| Year 5–6 | 6 v 6, full court | Size 4 | 2.6m |
| Year 7–8 | 7 v 7, full court | Size 5 | 3.05m |
In Year 1 and 2, players use a 20cm grip ball with hula hoops or goals set no higher than 2.1m, play four-a-side on one third of the court, get five seconds to pass or shoot, and are not defended when passing or shooting. Year 3 and 4 play five-a-side over two thirds of the court with a size 4 ball and 2.6-metre goals, and Year 5 and 6 play six-a-side on a full court, still with 2.6-metre posts and a size 4 ball. From Year 7 and 8 the full seven-a-side game begins with a size 5 ball and 3.05-metre posts.
Netball New Zealand has confirmed an update to the Year 5 and 6 format that takes effect from 2027; the hoop height stays at 2.6m, and nothing changed in 2026, which is a preparation year. New coaches can find ready-to-run ideas in our netball drills guide.
Secondary school and representative netball
Rotorua’s secondary schools field teams across the age grades. Rotorua Girls’ High School, John Paul College, Western Heights High School and Rotorua Lakes High School are among the local schools that compete in secondary competitions and at the school weekend of Kurangaituku.
For players aiming higher, Netball Rotorua runs representative trials and enters teams in regional and national events. The national calendar includes the Netball NZ Under-18 Championships, the Netball NZ Open Championships and the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships, which act as a shop window for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and, ultimately, the Silver Ferns.
Staying safe on outdoor courts
Injury prevention applies at every level of the game. ACC and Netball New Zealand developed NetballSmart in response to a high rate of serious knee and ankle injuries, and ACC reports that a dynamic warm-up such as NetballSmart can cut the risk of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury — a common and serious knee injury — by up to 50%. The official warm-up takes 15 to 20 minutes and is designed to be done two to three times a week.
Two equipment points apply everywhere, Westbrook included:
- Padded goalposts. Posts must be padded with uniform padding no more than 50mm thick that runs the full length of the pole. Our netball hoop guide covers the ring, post and net specifications.
- Jewellery and nails. Umpires check both before play — nails must be short enough not to scratch or snag in a contest, and jewellery is removed or taped.
Court shoes with proper lateral support matter even more on sealed outdoor courts than on indoor timber, where grip and cushioning behave differently. World Netball’s facilities and equipment guidance sets the international standard, and our netball equipment guide explains what to look for in footwear.
How to get involved
Whether you are joining a club, entering a social team or bringing a side to Kurangaituku, the starting point is the same: the Netball Rotorua Centre’s website and phone line. Grades, draws, entry deadlines and fees are published there each season and change from year to year, so confirm the current details before you commit.
If you are moving between regions or want to see how another centre lays out its season, the North Canterbury Netball Centre — official website is a useful comparison, with dedicated pages on want to play netball: grades, days and venues — NCNC, Year 7 & 8 competition information and season dates — NCNC, the Year 5 & 6 draw and court duty requirements — NCNC, open grade and senior representative fixtures — NCNC and centre contacts and committee — NCNC.
This article is for general information only. Competition grades, dates, fees and entry conditions change every season, so confirm current details directly with the Netball Rotorua Centre or Netball New Zealand before making plans or travel bookings. Details on this page were verified in September 2026.
Reference sources
- Netball Rotorua Centre — Kurangaituku tournament information
- Kurangaituku Netball Tournament marks 90 years in Rotorua — NZ Herald
- Westbrook netball courts redevelopment completed — NZ Herald
- futureFERNS Year 5 & 6 format changes confirmed for 2027 — Netball New Zealand
- Rotorua centre profile — Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty
Frequently asked questions
Where are the netball courts in Rotorua?
At the Westbrook Netball complex on Malfroy Road West. The complex has 16 outdoor, sealed courts along with a pavilion, spectator areas and a car park, and it is smoke-free throughout.
What is the Kurangaituku Netball Tournament?
An annual club netball tournament in Rotorua, first played in 1933 and widely described as the largest of its kind in New Zealand. It runs over three weekends and is named after the Kurangaituku Trophy, carved by Pine Taiapa for the Rotorua Borough Council’s Spring Carnival. The 2025 tournament marked 90 years.
When is the Kurangaituku tournament held?
Across three weekends in late winter and early spring, usually around September. Social grades play first, the competitive and Masters grades the following weekend, and school grades on the final weekend. Exact dates change each year, so confirm them with the Netball Rotorua Centre.
Can boys play netball in Rotorua?
Yes, at junior and intermediate level. At the Kurangaituku school weekend, intermediate (Year 7–8) teams may include up to three boys in each area of the court under Netball Rotorua’s regulations. The collegiate and senior secondary grades were girls-only in 2025.
What ball and hoop height do junior players use?
Year 1 and 2 use a 20cm grip ball with goals no higher than 2.1m. Years 3 to 6 use a size 4 ball with 2.6-metre posts. From Year 7 and 8, players move to the full-size game with a size 5 ball and 3.05-metre posts.
How do I enter a team or start playing?
Registrations, entry forms, fees and deadlines are published each season on the Netball Rotorua Centre’s website on the Sporty platform. Teams must be affiliated to a Netball New Zealand association and nominate an umpire; new players can contact the centre directly on 07 348 6578.
